Craving a mouthwatering barbecue beef short ribs recipe? Fire up your grill, because these Korean-style marinated BBQ Short Ribs will excite and please your taste buds!
“Great recipe! Make it every few months when it’s not too hot out. Family and I love it! Thanks for sharing it! It’s also works wonderfully as a jerky marinade too!!” — Kayla
Whenever we shop at a Korean grocery store or our favorite Korean meat shop, we make different Korean dishes at home. They offer a wide variety of quality meat with cuts suitable for Korean and Japanese cooking.
Today, I used the beef short ribs I bought from the meat shop and made a Korean-inspired marinade for us to enjoy. The ribs are grilled until tender and caramelized, infused with incredible flavor from the sweet, umami, and slightly spicy marinade. Oh, they’re so good that you can’t stop eating!
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Absolutely foolproof — You just need to marinade the ribs with a simple homemade sauce and grill! No fancy grilling techniques required.
- A beloved family meal or a backyard BBQ party — These thin-sliced short ribs make a perfectly satisfying cut for fuss-free BBQ as they are easy to grill and ready for the table in no time.
- It’s all about the marinade — Sweet, tangy, aromatic, deeply savory with a spicy kick, this marinade delivers all the notes.
Ingredients for BBQ Short Ribs
My recipe is not exactly the same as a traditional Korean kalbi recipe, which often includes pureed fruit like Asian pear or kiwi and does not include gochujang. I keep the marinade more streamlined with pantry-stable ingredients and use gochujang to punch up the flavor. Believe me, it works just as well.
- Bone-in beef short ribs
For the Marinade:
- Soy sauce
- Mirin — The Japanese sweet rice wine helps tenderize the short ribs and lends a mild sweetness. More about it in this post.
- Brown sugar (packed)
- Gochujang (Korean chili paste) — This is the key ingredient for the marinade. It adds an unmistakably sweet, savory, and spicy flavors to the short ribs.
- Garlic (minced or pressed)
- Toasted sesame oil and toasted white sesame seeds
- Green onion/scallion
Cooking Steps Overview
- Soak the bone-in beef short ribs in cold water and pat them dry.
- Whisk all the marinade ingredients together in a bowl.
- Pour the marinade over the ribs, turning them to coat completely. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or up to overnight.
- Prepare charcoal or preheat a gas grill to 450°F (230°C).
- Remove the short ribs from the marinade and let any excess drip off. Grill until they are nicely seared and cooked on both sides. Serve and enjoy!
The Gochujang Marinade
This marinade is the bomb! Not only is it super flavorful, but it is also easy to put together and highly versatile. My family cannot get enough of it.
You’ll need gochujang, which is a staple condiment in Korean cooking made from red chili, glutinous rice, fermented soybeans, and salt. It’s sticky and thick, and when mixed with soy sauce, garlic, mirin, and toasted sesame oil, it turns into a delicious marinade that coats every part of the meat.
I recommend marinating the short ribs overnight to allow the meat to be deeply infused with all the flavors.
It’s worth stocking up a jar of gochujang in the pantry so you can make delicious Kimchi Fried Rice and Kimchi Nabe (the Japanese version of Kimchi Jjigae) as well.
Recipe Tips
- You can grill the short ribs over charcoal or gas grill. Of course, a charcoal grill is always the best if you are after the heavenly smokiness.
- Careful not to overcook the marinated meats as they cook quickly.
Where to Get Korean Short Ribs
For this short ribs recipe, you want to get Korean short ribs, also known as kalbi or galbi. These are special cross-cut short ribs where the rib is cut lengthwise using a band saw, resulting in a thin cut of meat.
All the Korean grocery stores in your neighborhood carry this style of cut. Some of the biggest Korean grocery store chains are H-Mart and T&T. Food blogger/Youtuber Maangchi has a list of Korean grocery stores here.
Also, 99 Ranch Market (Chinese/Asian) and some American grocery stores with a good meat section usually carry them.
What to Serve with this Korean-Inspired BBQ Short Ribs
These short ribs are fantastic when served with plenty of crisp vegetables. I always serve them with steamed rice for a full meal too.
If you are serving these at a party, pair them with veggies or sides that can be prepped ahead so all you need to do is to grill these up on the spot! Start with a big pile of fresh lettuce and spring onions. Here are more suggestions:
Salads & Pickles: Quick Korean Fresh Kimchi, Asian Coleslaw with Sesame Dressing, Easy Pickles, Pickled Cucumbers
Korean-style Side Dishes: Spinach and Bean Sprout Namul, Spicy Bean Sprout Salad
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BBQ Short Ribs
Ingredients
- 2 lb bone-in beef short ribs
For the Marinade
- ½ cup soy sauce
- ½ cup mirin
- 3 Tbsp brown sugar (packed)
- 2 Tbsp gochujang (Korean chili paste)
- 4 cloves garlic (minced or pressed)
- 1 Tbsp toasted sesame oil
- ½ Tbsp toasted white sesame seeds
- 1 green onion/scallion (finely chopped)
Instructions
- Gather all the ingredients. This recipe includes 12 hours marinating time.
- Soak 2 lb bone-in beef short ribs in cold water for 30 minutes to get rid of the blood, changing the water a few times. Pat the meat dry with paper towels. Place the ribs in a shallow tray.
- In a medium bowl, whisk all the marinade ingredients together: ½ cup soy sauce, ½ cup mirin, 3 Tbsp brown sugar, 2 Tbsp gochujang (Korean chili paste), 4 cloves garlic (minced or pressed), 1 Tbsp toasted sesame oil, ½ Tbsp toasted white sesame seeds, and 1 green onion/scallion (chopped).
- Pour the marinade over the ribs, turning them to coat completely in the seasoning. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or up to overnight, turning the ribs a few times while marinating.
- Prepare charcoal or preheat a gas grill to 450°F (230°C). Clean and lightly oil the grill grate. For the best flavor, I recommend using charcoal instead of a gas grill. When you add charcoal to the grill, pile the charcoal to one side. We will use both indirect and direct heat to cook the short ribs.
- Remove the short ribs from the marinade and let any excess drip off; discard the marinade. Grill the short ribs directly over the charcoal until nicely seared, then flip once to sear the other side. After searing both sides, move the short ribs to the side of the grill surface not directly over the charcoal. Continue grilling for about 5–6 minutes total. Transfer to a serving platter.
To Store
- You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container and store them in the refrigerator for 3–4 days and in the freezer for a month.
Notes
Nutrition
Editor’s Note: This post was originally published on June 18, 2012. It was updated with more helpful content, a revised recipe, and new images on September 12, 2017, and republished on July 22, 2024.
Can this be made under the broiler? If yes, what modifications, if any should be done, and how long would it need to be cooked for? Thank You
Hi Anastasia! I had never used a broiler to cook the steak. However, I read this post on how to cook steak, and it can be possible. This post has very good tips on how to make it (from preheating pans to how far the meat should be from the heating element, etc): https://www.food.com/recipe/broil-a-perfect-steak-165254
Let me know if you try! 🙂
Looks great! Is it spicy with the red pepper paste? If so, okay to reduce amount or omit without compromising the taste? Thanks!
Thank you Selena! It should not be too spicy but cut down the amount and it’ll be still good! 🙂
Delicious BBQ ribs, the flavors are phenomenal.
Thank you for your kind feedback, Luda!
I actually used beef short ribs that I had on hand and the recipe is delicious & easy. I will definitely be making this again.
Hi Janet! Thank you so much for trying this recipe! Thank you for your kind feedback. I”m so glad you enjoyed this recipe! 🙂
What is the alternative to cook this without a grill?
Hi Mydao! You can totally cook in a frying pan. If you have a cast iron pan, it’s a plus, as you can heat up higher (for example, non-stick pans can’t use “high” heat).
Can you recommend a good Korean grocery store in the City? I was thinking maybe Clement Street, but I don’t live in the City anymore, so I’m not sure where to go.
THX
Hi Annette! Have you been to Kukje? That’s the one I sometimes go…
https://www.yelp.com/search?find_desc=Korean+Supermarket&find_loc=San+Francisco%2C+CA
I’m struggling with extra pounds as well…I usually cut way down on carbs for weight loss success. No gym for me…I walk the dogs a lot plus golf. Curious, have you been omitting rice? If so, what are you substituting? ( cauliflower rice doesn’t do it for me) Yam noodles (I’m sure you are aware), are great instead of other noodles. Thanks for the recipe, I hope not too spicy my husband doesn’t like HOT! Good luck with weight loss…not fun when you love food like I do…
Hi Lyn! I actually cut down on carbs this time (for the first time ever – see how serious and desperate I am this time LOL). I haven’t eaten rice except when I had to eat poke (I just couldn’t eat without small portion of rice). I haven’t eaten my favorite bagels, pasta, rice… dying. For Japanese food, I just skip rice, no substitute. I use zoodles to replace noodle dishes (or yes, shirataki noodles). I eat one whole wheat toast with avocado occasionally. Cauliflower rice is not my favorite either but I LOVE roasted cauliflower so I eat it to fill me up instead of eating it as rice. No gym for me too… I feel like I waste my limited time by going there and coming back so I use FitnessBlender on YouTube (I purchase their workout). I try to do it as soon as I come home from dropping off kids. Good luck to you too! I have a goal and once I reach… I will enjoy small amount of rice with my Japanese food… He he he. And this is not spicy as my kids can eat it. You can cut down on gochujang too. 🙂
Dear Nami san. Connichiwa!
When I make Korean style short ribs, I always buy them from Sams Club near us. I have had good luck with the selection of meats they carry. I favor the meats from Sams Club over other places.
Arigato,
STEVE
Konnichiwa Steve! I’ve never been to Sam’s Club before – I googled and I see two stores a bit far from here. Thanks for sharing your tip with me and JOC readers!
Hi Nami
I am just starting to appreciate the versatility of Gochujiang. It is just as amazing as miso paste. Thanks for this recipe!
I agree with you that it is easier to lose weight by restricting diet than exercise. When I feel like losing weight, I increase my intake of vegetables and drink more fluids or chew gum to ease hunger. I find it is easier to eat more vegetables to lose weight in Asia since you can buy in bulk (bok choy/chinese spinach etc) in the wet market very cheaply. Elsewhere they sell in ridiculously small bunches for a fortune…
Hi Carrie! I totally agree about Gochujang! 🙂
As I love vegetables, the food intake part is pretty easy for me too. I can eat salad and roasted vegetables and all kinds vegetables without any problem. Water… I need to work on that as I love to drink coffee and tea all day long without drinking water. I’m thankful fruits are cheaper here than Japan… LOL.
Nami, why do you soak the ribs in water first? I had not heard of this before. thanks!
Hi June! Oh! I’ll add why I do that in the recipe. Thanks so much for asking the question! It’s to get rid of the blood. 🙂
Would this work well with chicken thighs?
Hi Ilonka! Sure! 🙂
Do you recommend the 1/4 cup for the Korean or the Japanese Gochujang for this recipe?
I used to use Japanese brand one but now I use more amount so I use a tub of Korean brand. Either way is okay. 🙂
Okay, I want to make this really really bad. But I don’t have a grill except for the one in my oven. What can I do? Can you direct me on how to make this in an oven? Or not so much? Thanks.
Hi Kazy! Yes, you can – use a broil setting High (not baked). Your baking pan should be around the middle, not too close to the heat source (broil is top); otherwise it’ll burn too fast. Be careful, it’ll be quick (depends on the thickness of the meat), maybe 3 minutes each side… Hope this helps! 🙂
Thank you so much. I really really appreciate it.
I tried this as written. First, the marinade was fantastic… I saved the extra and boiled it down, then froze to use later. YUM!
Regarding cooking method: I think this would be better either cooked on the grill (I used gas) low and slow for much longer in order to allow the ribs to get really tender. An alternative would be to braise in the marinade, also low and slow. A couple of minutes on each side simply doesn’t result in the melt in your mouth texture that I so love about short ribs when cooked well. I personally love them when they are fall-off-the-bone and the grilling method suggested here didn’t achieve that.
That said, they were still delicious and I could drink a bowl of that marinade!
Hi KJ! I’m so sorry for my late response. I’m so glad you liked the marinade. Heat from gas and charcoal is different, and thank you for your tip on how to grill this on gas! I appreciate it! Thank you so much for your kind feedback! 🙂
Looks good. Lazaro Mesquite Charcoal, which you can get at Orchard Supply Hardware, is my favorite. It gets really hot and imparts a nice mesquite flavor. If I want less mesquite, I mix the mesquite hardwood chunks with other hardwood chunks – from Trader Joes or Wholefoods.
Briquets imparts flavors I don’t really care for.
Thank you Grace for your suggestion! I forward this info to my hubby. 🙂