Sweet and Tender LA Galbi Gui (Grilled Beef Ribs)
A special beef short rib dish gently braised until tender, using pear juice and onion juice instead of sugar for a subtle sweetness.
Translated from Korean by AI and not yet checked by a native speaker. Amounts and numbers are taken directly from the original recipe. Read the Korean original →
Using pear drink and onion juice instead of sugar or corn syrup brings out a clean, pleasantly sweet depth of flavor. Pouring in enough marinade to braise the ribs down until glossy gives them a tender yet delightfully chewy texture. It is a wonderful main dish for holiday tables or entertaining guests.
- Servings
- 4–5 servings
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Spiciness
- Not spicy
Ingredients
Ingredients
- LA galbi (flanken-style beef short ribs)1.5 kg
Seasoning
- Pear juice (or pear drink)1 bottle, 500 ml (2 1/2 cups)
- Onion1 (2/3 cup, medium, juiced)
- White part of large green onion (daepa)4 tbsp (finely chopped)
- Minced garlic2 tbsp
- Minced ginger1 tsp
- Regular soy sauce (jin-ganjang) (or brewed soy sauce (yangjo-ganjang))2/3 cup
- Mirin (cooking rice wine)4 tbsp
- Toasted sesame oil2 tbsp
- Ground black pepper1/3 tsp
- If you want to grate fresh pear yourself, prepare about 1 large one.
- Soaking LA galbi in cold water for about 1 hour to draw out the blood helps remove any gamey beef odor.
- If you want it even more tender, you can puree 1/2 kiwi and add it to the marinade.
Steps
Prepare the ingredients
Here is 1.5 kg of LA galbi for grilling.
These are the pear drink, onion, and large green onion for the marinade. If you prefer to grate fresh pear yourself, prepare about 1 large one.
Draw out the blood from the LA galbi
Soaking the LA galbi in cold water for about 1 hour to draw out the blood helps remove any gamey beef odor.
Change the water about twice in between.
Once the blood is sufficiently drawn out, rinse under running water and drain in a colander to remove any remaining water and blood.
Make the LA galbi marinade
For the onion in the marinade, you can grate it on a box grater or blend it in a blender with the pear juice.
Press it firmly through a fine strainer to extract only the clear juice, and finely chop the large green onion.
Add the pear drink, onion juice, chopped large green onion, 2 tbsp minced garlic, 1 tsp minced ginger, 2/3 cup regular soy sauce (jin-ganjang), 4 tbsp mirin (cooking rice wine), 2 tbsp toasted sesame oil, and 1/3 tsp ground black pepper, then mix well to make the galbi marinade.
You can use this marinade for beef galbijjim as well.
The pear drink and onion juice help tenderize the meat, but if chewing meat is difficult and you want it even more tender, you can puree 1/2 kiwi and add it to the marinade.
How to marinate the LA galbi
Pour about 2 ladles of marinade over each layer of ribs, stacking them layer by layer so the marinade penetrates evenly.
Here is how it looks after marinating in the refrigerator for a day, with the soy sauce color soaked into the meat.
It may look like there is a lot of loose liquid over the meat, but reducing it together with the liquid when pan-frying ensures the seasoning turns out just right.
If you make a large batch at once, divide it into portions and stash them in the freezer; when thawing, leave them in the refrigerator for about a day before pan-frying.
Pan-fry
Place the meat in a pan with a moderate amount of marinade liquid, then cook over medium heat, turning to cook both sides as it simmers.
Unlike braised ribs, LA galbi cooks quickly without needing a long time, so it is done once you no longer see any blood.
Simmer down completely until all the liquid has reduced and the ribs turn a rich golden brown.
Complete
The LA galbi gui is complete.
Even with only pear juice for sweetness instead of sugar or corn syrup, it is plenty delicious.
Pan-fry a single piece as a test taste, and if you feel it lacks sweetness, you can add a tiny bit of corn syrup or sugar when braising.
The seasoning is spot-on, not overly sweet, and light enough that you just keep reaching for more.
It costs a bit of money, but putting LA galbi on a holiday table will make it a popular favorite that disappears in a flash.
Ppunwife's tips
- It may look like there is a lot of loose liquid over the meat, but braising it together with the marinade when pan-frying ensures the seasoning turns out just right.
- Pan-fry a single piece as a test taste, and if you feel it lacks sweetness, you can add a tiny bit of corn syrup or sugar when braising.
FAQ
Can I use fresh pear instead of commercial pear drink?
If you grate fresh pear yourself, prepare and use about 1 large one.
What should I do if I want the meat to be even more tender?
The base marinade already helps tenderize the meat, but if you want an even softer texture, pureeing half a kiwi and mixing it into the marinade works well.
How do I thaw the marinated meat after freezing it?
If you portioned the marinated meat and stored it in the freezer, transfer it to the refrigerator a day before cooking to let it thaw slowly, then pan-fry it.
Should I lift out only the meat when pan-frying?
Pour a moderate amount of the marinade into the pan along with the meat and braise it down completely over medium heat so the seasoning absorbs properly.
