It's summer time and there's nothing better then fresh-of-the-grill Kalbi.  These marinated Korean short ribs have a high enough fat content that each bite explodes with flavor in your mouth, and the marinade provides a subtle sweet, salty, and tangy backdrop.  It's simple to make, and they cook up quickly on a hot grill.  This recipe was adapted from DEEP FRIED KIMCHEE subscriber Turtle's mother's recipe. 



Ingredients:

3-4 pounds beef short ribs (untrimmed)

For marinade:
1 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup mirin (rice wine)
1/4 cup sesame oil
1/4 cup unsweetened white rice vinegar
2 bunches green onions (chopped)
2 tablespoons fresh garlic (minced)
2 teaspoons fresh ginger (minced)
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon honey
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
OPTIONAL: 1/4 cup palm sugar and use only 1/4 cup dark brown sugar
OPTIONAL: 1/4 cup chopped Korean pear


For garnish:
chopped green onion
sesame seeds




Directions:

1) Combine ingredients for marinade in large sealable tupperware.
2) Wash each rib carefully removing any bone fragments.
3) Combine ribs and marinade. Marinade should completely cover ribs - add water if necessary.
4) Seal and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
5) Place ribs on hot grill until done (about 1-2 minutes per side).
6) Garnish with chopped green onions and a sprinkle of sesame seeds.  Serve hot.
7) Get some tortillas and a Twitter account and start your own knockoff Kogi Truck (you'd crush it, these are much better than Kogi)

These pre-cut short ribs are available at the Asian grocer.  Each rib is about a quarter pound so the 2.5 pound package pictured holds ten pieces.  When cooking for a group estimate 2 ribs per person.  It's important to wash each one carefully to get rid of the bone fragments which were created when the butcher cut them.  Sometimes the ribs freeze together in which case you should run them under COLD WATER (not hot) to separate them.  Either place washed ribs immediately in marinade or pat them dry.


Serve with rice and kimchee for a complete meal!