Method
- Rinse the short ribs in cold water for 30 minutes — Korean cooks call this haemul, removing residual blood that would discolour the marinade.
- Combine grated pear, grated onion, soy sauce, brown sugar, mirin, sesame oil, garlic, ginger, sesame seeds and pepper in a wide dish. Whisk until the sugar dissolves.
- Add the dried ribs. Massage the marinade into each piece, paying attention to the meat between bones. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours, ideally 24 hours. Long marination is what distinguishes restaurant-quality galbi from home shortcuts.
- Heat a charcoal grill or cast-iron pan to high. The fat in the marinade will flare; have the cover at hand.
- Grill the ribs in a single layer, 2 minutes per side. The sugar in the marinade caramelises fast; the edges should char and the meat should still be slightly pink near the bone.
- Transfer to a wooden board to rest 2 minutes. Slice between the bones into individual short rib pieces. Serve with rice, lettuce wraps, kimchi, ssamjang and a wedge of lemon. Eat with the hands, gnawing the meat from the bone — it's the gentleman's permission of a Korean barbecue.
Common questions
Can LA Galbi be made ahead?
LA Galbi is best made and eaten the same day, but the components can be prepped earlier — chop and measure the ingredients up to a day ahead, refrigerated separately. Final cooking takes about 12 minutes.
Is LA Galbi spicy?
LA Galbi as written is mild to mildly warming — the heat comes from aromatics rather than chili. Add fresh sliced chili or chili oil at the end if you'd like to push it spicier.
Is LA Galbi vegetarian or gluten-free?
This recipe is suitable for most diets. If you have specific restrictions, the substitutions section in each ingredient note covers the most common swaps.
How hard is LA Galbi to make at home?
LA Galbi is approachable for a home cook with basic stove skills — total time about 252 minutes, no special technique required.
Can LA Galbi be scaled up or down?
This recipe is written for 4 servings. To scale, multiply each ingredient proportionally; the cooking times stay the same up to about double the volume. Beyond that, expect to cook in batches because of pan size and heat distribution.
Cultural Note
LA galbi — the flanken-cut variant — was created in Los Angeles in the 1970s by Korean immigrants who couldn't find traditional Korean-cut short ribs (with the meat butterflied along the bone). Korean butchers in LA started cutting the rib bones across instead. The cut spread back to Korea and is now sold under both LA galbi and the traditional way. The pear-and-soy marinade is the Korean signature; the long rest is essential. A Korean barbecue restaurant cooks at the table on an inset grill; the home version on cast-iron approximates with less smoke.
