Serves 4 to 6
Ingredients:
5 pounds flanken-cut Korean short ribs or sliced rib eye
1¼ cups soy sauce, regular or low-sodium
1 cup brown sugar
1 small onion, peeled and minced
¼ cup sesame oil, toasted or regular
5 cloves garlic, minced
½ cup water
3 green onions, thinly sliced
¼ cup Mirin (optional*)
1 Asian pear, peeled and finely grated (optional)
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds (optional)
*These ingredients will enhance the flavor and are highly recommended, says Lee, but the recipe works without them.
Marinate the meat:
Sprinkle ribs with brown sugar, giving each side an even coat. (This step can be omitted if you prefer your ribs less sweet). Place ribs in a large resealable freezer bag.
Set aside the sesame seeds and one-third of the chopped green onions (store the latter in the refrigerator). Mix all remaining ingredients together in a bowl for 1 minute. Pour the marinade into the freezer bag with the meat. Firmly seal the bags, squeezing out any excess air, and turn them over to make sure all ribs are evenly coated. Refrigerate overnight, or at least 4 hours.
Grill the meat:
Heat a grill to medium-high and add the meat. Grill short ribs until desired; Lee suggests about 3 minutes per side for medium. The ribs will taste better if you turn the meat only once, so be patient!
Remove short ribs from grill and garnish with the remaining chopped green onions and sesame seeds.
Note: Ribs can be served whole or cut into smaller pieces using kitchen shears.
