Korean kalbi ribs are a local island favorite in Hawaii. It is most common to use flanken-style short ribs for this recipe. It is sometimes difficult to find this cut of meat, however, your butcher should be able to accommodate your request. Though this is the most common cut of meat used for kalbi, I found that using a boneless ribeye is superb. The ribeye is tender and so flavorful.
I bought a thick cut ribeye from Whole Foods and asked the butcher to slice it into two thinner pieces. It worked out perfectly for kalbi.
The marinade is easy to prepare with ingredients you most likely have on hand.
The main ingredients for the marinade are garlic, ginger, green onion, sesame seeds and onion. Though it may seem very ordinary, these common ingredients come together to make the best marinade.
I mix up the marinade early in the morning and let the steaks soak up the tasty sauce for about 10 hours.
The end result is a delicious kalbi-style ribeye steak that is perfectly seasoned and grilled to perfection. Sometimes we serve the kalbi with mac salad and homemade kimchi, other times with charred green beans. Rice is always a part of the meal.
- 1 thick cut ribeye steak (about 1 pound, cut into two ¾-inch thick each pieces)
- Marinade:
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- ¼ cup mirin
- ¼ cup sesame oil
- ¼ cup packed dark or light brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 tablespoon finely grated onion
- 1 tablespoon finely grated garlic (A Microplane works great for the garlic and ginger)
- 2 teaspoons finely grated ginger
- 5 green onions finely sliced
- ¾ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 2 teaspoons roasted sesame seeds
- freshly ground black pepper
- Whisk together the marinade ingredients in 2-cup glass measuring cup or medium sized bowl. Reserve ¼ cup of marinade.
- Place the steaks in a single layer in a ziplock bag. Pour marinade over top and bottom of steaks making sure each steak is coated well. Place bag in the refrigerator for 8 - 10 hours, turning the bag occasionally.
- For gas grill: Turn all burners to high, cover and heat grill until very hot, about 15 minutes. Clean and oil grates liberally once grill is hot. Grill steaks for about 5 minutes total, brushing reserved marinade over the steaks and turning several times for an even char. Check temperature with Thermapen or other digital thermometer. Remove when internal temperature reaches 140 degrees.
- ***The steaks can also be cooked over a hot charcoal grill.