Korean Grilled Short Ribs—Kalbi—for a Charcoal Grill

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(from Bethany’s recipe box)

SERVES 4 TO 6
If pressed for time, a 1-hour marinade will provide sufficient flavor, but it will not tenderize the meat as well as a longer marinade. Make sure to buy English-style ribs that have at least 1 inch of meat on top of the bone, avoiding ones that have little meat and large bones. Two pounds of boneless short ribs at least 4 inches long and 1 inch thick can be used instead of bone-in ribs. Alternatively, 2 1/2 pounds of thinly sliced Korean-style ribs can be used (no butchering is required; see modified instructions in step 5). For a spicier marinade, add 1/2 teaspoon or more hot red pepper flakes. Serve with steamed rice, kimchi (spicy pickled vegetables), and, if available, a spicy bean paste called gochujang. Traditionally, all these ingredients are wrapped in a lettuce leaf and eaten like a taco.

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:
Butchering the short ribs properly proved to be the most important step in developing our grilled Korean short ribs recipe. Using English-style short ribs (the cut most widely available in markets), we made four slices from each rib, evening them out with a quick pounding. The right marinade was also critical—pear puree turned out to be a key ingredient. The pear balanced the acidity of the rice vinegar, adding sweetness and a fruit flavor.

http://www.americastestkitchenfeed.com/cooking-science/2013/03/we-prove-it-fattier-meat-requires-more-salt-for-seasoning/

Source: Cook's Illustrated Published May 1, 2007

Categories: Meat

Ingredients

  • 1 medium pear (ripe), peeled, halved, cored, and roughly chopped
  • 6 medium cloves garlic, peeled
  • 4 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
  • 1/2 cup soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
  • 6 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
  • 3 scallions, green and white parts sliced thin
  • 5 pounds bone-in English-style short ribs, meat removed from bone, trimmed of excess fat, sliced widthwise at angle into 1/2- to 3/4-inch-thick pieces and pounded 1/4 inch thick (see illustrations below)
  • Vegetable oil for grill rack

Directions

  1. Process pear, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, oil, sugar, and vinegar in food processor until smooth, 20 to 30 seconds, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Transfer to medium bowl and stir in scallions.

  2. Spread one-third of marinade in 13 by 9-inch pan or other suitable container that will hold ribs in 2 layers. Place half of meat in single layer over marinade. Pour half of remaining marinade over meat, followed by remaining meat and marinade. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and place in refrigerator. Marinate ribs for at least 4 hours and up to 12 hours, turning meat once or twice to ensure that it marinates evenly.

  3. Light large chimney starter filled two-thirds with charcoal (4 quarts, or about 65 briquettes) and allow to burn until coals are fully ignited and partially covered with thin layer of ash, 15 to 20 minutes. Build modified two-level fire by arranging coals to cover half of grill. Position grill grate over coals, cover grill, and heat grate until hot, about 5 minutes; scrape grate clean with grill brush. Lightly dip wad of paper towels in oil; holding wad with tongs, wipe grill grate.

  4. Grill half of meat directly over coals, turning 3 or 4 times, until well browned on both sides, 7 to 12 minutes. If flare-ups occur, move meat to cooler side of grill until flames die down. Move first batch of meat to cooler side of grill and repeat browning with second batch. Transfer second batch of meat to platter. Return first batch of meat to hot side of grill and warm for 30 seconds; transfer to platter and serve immediately.

  5. For Korean-Style Ribs: Korean-style ribs are fattier than English-style ribs, so watch for flare-ups at the grill. Follow recipe above, substituting 2 1/2 pounds Korean-style beef short ribs that are trimmed of excess fat and cut no more than 1/4 inch thick. Reduce amount of charcoal to 3 quarts.

  6. STEP-BY-STEP – GETTING ENGLISH-STYLE RIBS READY TO GRILL: If using boneless ribs, skip to step 2. 1. Remove meat from bone, positioning chef’s knife as close as possible to bone. 2. Trim excess hard fat and silver skin from both sides of meat. 3. Slice meat at angle into 4 to 5 pieces ranging from 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick. 4. Place plastic wrap over meat and pound into even 1/4-inch-thick pieces.

  7. SHOPPING – TYPES OF SHORT RIBS: Depending on butchering technique, short ribs can vary markedly in appearance. Our recipe uses widely available English-style ribs; Korean-style and boneless ribs can also be used. Boneless: A good option that is available at some markets. Make sure they are at least 4 inches long and 1 inch thick. English-Style: This common choice contains a single bone, about 4 to 5 inches long. Look for ribs that have at least 1 inch of meat above the bone. Flanken and Korean-Style: The authentic choice is the thinly-sliced flanken rib (sold only in Asian markets) which requires no butchering. The same as flanken-style ribs but cut much thinner, usually about 1/4-inch thick.

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