Today, let’s make Dwaeji Galbi (or Kalbi), one of the best Korean barbecues of all time. Galbi means ribs in Korean, but a lot of restaurants actually use a mix of ribs and Boston butt for dwaeji galbi because ribs are very expensive in Korea and hard to work with. Thus, we’re going to be using Boston butt today. Don’t worry about it! It will be still delicious.
DWAEJI GALBI (10-12 servings)
Ingredients:
- 2kg (4.5 lb) Boston butt
- 1 tbsp neutral-tasting oil, plus more if needed
- 1-2 sliced yellow onions, to serve
- Generous pinch of toasted sesame seeds, to garnish
Marinade:
- 1 yellow onion
- 6 green onions (100g), plus more for garnish
- 1/2 Korean pear (250g) (or Asian/Nashi pear, red apple)
- 1 red apple (300g)
- 1.5 cups (360ml) water
- 1 cup (240ml) soy sauce
- 1/2 cup (120ml) mirin
- 2.5 tbsp oyster sauce
- 3 tbsp light corn syrup
- 3 tbsp toasted sesame oil
- 3 tbsp minced garlic
- 1/2 tbsp grated ginger
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1.5 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 1/2 cup dark brown sugar (or white sugar)
- 1 tsp MSG (optional)
To Serve (optional):
- Lettuce
- Korean dipping sauce (ssamjang)
Instructions:
MARINATE PORK
1. Roughly chop the onion and green onions. Peel and roughly chop the pear and apple. Take out the core. Throw everything in a blender.
2. Add 1.5 cups (360ml) of water. Blend it up until nice and smooth. Transfer it to a large mixing bowl.
3. Add the soy sauce, mirin, oyster sauce, corn syrup, sesame oil, garlic, ginger, black pepper, dark soy sauce, sugar, and MSG (if using). Give it a good mix until the sugar is dissolved.
4. Cut the pork into slices, about 1/2 inch (1.2 cm) in thickness. Gently score them on both sides. To the marinade, add the pork pieces, one by one, and gently move them around so that it can coat the pork beautifully. Cover and marinate in the fridge for 12 hours.
COOK DWAEJI GALBI
1. In a pan, add a splash of oil, and wipe off the excess. Turn on the heat to medium-high. Once it gets nice and hot, add 2 or 3 pieces of your pork pieces. Cook for 5-6 minutes, turning the pork pieces every 30 seconds.
If it’s still about to burn, you can add a little bit more marinade or pour in some water. No problem at all!
2. While that’s going, using your tongs and scissors, cut it into bite-sized pieces. Once it’s cooked through, remove from the pan and set aside.
PLATE
You could just enjoy it with some hot rice, lettuce, and ssamjang (Korean dipping sauce) but let me show you a great way to plate this up.
1. Thinly slice the onions and green onions.
2. Get yourself a cast iron pan and heat it over medium heat. Add a little bit of oil and sliced onions. Wait until you get a sizzle. Once the onions soften up a little bit, place your beautifully cooked galbi.
3. Sprinkle on sesame seeds and green onions. Serve with hot rice, lettuce, and ssamjang. Enjoy~!
NOTES:
- It tastes even better if you cook it on a grill, so if you have an outdoor grill, give that a try.
- The marinated, uncooked galbi can be refrigerated for up to 3 days, so I suggest keeping it in the fridge and enjoying it for days to come. Or portion them (with 1-2 ladles marinade) into ziplock bags and freeze.
WATCH FULL VIDEO
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE:
- Galbi Rice Bowl
- Doenjang Jjigae (Korean Soybean Paste Stew)
- Oi Muchim (Korean Cucumber Salad)
Dwaeji Galbi
(Korean BBQ Pork)
4
servingsIngredients
2kg (4.5 lb) Boston butt
1 tbsp neutral-tasting oil, plus more if needed
1-2 sliced yellow onions, to serve
Generous pinch of toasted sesame seeds, to garnish
- Marinade:
1 yellow onion
6 green onions (100g), plus more for garnish
1/2 Korean pear (250g) (or Asian/Nashi pear, red apple)
1 red apple (300g)
1.5 cups (360ml) water
1 cup (240ml) soy sauce
1/2 cup (120ml) mirin
2.5 tbsp oyster sauce
3 tbsp light corn syrup
3 tbsp toasted sesame oil
3 tbsp minced garlic
1/2 tbsp grated ginger
1 tsp black pepper
1.5 tbsp dark soy sauce
1/2 cup dark brown sugar (or white sugar)
1 tsp MSG (optional)
- To Serve (optional):
Lettuce
Directions
- Marinate Pork
- Roughly chop the onion and green onions. Peel and chop the pear and apple. Take out the core. Throw everything in a blender.
- Add 1.5 cups (360ml) of water. Blend it up until nice and smooth. Transfer it to a large mixing bowl.
- Add the soy sauce, mirin, oyster sauce, corn syrup, sesame oil, garlic, ginger, black pepper, dark soy sauce, sugar, and MSG (if using). Give it a good mix until the sugar is dissolved.
- Cut the pork into slices, about 1/2 inch (1.2 cm) in thickness. Gently score them on both sides. To the marinade, add the pork pieces, one by one, and gently move them around so that it can coat our pork beautifully. Cover and marinate in the fridge for 12 hours.
- Cook Galbi
- In a pan, add a splash of oil, and wipe off the excess. Turn on the heat to medium-high. Once it gets nice and hot, add 2 or 3 pieces of your pork pieces. Cook for 5-6 minutes, turning the pork pieces every 30 seconds. (If it’s still about to burn, you can add a little bit more marinade or pour in some water. No problem at all!)
- While that’s going, using your tongs and scissors, cut it into bite-sized pieces. Once it’s cooked through, remove from the pan and set aside.
- Plate
- Thinly slice the onions and green onions.
- Get yourself a cast iron pan and heat it over medium heat. Add a little bit of oil and sliced onions. Wait until you get a sizzle. Once the onions soften up a little bit, place your beautifully cooked galbi.
- Sprinkle on sesame seeds and green onions. Serve with hot rice, lettuce, and ssamjang. Enjoy~!
Notes
- It tastes even better if you cook it on a grill, so if you have an outdoor grill, give that a try.
- The marinated, uncooked galbi can be refrigerated for up to 3 days, so I suggest keeping it in the fridge and enjoying it for days to come. Or portion them (with 1-2 ladles marinade) into ziplock bags and freeze.