Name: Korean Beef BBQ Kalbi
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 1.5 pounds beef short ribs (we used boneless but can also use ones with bones); 2 kiwi - 2 kiwi (peeled and mashed (can also use grated Asian pears)); 1/2 cup soy sauce (tamari for gluten-free); 2 tbsp sesame oil; 3 cloves garlic (peeled and minced); 1/2 cup onion (peeled and grated); 2 tsp sesame seeds; 1/2 tsp white pepper; 4 cucumbers; 1 chili peppers (mild chili pepper or pepper of choice, sliced thinly); 3 tbsp rice vinegar; 2 tsp sesame oil; 1 tsp salt; 1 tsp sugar (or sugar alternative of choice); 1/4 tsp white pepper; 1 tbsp gochuang sauce (or to taste (very spicy) - I found a gluten-free and vegan GoChuang Sauce from Chung Jung One. ); 1/3 cup soy sauce (tamari for gluten free); 1 tsp sesame oil; 1 tbsp olive oil (if using indoor grilling pan and if grilling outdoors prepare your grill. ); lettuce (bibb lettuce or soft leaved lettuce to wrap up your grilled meats (optional)); bean sprouts (handful, chopped into thirds (optional)); 1 tsp sesame seeds (toasted- to garnish beef (optional))

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Korean Beef BBQ Kalbi recipe has tender melt in your mouth boneless short rib seared over the grill, dunked in a spicy gochuang, soy and sesame dipping sauce and served with a side of quick pickles.

Have you ever been to a Korean BBQ restaurant?

Don't you just love all the delicious pickles, delicious cuts of beef and veggies to grill. I love my grilled Korean Beef BBQ Kalbi drizzled with a little spicy sauce and rolled up in a lettuce leaf. Unless you have an extravagant dining room table with a pop up grill in the middle you need to simplify this whole process down to a family meal but with some delicious traditional Korean flavours.

Korean Beef BBQ Kalbi is an Instant Party in the Making

Everyone loves assembling their own food and sharing it at a table together. In addition, all of the items can be prepared in advance of your party and gathering and all you need to do is grill your marinated boneless short ribs for just 1-2 minutes. I don't have one of those fancy pop up grills in the middle of my dining room table either so I either grill outdoors or when I am lazy I grill on my grill pan indoors.

It is around this time of the year that I cannot not wait for flip-flop season. I am sick and tired of weeks and weeks of fog, smog and dampness in Hong Kong and can't wait to see the sun again. Are you sick of snow, sleet and mother nature? If you want to be ready for the spring/summer, we need to start thinking about lightning up our meals but still keeping all the flavours. This delicious Korean Beef BBQ Kalbi is sure to deliver with all of its delightful spices and textures.

Low Carb

Korean Beef BBQ Kalbi is a great low carb meal and diabetic friendly if you use a sugar alternative in the quick pickles recipe. If you are vegan, just replace the beef with hearty Portobello mushrooms. If you want to keep this recipe gluten-free, use tamari sauce and use gluten-free gochuang sauce.

Best cuts of Beef to use

Korean Beef BBQ kalbi, sometimes also called galbi, all starts with the cut of beef and the special marinade. I used beef short ribs without the bones for this recipe but it is really your choice and you can use a rib eye, strip loin or tougher cuts of meat if you marinade the beef overnight.

What is the difference between Kalbi and Bulgogi?

It is the type of beef and how it is cut. Usually, kalbi is made from short ribs either with or without the bones and it is cut somewhere around ¼ inch thick. Bulgogi can be cut from really tender cuts of beef like tenderloin or rib eye or other cuts of meat and it is cut super paper-thin.

Marinade

My marinade is much like the usual marinade but healthier. Many of my Korean friends use a sprite or lemon/lime soda pop or brown sugar in the marinade but my version only uses kiwi fruit to sweeten the marinade along with tamari (soy) sauce, sesame oil, onions, white pepper and of course lots of garlic. You can exchange the kiwi fruit with a grated Asian pear and that is also very nice.

Grilling and Chilling with Korean Beef BBQ Kalbi

Grilling over the hot coals, outside gas grill or even on your inside grill pan all work well. You only need to quickly sear the meat about 1 minute on each side and it is done. You have to love that. Dunk your masterpiece into the delicious gochuang, soy and sesame dipping sauce for a lip smacking delicious treat. Gochuang is a delicious Korean fermented chili paste and if you cannot find that near you exchange with a little Siracha sauce.

Asian Quick Pickles

Man cannot live on meat alone and that is why I like to accompany Korean Beef BBQ kalbi with a quick pickle. I like to use the tiny skinny Asian cucumbers but you could use other types as well. If your pickle has lots of seeds, you are going to want to remove those before you dunk them in the pickling juice.

If you are a pickle head like us, you are going to love these quick pickle recipes...

Lemon Diakon Radish Refrigerator Pickles

Spicy Garlic Cucumber Refrigerator Pickles

Gingered Red Onion Pickled Golden Beets

There is no heating up vinegar or fussing. Just splash a little rice vinegar, salt, coconut sugar or sugar alternative, sesame oil and of course fresh chilis and toss and let stand for about 15 minutes at room temperature and these delicious quick pickles are ready to be served. These are not like regular pickles and are best eaten within 24 hours but can be kept up to 3 days in a sealed container in the refrigerator.

If you want to set up a full Korean Beef BBQ Kalbi, then some of the fun side dishes are lettuces to wrap up your beef in and then loads of your favorite toppings. You may like to include special spicy gochuang, soy and sesame dipping sauce, kimchi, quick pickles, bean sprouts, marinated or grilled garlic cloves, sesame seeds or whatever your little heart desires. In addition, today I needed to fill up my boys and also made a side of Kimchi Pantry Fried Brown Rice too.