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Home » Blog » Recipes » Gluten Free BBQ Korean Short Ribs (Kalbi, Galbi)

Gluten Free BBQ Korean Short Ribs (Kalbi, Galbi)

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It’s grilling season, and mark my words: these thinly-sliced, marinated Korean BBQ short ribs (also known as kalbi or galbi) will be the hit of your summer cookouts. Best of all, this tender and flavorful Korean short ribs recipe is paleo, Whole30-friendly, and amazingly simple to throw together!

An overhead shot of a platter of Whole30 Kalbi or Galbi (Korean BBQ beef short ribs) served with lettuce leaves, cauliflower rice, and kimchi.

What’s Kalbi or Galbi?

Kalbi (or galbi) is the Korean word for rib. In the culinary context, it refers to one of my favorite Korean grilled dishes from my pre-paleo days: sweet and savory thin strips of beef short ribs that are quickly cooked on a hot grill. Traditionally, the marinade is made with a sweetened soy sauce, so once I went paleo, I naturally assumed my kalbi-munching days were over.

Luckily, I was wrong!

A step-by-step collage on how to make paleo kalbi or galbi, barbecue Korean beef short ribs.

What cut of meat do I use for galbi?

For this recipe, it’s traditional to use beef short ribs, laterally-cut against the grain (a.k.a flanken-style). These long strips are usually about ½-inch thick, and include three or four thin cross-sections of rib bones. In Korean markets, these ribs can typically be found in the cold case by the butcher counter, and they’re usually labeled, “LA galbi.” No Korean market nearby? Call your local butcher to see if they’ll cut Korean-style short ribs for you.

A bowl filled with LA galbi that is marinating in Whole30-friendly sauce for Korean BBQ short ribs

Many of my Korean pals (and their moms) have advised me to soak, rinse, and pat dry the LA galbi before marinating them to get rid of bone fragments. It’s totally up to you if you decide to do so, but I’ve found that it does make the resulting short ribs less gritty.

All-Purpose Stir-Fry Sauce to the rescue!

You know how I keep telling you that my All-Purpose Stir-Fry Sauce is super versatile and can be used in countless recipes and cooking methods? (My ever-growing list of recipes utilizing All-Purpose Stir-Fry Sauce can be found here.) Well, it also makes an amazing marinade for anything you want to throw on the grill or in the oven—like this Paleo Kalbi!

My Paleo Kalbi is Whole30-friendly, too!

My All-Purpose Stir-Fry Sauce balances umami, tang, and natural sweetness, so it’s already the perfect base for a Whole30-friendly marinade. To punch up the flavors even more, I’ve added extra ginger, scallions, and toasted sesame oil. There’s absolutely no need for added badness to make this dish taste great!

Kiwi is the secret to tender kalbi

Have you noticed that sometimes when you eat kalbi, it can still be chewy and tough even though it it’s been cut thinly and against the grain? By nature, short ribs are a tough cut of beef. One of the secrets I learned from my Korean pals is to add some fresh kiwi to the marinade because kiwi fruit (similar to pineapple, papaya, Asian pear, and ginger) contains an enzyme that breaks down protein and naturally tenderizes the meat. The key is to marinate the meat long enough (at least 4 hours) but not too long or the meat becomes mushy. So beware: don’t marinate your short ribs for more than 24 hours!

What if I can’t find LA galbi?

When you can’t find LA galbi (flanken-style short ribs), an alternative is to buy regular English-cut short ribs, de-bone them, and cut them into thin strips yourself. That’s a pain, though. An easier option? Buy tougher steak cuts, like flank, skirt, or hanger, and marinate them for 4 to 8 hours to make amazing Korean-style grilled steaks.

If you’re cooking tender protein cuts (e.g. rib eye, NY strip, filet migon, chicken, pork tenderloin, shrimp, etc.), you can still use the marinade for Paleo Kalbi, but leave out the kiwi fruit. The fresh ginger can also make the meat mushy, so you can leave it out of the marinade or only marinate for up to 8 hours maximum.

How do you eat kalbi?

It’s really up to you! I like to serve kalbi with plates of butter lettuce leaves, Simple Cauliflower Rice, and kimchi. I use kitchen shears to cut the grilled meat into bite-size pieces and let everyone assemble their own lettuce wraps. Personally, I like to add some grilled short rib, cauliflower rice, and kimchi—and chow down!

An Asian woman is biting into a lettuce wrap filled with Whole30 galbi, kimchi, and cauliflower rice. It's Paleo Korean food!

How do you store the leftovers?

You can store the leftovers in the fridge for up to four days or freeze them for up to 4 months. I like to cut up the leftover kalbi to add to Kimchi Cauliflower Fried Rice or a tasty Asian-inspired salad (with All-Purpose Stir-Fry Sauce as the salad dressing).

Ingredients

Short ribs

  • Korean-style short ribs (LA galbi or flanken-style)
  • Kiwi
  • Garlic
  • Scallions or green onions
  • Fresh ginger
  • All-Purpose Stir-Fry Sauce: The perfectly balanced savory and sweet marinade base that doesn’t include soy sauce, brown sugar, or gluten!
  • Toasted sesame oil

Garnish

  • Scallions or green onions
  • Toasted sesame seeds
  • Butter lettuce

How to make barbecue Korean short ribs

Soak the short ribs in cold water for fifteen minutes. Rinse the ribs of any small bone fragments and use paper towels to pat the short ribs dry before setting aside. (You can skip this step, but I think it helps reduce any grittiness.)

A bowl is filled with raw LA kalbi (flanken-style beef short ribs) and water is pouring into the bowl. In the next picture, someone is patting the ribs dry with a paper towel.

In a high powered blender, combine the kiwi, garlic, scallions, and ginger.

An overhead shot of the paleo kalbi marinade ingredients in a blender.

Pour in the All-Purpose Stir-Fry Sauce and toasted sesame oil.

An Asian woman is adding All-Purpose Stir-Fry Sauce and toasted sesame oil to a blender to make Whole30 and paleo Korean BBQ short ribs marinade

Blitz until smooth.

Pour the marinade over the ribs and toss well to coat. Cover the container and marinate the short ribs for at least 4 hours and up to 24 hours in the fridge.

Pouring paleo and Whole30-frienldy marinade over the Korean short ribs.

When you’re ready to cook the galbi, you have a few options:

Grill instructions

If you’re cooking the kalbi on the grill, heat your gas or charcoal grill to medium-high. Throw the short ribs on the grill…

An Asian woman is grabbing marinated paleo kalbi with a pair of tongs and placing them on the grill.

…and cook about 3 to 4 minutes per side or until your desired doneness is reached. 

A closeup shot of paleo and whole30 kalbi cooking on the grill.

Oven instructions

No grill? Heat the broiler on high and arrange the top oven rack so that it’s 6 inches from the heating element. Arrange the kalbi in a single layer on top of a stainless steel wire rack in a rimmed baking sheet and pop them under the broiler. Cook for about 3 to 5 minutes per side or until you reach the desired doneness.

Air Fryer instructions

Air fryer? You can make small batches by laying the ribs in a single layer in the basket and cooking them at 400°F for 7 to 10 minutes, flipping them over at the halfway point.

A platter filled with paleo galbi cooked in the oven.

Garnish with thinly sliced scallions and toasted sesame seeds.

Someone garnishing paleo kalbi with toasted sesame seeds and sliced scallions.

Serve whole grilled kalbi pieces as a main course or use kitchen shears to cut the meat into smaller pieces to serve as a starter or party nibble.

Someone using kitchen shears to cut up paleo kalbi.

Serve the kalbi with a bunch of butter lettuce leaves, Simple Cauliflower Rice, and kimchi—and have everyone assemble their own lettuce wraps!

An overhead shot of someone assembling a paleo lettuce wrap filled with Whole30-friendly klalbi, kimchi, and cauliflower rice.

Love these flavors? Make my Slow Cooker Korean Short Ribs or my Instant Pot Korean Short Ribs—two other Korean-inspired meaty dishes that’ll make you clamor for seconds and thirds!


Looking for more recipe ideas? Head on over to my Recipe Index. You’ll also find exclusive recipes on my iPhone and iPad app, and in my cookbooks, Nom Nom Paleo: Food for Humans (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2013), Ready or Not! (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2017), and Nom Nom Paleo: Let’s Go! (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2021).


 PRINTER-FRIENDLY RECIPE CARD

An overhead shot of paleo and Whole30 kalbi (Korean BBQ short ribs) served with Cauliflower rice, kimchi, and butter lettuce leaves.
Print Recipe
5 from 15 votes

Kalbi (Korean BBQ Short Ribs)

It’s grilling season, and mark my words: these thinly-sliced, marinated Korean BBQ short ribs (also known as kalbi or galbi) will be the hit of your summer cookouts. Best of all, this tender and flavorful kalbi recipe is paleo, Whole30-friendly, and amazingly simple to throw together!
Prep Time10 mins
Cook Time20 mins
Marinating time8 hrs
Total Time8 hrs 30 mins
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Korean
Keyword: barbecue, gluten-free, paleo, short ribs, Whole30
Servings: 6 people
Calories: 475kcal

Ingredients

Kalbi

  • 4 pounds Korean-style short ribs (LA galbi or flanken-style)
  • 1 kiwi peeled and coarsely chopped
  • 4 garlic cloves minced
  • 2 scallions coarsely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
  • 1 cup All-Purpose Stir-Fry Sauce
  • 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil

Garnish

  • 2 scallions thinly sliced
  • 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
  • 1 head butter lettuce
US Customary - Metric

Instructions 

  • Soak the short ribs in cold water for fifteen minutes. Rinse the ribs of any small bone fragments and use paper towels to pat the short ribs dry before setting aside. (You can skip this step, but I think it helps reduce any grittiness.)
  • In a high powered blender, combine the kiwi, garlic, scallions, ginger, All-Purpose Stir-Fry Sauce, and toasted sesame oil to make the marinade. Blitz until smooth.
  • Pour the marinade over the ribs and toss well to coat. Cover the container and marinate the short ribs for at least 4 hours and up to 24 hours in the fridge.
  • When you’re ready to cook the ribs, you have a few options:
    If you’re cooking the kalbi on the grill, heat your gas or charcoal grill to medium hot. Throw the short ribs on the grill and cook about 3 to 5 minutes per side or until your desired doneness is reached. 
    No grill? Heat the broiler on high and arrange the top oven rack so that it’s 6 inches from the heating element. Arrange the kalbi in a single layer on top of a stainless steel wire rack in a rimmed baking sheet and pop them under the broiler. Cook for about 3 to 4 minutes per side or until you reach the desired doneness.
    Air Fryer? You can make small batches by putting them in a single layer at 400°F for 7 to 10 minutes, flipping at the halfway mark.
  • Garnish with thinly sliced green onions and toasted sesame seeds. Serve whole grilled kalbi pieces as a main course or use kitchen shears to cut the meat into smaller pieces to serve as a starter or party nibble.
  • Serve the kalbi with a bunch of butter lettuce leaves, Simple Cauliflower Rice, and kimchi—and have everyone assemble their own lettuce wraps!
Tried this recipe?Mention @nomnompaleo or tag #nomnompaleo!

Nutrition

Calories: 475kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 45g | Fat: 25g | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 11g
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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Cindy Pearson says

    September 5, 2020 at 3:53 pm

    Has anyone ever tried this marinade on any other kind of meat? Wondering how it turned out?

    Reply
    • lisa says

      October 9, 2020 at 5:46 pm

      I just used this marinade on Chicken wing and it was A-mazing!!

      Reply
  2. Moin says

    December 27, 2020 at 10:15 pm

    5 stars
    Thank you so much Michelle for taking on Kalbi. I have always wondered how to make a paleo friendly version of one of my favorite dishes from my childhood. Can’t wait to try this dish:) I’m sure it tastes amazing:)

    Reply
  3. Sylvie Manaster says

    January 11, 2021 at 4:10 pm

    Could you cook these on a cast iron grill pan?

    Reply
    • Michelle Tam says

      January 11, 2021 at 10:13 pm

      Sure!

      Reply
  4. Kathyr says

    February 8, 2021 at 7:09 pm

    Feb 8
    What can I use as a sub for the kiwi fruit, please? I’m allergic to that.

    Reply
    • Michelle Tam says

      February 8, 2021 at 10:22 pm

      Maybe some Asian pear?

      Reply
  5. Irene says

    March 1, 2021 at 4:40 am

    5 stars
    The whole family loved the kalbi! Thank you for the recipe Michelle!

    Reply
  6. Stephanie OAKES says

    March 14, 2021 at 9:22 pm

    If you cannot find korean style short ribs, will thin cut beef short ribs work?

    Reply
    • Michelle Tam says

      March 18, 2021 at 5:42 pm

      Yes, if they are cut in the same orientation.

      Reply
  7. Tasha says

    April 2, 2021 at 9:23 pm

    5 stars
    Where do you get such meaty short ribs?? The ones I get don’t nearly have that much meat on them!

    This is an amazing recipe! So tasty! Love it!

    Reply
    • Michelle Tam says

      April 4, 2021 at 7:49 pm

      I bought these at a local Korean market!

      Reply
  8. Ann says

    April 14, 2021 at 9:25 pm

    I made these using a Korean pear instead of the kiwi. Everything was delicious. I made it in the air fryer. However, it was extremely body and this took away from the delicious taste. It also upset my stomach. Any ideas what I can either substitute or do to eliminate the great amount of fat on the flunking?

    Reply
    • Michelle Tam says

      April 14, 2021 at 11:07 pm

      Short ribs are naturally high in fat. You can use the marinade on steak or chicken if you want a leaner dish.

      Reply
  9. Christine Remmele says

    September 5, 2021 at 9:58 pm

    5 stars
    Can you make this with Tempeh or another meat alternative?

    Reply
    • Michelle Tam says

      September 6, 2021 at 4:03 pm

      I’ve never tried it!

      Reply
  10. Amy says

    August 14, 2022 at 11:16 pm

    5 stars
    Delicious marinade, Michelle! The whole family and guests loved it! Thanks for creating this tasty Asian paleo recipe!

    Reply
  11. Erin says

    January 18, 2023 at 8:21 pm

    can you make this in an instant pot? if so, how long to cook? thanks!

    Reply
    • Michelle Tam says

      January 18, 2023 at 11:31 pm

      I’ve never tried it in the Instant Pot! Here’s an Instant Pot Korean short ribs recipe you can try: https://nomnompaleo.com/20170327instant-pot-pressure-cooker-korean-short-ribs

      Reply

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