LA Style Grilled Beef Short Ribs Recipe

If there’s one dish guaranteed to spark instant excitement at any backyard meal, it’s LA Style Grilled Beef Short Ribs. Imagine tender, marinated ribs sizzling on the grill, infused with a savory-sweet Korean marinade and paired with crisp, refreshing veggies—every bite is bursting with flavor, texture, and pure grill-side joy. This is that irresistible recipe you’ll crave all summer (and honestly, all year) long.

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Ingredients You’ll Need

The magic of LA Style Grilled Beef Short Ribs lies in just a handful of hardworking ingredients. Each element plays its part, creating layers of flavor and that classic, glistening finish you expect from this Korean BBQ favorite.

• LA style beef short ribs (3.5 LB/1.5 kg): This special cut is sliced thin across the bone, allowing every morsel to soak up the marinade and grill to juicy, charred perfection.
• Soy sauce: The backbone of the marinade, adding a deep, salty umami flavor that perfectly seasons the meat.
• Water or cooking wine: Balances the saltiness and helps the marinade fully penetrate the ribs—cooking wine also adds a subtle depth.
• Honey (or brown sugar): For a subtle sweetness and gorgeous caramelized crust. Honey gives a glossy finish, while brown sugar brings a more robust sweetness.
• Garlic: A must for bold Korean flavor! It adds warmth and fragrance that seeps into every bite.
• Onion: Blended into the marinade, it adds juicy moisture and soft pungency.
• Ginger: Just a little brings brightness and zing, balancing the richness of the beef.
• Korean pear (or bosc pears): This sweet fruit is a secret for tenderizing the meat and providing a fruity, mellow hint in the marinade.
• Toasted sesame oil: A few spoonfuls elevate the ribs with nutty, aromatic goodness.
• Toasted sesame seeds and black pepper: A sprinkle for extra crunch and kick at the end, making the flavor pop.
• Soybean paste (doenjang) & hot pepper paste (gochujang): These are for the classic dipping sauce—salty, spicy, and irresistible.
• Green onions: Essential in the sauce and as a fresh garnish before serving.
• Lettuce & perilla leaves: These greens become your edible wraps, adding crispness and freshness to each bite.
• Green chili pepper, cucumber, carrot: Crunchy, colorful veggies to tuck in your wraps for texture and heat.

Variations

One of the best things about LA Style Grilled Beef Short Ribs is how flexible they are. Whether you’re working with what’s in your fridge or catering to dietary preferences, there are tons of easy swaps and tweaks to make this recipe your own.

• No Korean pear? Use two ripe bosc pears or even a crisp apple for similar sweet and tenderizing magic.
• Soy-free option: Try coconut aminos in place of soy sauce for a gluten-free, soy-free alternative that still brings deep savoriness.
• Different proteins: The marinade works wonders on bone-in pork chops, chicken thighs, or even tofu steaks for a delicious vegetarian twist.
• Extra spice: Amp up the gochujang or add a pinch of red chili flakes if you love a fiery kick.

How to Make LA Style Grilled Beef Short Ribs

Step 1: Prep the Short Ribs

Start by trimming any excess fat from your short ribs, then give them a good rinse in cold water. After that, soak the ribs in fresh cold water for about 10–20 minutes—this step pulls out the blood and ensures a clean, pure flavor and beautiful presentation once grilled.

Step 2: Make the Marinade

In a large mixing bowl, combine soy sauce, water or cooking wine, honey (or brown sugar), and a dash of freshly ground black pepper. Then, in a blender, pulse together one Korean pear, onion, garlic, and ginger until smooth and creamy. Pour this glorious mixture into your bowl and add the toasted sesame oil—this is where all that signature LA Style Grilled Beef Short Ribs flavor begins.

Step 3: Marinate the Ribs

Give your ribs another quick rinse under cold water to get rid of any lingering bone fragments, then drain well. Submerge the ribs in the marinade, massaging it all over with your hands until each piece is glistening. Cover and refrigerate them for at least one hour—if you can wait overnight, even better for ultra-tender, intensely flavored ribs.

Step 4: Mix Up the Dipping Sauce (Ssamjang)

While your ribs marinate, whip up the irresistible ssamjang dipping sauce by stirring together soybean paste, hot pepper paste, chopped green onion, garlic, honey, sesame oil, and sesame seeds in a small bowl. This spicy-savory dip is the heart of those legendary Korean BBQ wraps.

Step 5: Prep the Veggies and Greens

Rinse and pat dry plenty of lettuce and perilla leaves, then arrange them on a plate or basket. Cut cucumber into satisfying strips, slice green chili peppers, and set out a few cloves of raw garlic—all the crunchy, fresh toppings you could want for your LA Style Grilled Beef Short Ribs wraps.

Step 6: Grill the Ribs

Heat your grill, pan, or BBQ to high. Place the marinated ribs in an even layer—they cook super quickly, about five minutes total, thanks to that signature thin LA cut. Make sure to flip them once for beautifully charred edges on both sides.

Step 7: Serve and Assemble Wraps

Transfer the grilled ribs to a serving platter and use kitchen scissors to cut the meat off the bone into bite-sized morsels. For the ultimate experience, layer a rib chunk onto a lettuce and perilla leaf, dab with ssamjang, add a sliver of garlic and chili, and pop the whole package into your mouth—pure bliss!

How to Serve LA Style Grilled Beef Short Ribs

Garnishes

Sprinkle the hot short ribs generously with toasted sesame seeds and sliced green onions just before serving. Not only do they add a wonderful nutty aroma and a pop of color, but they make your LA Style Grilled Beef Short Ribs look absolutely celebration-worthy right off the grill.

Side Dishes

You can’t go wrong with simple steamed rice and plenty of kimchi alongside your ribs. For a true BBQ spread, add Korean potato salad, quick-pickled cucumbers, or even sauteed greens. These sides help balance out the richness of the meat and make every bite even more vibrant.

Creative Ways to Present

Arrange the ribs on a large platter surrounded by lettuce, perilla leaves, and little bowls of ssamjang, sliced veggies, and garlic for a build-your-own wrap experience. Or, for a striking party centerpiece, mound rib pieces in lettuce cups and top each with sauce, seeds, and green onions. It looks stunning and invites everyone to dive in!

Make Ahead and Storage

Storing Leftovers

If you’re lucky enough to have leftovers, let the ribs cool completely, then transfer them to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days. The flavor deepens even more overnight, making them irresistible straight from the fridge or gently reheated.

Freezing

Freeze leftover cooked ribs in a freezer-safe container or heavy-duty bag for up to 2 months. If preparing ahead, you can freeze the ribs right in the marinade—just thaw overnight in the fridge and grill as usual for a lightning-fast meal.

Reheating

For best results, reheat leftover LA Style Grilled Beef Short Ribs gently in a skillet over medium heat until just warmed through, or wrap in foil and warm in a 300°F oven. Be careful not to overdo it—just a few minutes brings them back to juicy, tender perfection.

FAQs

Final Thoughts

Whether you’re new to Korean BBQ or a longtime fan, LA Style Grilled Beef Short Ribs pack massive reward for minimal effort—perfect for gathering friends and family or simply celebrating an ordinary weeknight. Fire up the grill, get those toppings ready, and I promise—one bite of these sizzling ribs and you’ll be hooked for life!

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