Hawaiian Kalbi Ribs
(Hawaiian-American barbecued beef short ribs)
Image by stu_spivack
This recipe for marinated and grilled beef short ribs demonstrates the delicious influence of Korean cuisine on Hawaiian cooking. Salty-sweet with a subtle smokiness, kalbi short ribs are the central focus of many a Hawaiian plate lunch.
4 to 6 servings
Ingredients
- Beef short ribs, flanken cut -- 2 pounds
- Soy sauce -- 3/4 cup
- Water -- 1/4 cup
- Sesame oil -- 1 tablespoon
- Sugar -- 1/2 cup
- Garlic, minced -- 3 or 4 cloves
- Gingerroot, peeled and minced -- 1 1-inch piece (about 1 tablespoon)
- Scallions, finely chopped -- 3 or 4
- Sesame seeds, toasted -- 1 tablespoon
Method
- In a large bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, water, sesame oil and sugar until the sugar is dissolved. Next stir in the garlic, ginger, scallions and sesame seeds.
- Add the short ribs and toss to coat. Place the ribs and marinade in the refrigerator to marinate for at least 2 hours and up to 8 hours. Toss occasionally to make sure the ribs get marinated evenly.
- Remove the ribs from their marinade and pat dry. Grill the ribs on a prepared indoor or outdoor grill for about 2 minutes per side, or until just cooked through. Brush lightly with the remaining marinade while grilling if you like.
- Serve immediately with scoops of steamed rice and Hawaiian-style macaroni salad.
Kalbi Short Rib Notes and Variations
- What is "flanken" cut? Short ribs usually come in one of two types of butcher's cut: English or flanken. English style is a cut of 2 to 3-inch sections of rib. This cut is best for braising. Flanken style is a thin cut across 3 or 4 ribs, anywhere from 1/4 to 1/2-inch thick. It's important to chose flanken cut for kalbi short ribs so that they marinate thoroughly, cook quickly and evenly and turn out mouthwateringly tender.
- Other Marinade Additions: Use mirin instead of water and cut back the sugar to 1/4 cup. Some recipes call for adding a little grated onion for flavor or grated Asian pear for sweetness.
