kalbi

Kalbi, often romanized galbi, is a Korean dish consisting of marinated beef short ribs that are commonly grilled. The term galbi means rib in Korean, and kalbi is a variant spelling found in some menus and cookbooks.

The dish uses bone-in short ribs cut across the bone into thin, flat strips. A popular American adaptation is LA galbi, which uses boneless rib meat that is thinly sliced and marinated. Galbi can be prepared as marinated grilled ribs or, in its braised form, galbi jjim, where the ribs are simmered with vegetables in a soy-based sauce.

Marinades typically combine soy sauce, sugar or honey, garlic, sesame oil, and pepper, with additional ingredients such as grated pear or apple for tenderizing, onions, scallions, and sesame seeds. Some variations, such as yangnyeom galbi, include gochujang or other chili pastes to create a spicy-sweet glaze. Marinades are usually applied for several hours to overnight to flavor and tenderize the meat.

Cooking is traditionally done over high heat on a grill, grill pan, or charcoal barbecue, allowing the ribs to char and caramelize. The dish is commonly served with rice, lettuce leaves for wraps (ssam), and side dishes like kimchi and various banchan. Dipping sauces such as ssamjang are often provided for additional flavor.

Kalbi is a staple of Korean barbecue and has become popular worldwide, with numerous regional and restaurant variations reflecting local tastes while preserving the core marinated rib concept.