Galbi Style Marinated Steak

Galbi Marinated Steak: A Korean BBQ Classic

If you’ve ever been to a Korean BBQ restaurant, perhaps you’ve had the chance to try galbi. Sometimes spelled “kalbi,” this popular Korean dish is made with a sweet yet savory marinade that renders short ribs ultra-tender. Finished up on a charcoal grill, this signature taste of Korea is one of the most popular dishes you’ll find on the menu at Korean BBQ. This galbi marinated steak recipe is my tribute to this scrumptious dish. It uses the delicious marinade from Korean galbi on your choice of flank or skirt steak, making for a delicious summer grill-out or steak dinner with zero fuss.

Kiwi in the Marinade Tenderizes and Adds Flavor

With Korean galbi, Asian pear is used to add a fruity flavor and natural sweetness. In this galbi marinated steak, I used kiwi instead. Kiwi has a type of enzyme that naturally tenderizes the steak. I prefer using it on less marbled cuts of beef so that it becomes more tender.

Wrap it Real Nice

I haven’t included the lettuce wraps in the recipe below, but this steak is just perfect in a Korean BBQ style lettuce wrap. Find some nice green leaf lettuce and break the leaves apart so you can wrap one or two pieces of steak in there. For the sauce, ssamjang is the classic, but I used a mixture of gochujang and doenjang. You can actually use any kind of sauce that you’d normally enjoy with a steak. Just be careful with how much sauce you add – you don’t want to overpower the lovely taste of the galbi!

Tips on Marinating

While you can marinate it up to 24 hours, the trick is not to go beyond that. Otherwise your galbi marinated steak will fall apart. I usually prepare it in the morning, pop it in the fridge, and then cook it that evening. Of course, you can speed things along by marinating the steak at room temperature for about 2 to 3 hours though going this route, I wouldn’t marinate galbi marinated steak for more than 12 hours.

Alternatives and Substitutions

No Kiwi? Try Pear or Apple!

The kiwi is the best way to make your galbi marinated steak nice and tender but you can also use half of an Asian pear or an apple to get that sweetness. The marinade also uses onion, ginger, garlic, green onions, black peppercorns, and sesame oil, and they all help carry the flavor of the dish.

Soy Sauce, Sugar, and Mirin Options

Light soy sauce is called for but you can use regular if that’s all you have. Brown sugar adds some more sweetness and helps get that charcoal perfection though honey works just as well. And if you don’t have mirin, feel free to use sake or Korean soju instead.

The Skillet is Just as Nice as the Grill

And if you don’t have a grill to finish your galbi marinated steak on, you can just use a skillet over high heat. The results will be just as delicious! Serve it by carving it up and topping it onto a bowl of rice or noodles, or do it the way they do in Korea by wrapping the meat in lettuce leaves with a dollop of ssamjang (a thick and spicy Korean BBQ paste) or your favorite hot sauce.