Kalbi or Galbi are beef short ribs that are marinated and grilled or broiled. In the states, the short ribs are cut across the bone. This style is called the flanken or LA cut. You can find these short ribs at an Asian grocery store such as Hmart. I’ve also purchased flanken cut beef short ribs at Costco.
The traditional kalbi recipe has a lot of sugar. I wanted the flavor that I’ve enjoyed at Korean barbecue restaurants. But I didn’t want the carbs. So I adapted Kimchimari‘s kalbi recipe to make it keto-friendly.
Serve these easy marinated short ribs with a stir-fried or sautéed vegetable and a salad. I serve mine with stir-fried Chinese broccoli, which is also known as gai lan.
Special Equipment (affiliate links)
Blender
Broiler Pan and Rack 
Gallon Zip-Top Bag 
Kalbi – Korean BBQ Short Ribs Blender Marinade
Notes
Use any red wine in the marinade. Except cooking wine! Cooking wine has added sodium that will make any dish you make with is way too salty. I use Alamos Malbec. It’s also a good wine to drink with the finished dish.
Ingredients
- First Blend
5lb Korean Short Ribs – LA cut
1 medium onion (about 4 oz.)
- ½ cup water
- Second Blend
- 1 cup soy sauce
- ½ cup red wine
- 1 cup granulated monkfruit sweetener
- 6-8 large garlic cloves (40 g)
- 3 green onions
- 4 Tbsp sesame oil
- 1 Tbsp sesame seeds
- 1 tsp black pepper
Instructions
Rinse ribs under running cold water to remove any bits of bone, then drain them well. If the ribs are incredibly fatty, you may trim away any chunks of fat. I have never purchased any Korean short ribs (kalbi) that required trimming. So trimming them will most likely be unnecessary.
While the kalbi are draining, peel the onion and cut it into chunks. Rinse the green onions, then cut off the roots and any wilted green tips. Cut the green onions into 1 to 2-inch pieces so that they fit into the blender.
Put the onion chunks, green onion pieces, and a half cup of water in the blender. Blend until smooth.
Add the remaining ingredients, except for the kalbi, into the blender. Blend until smooth.
Place a 1 gallon zip-top bag into a large bowl. Put the rinsed and drained kalbi into the bag then cover them with the marinade. Squeeze as much air out of the zip-top bag as possible and seal the bag. Massage the bag so that the kalbi are evenly coated with the marinade. Place the marinating kalbi in the refrigerator.
Let the ribs marinate overnight in the fridge. You can even put the ribs in the marinade in the morning before work to let them marinate during the day. If I’m home, I massage the kalbi in the bag then turn it over periodically to ensure that all the ribs get saturated with marinade.
Take the ribs out of the refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking. Place the top rack of your oven about 4 inches away from the heat source. Preheat the broiler for 5 minutes.
Lay the kalbi on the broiler rack over a broiler pan. Place the kalbi under the broiler for about 4 minutes on one side and 3 minutes on the other side. The cooked kalbi should be nicely caramelized (browned) on both sides. Your broiler may take more or less time, so keep watching it. Now is not the time to walk away because your ribs can go from not-quite-done to burned-to-a-crisp in .3 seconds flat!
To grill the kalbi: Preheat the grill on high until the temperature reaches about 350°. Turn the grill down to medium. Place the kalbi on the grill and grill for about 3 minutes per side. Again, watch it closely! Otherwise, you’ll have kalbi chips.
Serve with a green vegetable and a salad
Nutrition Facts
Kalbi – Korean BBQ Short Ribs Blender Marinade
Serves: 10 people
|
Amount Per Serving: 8 oz
|
||
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 879.97 kcal | |
| % Daily Value* | ||
| Total Fat 82.17 g | 126.4% | |
| Saturated Fat 35.74 g | 178.7% | |
| Trans Fat 0.0 g | ||
| Cholesterol 172.37 mg | 57.5% | |
| Sodium 111.13 mg | 4.6% | |
| Total Carbohydrate 0.0 g | 0 | |
| Dietary Fiber 0.0 g | 0 | |
| Sugars 0.84 g | ||
| Protein 32.66 g | ||
| Vitamin A 0.0 % | Vitamin C 0.0 % | |
| Calcium 2.04 % | Iron 19.53 % | |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
CookDrinkFeast
I have been experimenting with marinades lately and this one is quite tasty. Thank you for a great recipe!
Thanks, Christy!