Korean short ribs, also known as kalbi or galbi made with kalbi marinade were my right of passage into my husband’s Hawaiian and Korean heritage. They are also an easy way to feed a crowd and enjoy grilling season!
If you are looking for more traditional baby back ribs, check out my How to grill perfect baby back ribs.
Kalbi (sometimes written as “galbi”) is a flavorful Korean beef dish of short ribs. Flank steak and skirt steak are sometimes alternatives to beef short ribs. Cooks marinate kalbi before they cook it, and they serve it close to boneless—they leave one bone on the edge.
What is Korean barbecue/bbq?
Broadly, Korean barbecue is a style of eating small cuts of beef, pork, or chicken grilled on a charcoal or gas grill. In BBQ restaurants, each table will have their own table top grill for cooking.
The most well-known meat is the steak. If boneless, it is known as bulgogi. If it’s on the bone, it’s known as kalbi or galbi. The two transliterations – kalbi and galbi – can be used interchangeably. Here in the United States, you might see this type of meat listed on a menu as Korean BBQ short ribs.
Hawaiian style BBQ short ribs
If you ask my husband if these are Hawaiian style or traditional Korean style – he’ll quickly tell you they are Hawaiian style. But what does that mean?
Well, maybe it just means that my husbands mother was born in Hawaii and his grandmother moved to Hawaii (see her in the picture below) so this recipe is infused with two generations of Hawaiian influence. On his fathers side, both his dad and grandmother were born in Hawaii.
Or perhaps it is the conspicuous absence in his family’s recipe of Asian pear and onion. This is only speculation – I’ve researched many Korean and Hawaiian cookbooks and have yet to discern a pattern of differentiation. When I figure it out, I’ll come back and update the post – I promise!
the DIFFERENCE between KALBI and BULGOGI (KBBQ)
FAQ
Is kalbi and galbi the same?
What’s the difference between kalbi and bulgogi sauce?
What is the difference between Korean short ribs and short ribs?
What is the difference between galbi and LA Galbi?
What is a galbi rib?
The word Galbi literally means ‘rib’ in Korean, as this refers to the meat that is used to make Kalbi. The following are a few of the ingredients that could be used: soy sauce, sugar, sesame oil, rice wine, and garlic. The question that many people tend to ask is where this recipe for beef ribs actually originated.
What is Kalbi made out of?
It is typically created from marinated beef or even pork short ribs. The word Galbi literally means ‘rib’ in Korean, as this refers to the meat that is used to make Kalbi. The following are a few of the ingredients that could be used: soy sauce, sugar, sesame oil, rice wine, and garlic.
Is there a difference between Galbi and Kalbi?
NO DIFFERENCE! Galbi and Kalbi is the English Alphaphabet phonetic spelling difference of the Korean word 갈비. Yes, as with all languages, phonetic translations using the English alphabet can vary, depending on how one hears the variations of the alphabet letters.
Is galbi beef more expensive than ribs?
If you find both on the menu in a Korean restaurant, Galbi is likely to be considerably more expensive. But the differences between the two cuts of beef used are actually not that great, apart from those rib bones. Galbi meat comes from the short rib and is presented with the bone on (more on this in a minute).