Korean Kalbi...BBQ Beef Short Ribs

Korean Kalbi...BBQ Beef Short Ribs As promised, I am sharing the recipe I made using the Nordic Ware Searing Grill Pan. This particular recipe is quite easy to do. You just mix all the ingredients together and then let it marinate for several hours...preferably overnight.

I remember the days when I first moved to Montana and had my first encounter with Korean home cooking....Korean style. Korean style meant we sat down on the floor to eat while a variety of dishes were spread before us on a very low table. Each dish was beautifully presented and so delicious....including my favorite, the sweet potato noodle dish called Japchae. I remember my friend working so hard to prepare each dish in a timely manner...so that the dishes would be hot when we sat we sat down to eat. I was touched by her giving spirit...On yet another occasion, my friend invited us over for some BBQ. Being Korean, my friend definitely knew how to make Korean BBQ. While she was grilling the beef, I stood watching and noticed that as part of the marinade, she had used some sort of grated fruit....or at least some thing that looked grated:). She told me that she had used a Korean pear. At the time, I was intrigued... why the pear? She explained that the pear was used to act as a meat tenderizer and to also add a subtle fruity sweetness to the beef. If she couldn't find the Asian pear, she would sometimes use kiwi or even Coco-cola. Anyway, I remember the beef was really good... a bit sweet, yet not overly, with lots of caramelization. I learned something new that day...

It's been quite a few years since having the Korean BBQ at my friend's house. This time around, I decided to try my hand at making my own Korean BBQ. But for my recipe, I chose to use a Korean pear as well as a kiwi. Both fruits provide enzymes that tenderize the meat. It actually makes a cheaper cut of meat really tender. Now, for mine, I chose to use both of the fruits (typically you will use one or the other)and marinated the meat overnight( maybe about 14 hours or so). I know people say that if you use too much kiwi and marinate it for too long the texture of the meat can get mushy on you. I didn't have that problem...the meat was incredibly tender without being mushy. You can opt for using just the Korean pear(or Asian pear) or just the kiwi ...But if you want to be brave, you can use both:). Sometimes, you might not be able to find the Korean pear, so you will need to settle for just using kiwi. In any case, we loved it... as it wasn't overly sweet. It had great flavor...and oh, was it ever so tender! Feel free to use honey instead of the the brown sugar and make it as spicy as you like. Hope you enjoy....

You will need:

2 pounds beef short ribs

1/4 cup brown sugar( you can always use honey instead)

1/4 cup soy sauce

3 tsps sesame oil

1 inch ginger, peeled and grated

5 garlic cloves,minced

1 jalapeno, minced

2 green onions, chopped

1/4 cup onion, grated

1 Korean pear(or Asian Pear), grated*

1 kiwi, smashed to a paste( optional)*

1 TBS toasted sesame seeds

* as a precaution, if you are marinating the meat overnight or longer, use either the Asian pear or the kiwi...but not both. This way your meat won't get too mushy. I didn't have the problem of having mushy meat, but it is better to be on the safe side.

Garnish:

1/2 TBS toasted sesame seeds

1 green onion, sliced

Directions:

1.You will need some flanken-style beef short ribs that are pretty lean. If need be, trim most of the outside fat.

2. Get all your ingredients ready. Measure, chop, grate, smash, etc.

3. In bowl, plastic bag or sealable container, add and mix all of the prepped ingredients...making sure to coat all the beef pieces.

4. Marinate for several hours or preferably overnight(which is what I did).

5. Before grilling the meat, bring the meat to room temperature(this ensures you get a better sear). Then get your searing grill pan ready*, by drizzling a bit of oil.

6. Heat pan to medium and place 2-3 beef short ribs. Grill for a few minutes on one side and turn the beef over. You will probably need to keep turning the beef as the marinade has sugar in it... which can burn rather quickly. Feel free to turn the pieces as often as you need after it has made a few grill marks.

7. I like to place the finished beef ribs in the toaster oven(375?) as I set the table(this will further caramelize the beef and keep it hot).

8. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds and chopped green onion before serving.

* if you don't have a searing grill pan, you can always use the outside grill or even the broiler.