L.A. Kalbi - Summer Grilling is Here!

Get ready for summer fun and eats with TrueFlame and L.A. Kalbi. This uniquely Korean-American dish offers a mouth-watering twist on the traditional kalbi dish.

Originating in the bustling Korean immigrant community of Los Angeles, L.A. Kalbi is made with flanken-style short ribs, a more affordable and easily accessible cut of meat found in local Mexican markets. These ribs are thinly cut across multiple bones, resulting in tender, juicy strips of beef that are perfect for marinating and grilling.

The secret to the flavorful taste of L.A. kalbi lies in its marinade, with each restaurant and Korean mom having their own unique variation. A blend of soy sauce, toasted sesame oil, garlic, ginger, and a touch of sweetness, this marinade will have your taste buds dancing with delight. For that extra hint of sweetness, we use grated Asian pear and granulated sugar to create the perfect balance of flavors.

Simply grill the short ribs over medium-high heat for a few minutes per side, resulting in well-browned and slightly charred edges that will leave you craving for more. So why wait? Grill up your L.A. Kalbi for your next summer barbecue because summer grilling is here!

Serves 4-6

L.A. Kalbi Ingredients

Kalbi

• 8 garlic cloves
• ½ large or 1 medium Asian pear, peeled, cored, cut into large chunks
• 1 1” piece ginger, peeled, coarsely chopped
• ½ cup mirin (sweet Japanese rice wine)
• ½ cup soy sauce (not low-sodium)
• ½ cup sugar
• ¼ cup toasted sesame oil
• ½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 2½ lb. ¼"–½"-thick crosscut bone-in beef short ribs (flanken-style; about 12 three-bone strips)

Scallion Salad and Assembly

• 2 bunches scallions, cut into 3" pieces
• 1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
• 1 Tbsp. mirin (sweet Japanese rice wine)
• 1 tsp. gochugaru (coarse Korean red pepper powder)
• ½ tsp. sugar
• Kosher salt
• Vegetable oil (for grill)
• Toasted sesame seeds and thinly sliced scallions (for serving)
• 1 large head of green leaf, red leaf, or Bibb lettuce, leaves separated, torn if large
• 30 perilla leaves (optional)
• Cooked short-grain rice (for serving)

L.A. Kalbi Ingredients

Kalbi

1. Blitz garlic, Asian pear, and ginger to a smooth purée in a food processor or blender. (Or, finely grate garlic and ginger; grate Asian pear on large holes of a box grater.) Transfer purée to a medium bowl. Whisk in mirin, soy sauce, sugar, sesame oil, black pepper, and ½ cup water until sugar is dissolved.
2. Arrange short ribs in a resealable plastic bag or baking dish. Pour marinade over and turn ribs to coat. Seal or cover and chill for at least 4 hours and up to 12 hours.

Do Ahead: Freeze ribs in marinade for up to 1 month.

Scallion Salad and Assembly

1. Slice scallion pieces lengthwise into thin strips. Soak in a mesh strainer set inside a large bowl of ice water for 10 minutes to remove some sharp bite and allow time to curl slightly. Swish scallions around with your hands to remove any sliminess, then drain well and pat dry. Wipe out bowl; return scallions to bowl.
2. Whisk vinegar, mirin, gochugaru, and sugar in a small bowl until sugar is dissolved; season with salt. Add dressing to scallions and toss to coat.
3. Prepare a grill for medium-high heat and oil the grate. Remove the short ribs from the marinade and grill until well browned and slightly charred around the edges, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a platter and top with sesame seeds and sliced scallions. Let rest for 5 minutes, then cut the meat into bite-size pieces with kitchen shears.
4. Arrange lettuce and perilla leaves (if using) on a second platter. Scoop rice into individual bowls.
5. To eat, stack a palm-size lettuce leaf and a perilla leaf in your hand. Top with rice, meat, and scallion salad and wrap into a tight bundle. Eat in one bite and repeat!

Taken from bonappetit.com