INGREDIENTS
2-½ lbs beef short ribs, sliced Korean-style for kalbi
For the marinade:
½ cup brown sugar
½ cup NIKIGO Original Soy Free Sauce
¼ cup water
2 tbsp mirin (optional) (Japanese rice wine, or use sherry)
Half an onion, roughly chopped
Half an Asian Pear (or other pear or apple), roughly chopped
3 cloves garlic, peeled
1 tbsp perilla oil (optional) (a sesame-like oil, unrelated to sesame)
DIRECTIONS
In a blender, add all the marinade ingredients, blend until smooth. Place beef in a large freezer zip-type bag, pour marinade into the bag with the beef, seal. Turn the bag over several times to make sure the ribs are evenly coated. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours, ideally overnight.
Heat a grill to medium high and grill each side for about 3-4 minutes to reach ideal doneness, being careful not to overcook the thin slices. Grilling is preferred, but alternatively, line a baking sheet with foil, lay the ribs on the baking sheet and broil on high, for around 4 minutes on each side until the edges begin to caramelize.
Serve either whole, or sliced into bite size pieces.
My favorite way to eat kalbi is to take a fresh lettuce leaf, hold it in one hand, and place some rice, kimchi, and a small piece of kalbi (no bone), and wrap up in a little parcel to eat by hand. Or just dip into any of several sauces, such as perilla oil with cracked black pepper and a pinch of salt, or Cho Ganjang (see other recipe).
