Table of Contents
Korean BBQ Galbi features super juicy and tasty steak slices seared over a pan or grill. They are so tender and full of flavors, garlicky in sweet soy with a hint of sesame oil aroma. They taste just like short ribs, but without the bones. Learn all the tips and tricks to prepare steak properly to accomplish all these.

Ingredients Required for Korean BBQ Galbi:

For beef, ideally, this is for short ribs. However, this recipe works out great for regular steak too. I use a unique marinating method that tenderizes the steak effectively.
Baking Soda – only need a pinch of baking soda to mix with the rinsed and soaked steak slices to tenderize the meat.
Soy Sauce – A combination of Regular Soy Sauce and Light Soy Sauce.
Sugar – Sugar In the Raw is my go-to sugar for cooking meat. You can also substitute with light brown sugar.
Garlic and Sesame Oil, coupled with sugary soy sauce, provides this extremely appetizing flavor.
Red Onion and Green Onions add additional aroma and taste.
How to make juicy, tasty Korean BBQ Galbi using regular steak?
The first is to cut the steak in thin slices across the grain

This is the same first step as making Beef Stir Fry, Mongolian Beef {P.F. Chang’s Style}, Beef with Broccoli, or Beef Slices with Green Pepper Stir Fry. However, we don’t need to cut again in the other direction and can leave them as the long strips.
Rinse and Soak the Beef
Rinse the steak slices under the running water three times. Then soak them in the cold water for about 10 minutes. This is to get rid of trapped blood so that the beef tastes more refreshing. It also helps moisturize the meat.

Marinate the Beef with Baking Soda
Remove the steak slices from the soaking water, gently squeeze to get rid of the excess water. Place them onto a deep plate. Add 1/4 tsp baking soda, toss and mix well and let it rest for about 10 minutes.

Prep Garlic, Green Onions and Red Onions
Cut green onions and red onions into small pieces. Mince garlic using a compact food processor.

Prepare Homemade Korea BBQ Galbi Sauce
Add Sugar in the Raw, minced garlic, chopped green & red onions into a mixing bowl.

Then add Regular Soy Sauce, Light Soy Sauce, Sesame Oil, and Water. Mix well using a mini whisk.

Marinate Beef Slices in the Homemade Korean BBQ Galbi Sauce overnight
Add steak slices into the marinating sauce, toss and mix well using a pair of bamboo utensils. Cover and seal the mixing bowl with seal wrap and leave it in the fridge overnight.

Sear the marinated beef
Turn the heat to high and heat a quality hard-anodized fry-pan for 2 minutes. Then add about 7-8 pcs of marinated steak slices, lay them flat on the pan using a pair of kitchen tongs or cooking chopsticks. Cook for about 30 seconds.

Then quickly flip the steak slices and cook the other side for 30 seconds. After that, repeat the process, flip and cook for 30 seconds and flip again and cook for the last 30 seconds.

Remove the cooked steak slices from the pan and place them onto a serving plate. Repeat the above process until all the marinated steak slices are cooked.
All done! Enjoy super tender and savory Korean BBQ Galbi without bones.


Korean-Style Beef Recipe
Korean-Style Beef features beef marinated first and then grilled or pan-fried. They are so tender and full of flavors, garlicky in sweet soy with a hint of sesame oil aroma. Either short ribs, fatty beef slices, or even steak work well for this recipe.
Ingredients
- 1 lb beef short ribs, fatty beef slices or steak. When using steak, recommend marinating it with 1/4 tsp baking soda first to tenderize the beef.
- 1/4 cup dark soy sauce
- 2 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1/4 cup sugar, organic cane sugar, brown sugar or sugar in the raw
- 1/2 tbsp Sesame Oil
- 1/4 Red Onion
- 1 Green Onion Stalk
- 1/2 tbsp minced garlic
Instructions
Prep the Steak Slices, skip when using short ribs or fatty beef slices
- cut the steak into thin slices across the grain.
- Rinse the steak slices under the running water three times. Then soak them in the cold water for about 10 minutes.
- Remove the steak slices from the soaking water, and gently squeeze to get rid of the excess water. Place them onto a deep plate. Add 1/4 tsp baking soda, toss and mix well and let it rest for about 10 minutes.
- Prep Garlic, Green Onions, and Red Onions. Cut green onions and red onions into small pieces. Mince garlic using a compact food processor.
Prepare Homemade Korean BBQ Galbi Sauce:
- Add sugar, chopped green onions and red onions into a mixing bowl.
- Add dark soy sauce, Light Soy Sauce, and Sesame Oil. Mix well using a mini whisk.
Marinate Beef Slices in the Homemade Korean Beef Sauce Overnight
- Add steak slices into the marinating sauce, toss, and mix well using a pair of bamboo utensils.
- Cover and seal the mixing bowl with seal wrap and leave it in the fridge overnight.
Sear the Marinated Beef:
- Turn the heat to high and heat a quality hard-anodized fry pan for 2 minutes. Then add about 7-8 pcs of marinated steak slices, and lay them flat on the pan using a pair of kitchen tongs or cooking chopsticks. Cook for about 30 seconds.
- Then quickly flip the steak slices and cook the other side for 30 seconds. After that, repeat the process, flip and cook for 30 seconds and flip again and cook for the last 30 seconds.
- Remove the cooked steak slices from the pan and place them onto a serving plate. Repeat the above process until all the marinated steak slices are cooked.
- All done! Enjoy super tender and savory Korean BBQ Galbi without the bones.
Notes
- For sugar, sugar in the raw is my go-to sugar for cooking. You can use brown sugar to substitute if you'd like to.
Recommended Products
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- AEP 30510200 Zipsafe Sealwrap, 12" x 2000'
- Bamboo Spoons & Spatula
- Natural Bamboo Spatula
- Whisk
- New Star Foodservice 42917 Stainless Steel Measuring Spoons and Measuring Cups Combo, Set of 8
- Chef Knife
- Pyrex Prepware 2-Cup Glass Measuring Cup
- Kadoya Sesame Oil, 22.10 Fl Oz
- OXO Good Grips 3- Piece Mixing Bowl Set
- Wooden Chopsticks, All Natural, 10-pairs
- Food Tongs, Hiash Heavy Duty Stainless Steel Kitchen Tongs for Cooking, Barbecue, Serving Scissors Tongs - Buffet Pliers 11 Inch
- Light Soy Sauce
- Wan Ja Shan Naturally Brewed Soy Sauce (2 Pack, Total of 33.8fl.oz)
- ARM & HAMMER Pure Baking Soda
- Sugar in the Raw Unrefined Sugar - 32 oz - 2 pk, Set of 2
- Wholesome Sweeteners Fair Trade Organic Light Brown Sugar, 24-Ounce Pouches (Pack of 6)
- Hard Anodized Nonstick Fry Pan
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 servings Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 392Total Fat: 23gSaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 110mgSodium: 1524mgCarbohydrates: 14gFiber: 1gSugar: 12gProtein: 32g
Nutrition calculation is provided by Nutritionix to the best knowledge per ingredients description and isn't always accurate.