Kalbi (Korean Beef Short Ribs)

One of my fave foods of the moment right now comes from a food truck not a restaurant. You might know it best as a roach coach, a mobile kitchen or a lonchería/loncheras. With the surge of various mobile eats in LA and OC serving up fusion and various cultures of food - there is one food truck that stands out to me, Kogi BBQ. I still remember the first time I had visited the so-called "gourmet food truck" by checking the status on their Twitter or website. The wonderful fusion of Korean BBQ and Mexican food was like love at first bite. The sweet and spicy and smoky Korean beef all mixed in a taco had me hooked and I have been a diehard food trucker since then.

You would think the amount of times that I have visited this establishment (maybe at least once a week) that I would have recreated the dish already. Nope, my husband does not want me to figure out the many factors and elements into their fusion food and ruin it for him. So I decided to just figure out one side of the dish that I love and have not explored - the Korean BBQ short ribs. Kalbi (as they call it) is a traditional Korean BBQ meat dish and it is marinated short ribs (either on the bone or cut into pieces) cooked on the grill. I'm not too handy to tackle my husband's domain (the grill) so I figured to use the oven instead and slow roast the dish.

Verdict: If you cook this in the oven, your stomach will growl at you because the wonderful rich sweet smell of the short ribs is unbearable. These were falling off the bone tender and oh-so succulent and full of a tangy and sweet flavor. A truly savory and highly satisfying meal. Enjoy!

Kalbi (Korean Beef Short Ribs)
Adapted from Food Network
Ingredients:
1/2 cup soy sauce
1 korean pear or Asian pear, grated with juices
1/2 small white onion, sliced
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
1/2 cup light brown sugar
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon white sesame seeds
1 tablespoon black sesame seeds
2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
4 green onions, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon sriracha sauce (or hot chile sauce)
1 12-ounce can lemon-lime soda
4 to 5 pounds short ribs, cut into thirds

Preparation:

In a medium bowl, add all the marinade ingredients and whisk to combine. In a large bowl, add the ribs and add the sauce to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight.

Place ribs and marinade in a 5-quart slow cooker or large dutch oven. Cover and cook on low for 4 to 6 hours. Or cook in the oven at 350 degrees for 2 hours.

Transfer ribs to a plate, and serve over white rice and top with sauce, green onions and sesame seeds.

Review:  Korean beef short ribs were oh-so-tender and wonderfully seasoned with just the right amount of sweetness that I desire. I loved the addition of lemon-lime for the marinade, and I would have added another can to help tenderize the ribs. If you can't find korean short ribs, you can always use boneless short ribs as well. (But if you want to dine at Kogi BBQ, I won't mind at all because I totally understand. I always have a craving for their food, too.)