Korean Short Ribs Recipe

Prepare short ribs

Trim excess fat from the ribs if needed. If your ribs are not already flanken-cut (thin across the bones, about 1/4–1/2 inch thick), ask your butcher to cut them or slice across the bones into roughly 1/4–1/2-inch pieces. Pat ribs dry with paper towel.

Make the marinade

In a large bowl combine soy sauce, brown sugar, mirin, sesame oil, minced garlic, grated ginger, and grated Korean pear. Whisk until sugar mostly dissolves. Stir in the thinly sliced white and light-green parts of the green onions, toasted sesame seeds, ground black pepper and gochujang if using. Taste and adjust: it should be salty-sweet with mild acidity and a bit of pear sweetness.

Marinate ribs

Place the ribs in a single layer in a shallow dish or a large resealable plastic bag. Pour the marinade over the ribs, massaging to ensure each piece is coated. Seal or cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours, preferably overnight (8–12 hours) for best flavor. Turn the ribs once or twice while marinating so pieces marinate evenly.

Bring to temperature

Remove the ribs from the refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking to come closer to room temperature. Reserve the marinade. Right before grilling, pat the ribs lightly with paper towel to remove excess marinade (this helps achieve good caramelization); set aside the solids from the marinade (pear/onion bits) if you want to baste sparingly during grilling.

Preheat grill or pan

Light a grill to medium-high (about 400–450°F / 200–230°C) or heat a heavy-duty cast-iron skillet or grill pan over medium-high heat. Oil the grates or pan lightly with the neutral oil brushed on a folded paper towel and wiped with tongs.

Grill the ribs

Arrange ribs in a single layer across the hot grill or pan. Cook about 2–3 minutes per side for thin flanken-cut pieces, flipping once to get good char and caramelization. Thicker pieces may take 3–4 minutes per side. Avoid moving them too often; let the sugars caramelize. If using reserved marinade solids, spoon a small amount on ribs during the last 30–60 seconds of cooking—do not pour raw marinade directly onto meat while cooking.

Check doneness

Ribs should be richly browned with some char edges and cooked through but still tender. Cooking time varies by thickness; aim for a quick, high-heat sear rather than long slow cooking for traditional kalbi.

Rest and garnish

Transfer cooked ribs to a platter and let rest 3–5 minutes. Sprinkle with thinly sliced scallions and extra toasted sesame seeds. Serve with lime/lemon wedges if desired and rice or lettuce wraps.