View source for Galbi

{{Short description|Korean grilled beef or pork ribs}}
{{Distinguish|Bulgogi}}
{{Italic title|reason=[[:Category:Korean words and phrases]]}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox food
| name = ''Galbi''
| image = Galbi with bamboo leaves.jpg
| caption = Grilling ''yangnyeom-galbi'' (marinated short ribs) with [[bamboo]] leaves on a [[gridiron (cooking)|gridiron]]
| alternate_name = ''Galbi-gui'', grilled ribs
| country = [[Korea]]
| region = [[East Asia]]
| national_cuisine = [[Korean cuisine]]
| creator = <!-- or | creators = -->
| year = 
| mintime = 
| maxtime = 
| type = ''[[Gui (food)|Gui]]''
| course = 
| served = 
| main_ingredient = Beef [[short ribs]] or pork [[spare ribs]]
| minor_ingredient = 
| variations = 
| serving_size = 100 g
| calories = 
| protein = 
| fat = 
| carbohydrate = 
| glycemic_index = 
| similar_dish = ''[[Dak-galbi]]'', ''[[tteok-galbi]]''
| other = Often featured in [[Korean barbecue]]
| module = {{Infobox Korean name/auto
| child = yes
| hangul     = 갈비
| ipa  = {{ipa|ko|kal.bi|}}
}}
}}
'''''Galbi'''''<ref name="standardized">{{in lang|ko}} {{Cite web|url=http://www.korean.go.kr/common/download.do?file_path=notice&c_file_name=140730_%ED%95%9C%EC%8B%9D%EB%AA%85_%EB%A1%9C%EB%A7%88%EC%9E%90_%ED%91%9C%EA%B8%B0_%EB%B0%8F_%ED%91%9C%EC%A4%80_%EB%B2%88%EC%97%AD_%ED%99%95%EC%A0%95%EC%95%88_.pdf&o_file_name=140730_%ED%95%9C%EC%8B%9D%EB%AA%85_%EB%A1%9C%EB%A7%88%EC%9E%90_%ED%91%9C%EA%B8%B0_%EB%B0%8F_%ED%91%9C%EC%A4%80_%EB%B2%88%EC%97%AD_%ED%99%95%EC%A0%95%EC%95%88_.pdf|script-title=ko:주요 한식명(200개) 로마자 표기 및 번역(영, 중, 일) 표준안|date=2014-07-30|publisher=[[National Institute of Korean Language]]|trans-title=Standardized Romanizations and Translations (English, Chinese, and Japanese) of (200) Major Korean Dishes|access-date=2017-02-26}}
*{{cite press release |date=2014-05-02 |script-title=ko:주요 한식명 로마자 표기 및 표준 번역 확정안 공지 |url=http://www.korean.go.kr/front/board/boardStandardView.do?board_id=4&mn_id=17&b_seq=1465 |website=[[National Institute of Korean Language]] |language=ko}}</ref> ({{Korean/auto|hangul=갈비|ko_ipa=kal.bi}}), '''''kalbi''''', '''''galbi-gui'''''<ref name="standardized"/> ({{Korean|hangul=갈비구이|labels=no}}), or '''grilled ribs'''<ref name="standardized"/> is a type of ''[[gui (food)|gui]]'' (grilled dish) in [[traditional Korean cuisine]]. "''Galbi''" is the Korean word for "rib", and the dish is usually made with beef [[short ribs]]. When pork [[spare ribs]] or another meat is used instead, the dish is named accordingly. ''Galbi'' is served raw, then cooked on tabletop grills usually by the diners themselves.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/20/dining/short-ribs-at-home-with-a-touch-of-sweetness.html|title=Korean Short Ribs - City Kitchen|last=Tanis|first=David|date=2013-02-15|work=[[The New York Times]]|access-date=2017-02-26}}</ref> The dish may be marinated in a sweet and savory sauce usually containing soy sauce, garlic, and sugar. Both non-marinated and marinated ''galbi'' are often featured in [[Korean barbecue]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.houstonpress.com/restaurants/dish-of-the-week-galbi-korean-style-short-ribs-8941603|title=Dish of the Week: Galbi (Korean-Style Short Ribs)|last=Viggiano|first=Brooke|date=2016-11-14|work=[[Houston Press]]|access-date=2017-02-26}}</ref> In Japan, this and many other dishes in Korean barbecue influenced [[yakiniku]], a fusion cuisine that often makes use of galbi (glossed as ''karubi'').

== Preparation ==
=== Cuts ===
[[File:L.A. galbi.jpg|thumb|LA ''galbi'']]
[[File:Korean Beef-Hanwu galbi-01.jpg|thumb|Unmarinated ''saeng-galbi'' and marinated ''yangnyeom-galbi'' made of ''[[hanu]]'' (Korean native cattle) beef]]

Traditionally, ''galbi'' is cut to expose one smooth bone along the short edge with the meat uniformly filleted in flat layers.

==== LA ''galbi'' ====
''Galbi'' can be made using a flanken cut, which features cut bones peeking out along the long edge. This style is called "LA ''galbi''". The method accommodates thinner [[Rib eye steak|rib-eye]] cuts from whole rack ribs preferred by American butchers.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Walters |first=April V. |title=The Foodspotting Field Guide |publisher=[[Chronicle Books]] |year=2014 |isbn=9781452119878 |location=San Francisco, CA |chapter=25. Galbi}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |title=Encyclopedia of Meat Sciences |publisher=[[Academic Press]] |year=2014 |isbn=9780123847317 |editor-last=Michael |editor-first=Dikeman |edition=2 |location=London |pages=547 |language=en |editor-last2=Devine |editor-first2=Carrick}}</ref>

The specific style of cut emerged some time in the late 20th century. It is widely believed to have been innovated by the Koreans who immigrated to the US during the 1960s–1980s, a period of mass migration of Korean immigrants into [[Koreatown, Los Angeles]], hence the name of the dish, LA Galbi. The flanken cut is not the traditional style in Korea; and the difficulty in attaining the traditional cut of meat meant the immigrants who owned Korean supermarkets and restaurants had to work with the whole rack ribs the American butchers preferred. The Korean butchers began to cut the whole rack into thin vertical strips, as the traditional galbi is also thinly sliced to allow the marinade to penetrate the meat. The popularity spread through church gatherings, restaurants and into the wider Los Angeles area, and today is a popular cut most commonly available in Korean supermarkets across the US. <ref name=":0">{{Citation |last=이 |first=규진 |title=LA갈비 (LA갈비) |encyclopedia=[[Encyclopedia of Korean Culture]] |url=https://encykorea.aks.ac.kr/Article/E0079966 |access-date=2025-02-04 |publisher=[[Academy of Korean Studies]] |language=ko}}</ref>

One theory, evaluated in an article in the ''[[Encyclopedia of Korean Culture]]'' as the most plausible, is that the cut was invented by [[Korean Americans in Greater Los Angeles|Korean Americans in Los Angeles]] in the late 20th century. Meat cut in this fashion was considered affordable and allowed for quicker penetration of the marinade. Hence the cut was then imported back to South Korea. Today they enjoy two distinct cuts of Galbi.<ref name=":0" />

Another theory is that the dish was invented in South Korea as part of a marketing campaign to sell American beef in the country. Per the theory, "LA" was used in the name because it was where the most Korean Americans lived in the United States and would have been more familiar.<ref name=":0" />

Another theory is that the term "LA" is an abbreviation of "Lateral Axis", after the direction the ribs are cut.<ref name=":0" />

=== Marination ===
Non-marinated ''galbi'' is called ''saeng-galbi'' ({{Korean|hangul=생갈비|labels=no}}; "fresh ribs"); marinated ''galbi'' is referred to as ''yangnyeom-galbi'' ({{Korean|hangul=양념갈비|labels=no}}; "seasoned ribs"). Pork ''galbi'' is usually served marinated, but non-marinated ''dwaeji-saeng-galbi'' ({{Korean|hangul=돼지생갈비|labels=no}}; "fresh pork ribs"), made of [[Jeju Black pig]], is popular in [[Jeju Island]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=16 March 2017 |script-title=ko:제주를 제대로 즐기는 법, 중문에서 흑돼지 맛집 따라 인심 느낄 수 있어 |url=http://sports.chosun.com/news/utype.htm?id=201703170100152380010553&ServiceDate=20170316 |access-date=18 May 2017 |work=[[Sport Chosun]] |language=ko}}</ref> As pork ribs are smaller, marinated ''dwaeji-galbi'' often consists of pork ribs mixed with shoulder meats.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Seo |first=Yeon-ji |date=2017-02-09 |script-title=ko:콘셉트에 따라 객단가 올릴 수 있는 아이템, 양념돼지갈비 |trans-title=An item that can increase the unit price according to the concept, seasoned pork ribs |url=https://www.mk.co.kr/news/mki/7706204 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230730084241/https://www.mk.co.kr/news/mki/7706204 |archive-date=2023-07-30 |access-date=2025-01-17 |website=[[Maeil Business Newspaper]] |language=ko}}</ref>

=== Beef ===
Softer cuts of beef, such as from a cow or heifer, are preferred when grilling ''galbi''.<ref name="EKC">{{in lang|ko}} {{Cite web|url=http://encykorea.aks.ac.kr/Contents/Index?contents_id=E0000649|title=갈비구이|last=정|first=순자|website=[[Encyclopedia of Korean Culture]]|trans-title=galbi-gui|access-date=8 March 2017}}</ref><ref name="Doo_beef">{{in lang|ko}} {{Cite web|url=http://www.doopedia.co.kr/doopedia/master/master.do?MAS_IDX=101013000825090&_method=view|script-title=ko:소갈비구이|website=[[Doopedia]]|publisher=[[Doosan Corporation]]|trans-title=so-galbi-gui|access-date=8 March 2017}}</ref> Properly grilled, the dish is a glossy, dark-reddish brown with a smoky, sweet taste.<ref name="EKC"/> The meat should easily fall from the bones.<ref name="EKC"/>

The [[Marination|marinade]] for ''so-galbi-gui'' ({{Lang|ko|소갈비구이}}; "grilled beef ribs") typically includes [[soy sauce]], sugar, minced garlic and [[scallion]]s, ginger juice, ground black pepper, toasted and ground [[sesame]], and [[sesame oil]]. The beef is usually scored on the surface prior to marinating, and the juice from [[Korean pear]]s is brushed on before grilling.<ref name="Doo_beef"/>

=== Pork ===
For ''dwaeji-galbi-gui'' ({{Lang|ko|돼지갈비구이}}; "grilled pork ribs"), the marinade can be either ''[[Soy sauce|ganjang]]'' (soy sauce)-based or ''[[gochujang]]'' (chili paste)-based: the former being similar to beef ''galbi'' marinade and the latter being spicy.<ref name="Doo_pork">{{in lang|ko}} {{Cite web|url=http://www.doopedia.co.kr/doopedia/master/master.do?MAS_IDX=101013000717858&_method=view|script-title=ko:돼지갈비구이|website=[[Doopedia]]|publisher=[[Doosan Corporation]]|trans-title=dwaeji-galbi-gui|access-date=8 March 2017}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20140704000890|title=Dwaeji galbi (pork ribs)|last=Ro|first=Hyo-sun|date=4 April 2014|work=[[The Korea Herald]]|access-date=18 May 2017}}</ref> ''[[Cheongju (drink)|Cheongju]]'' (rice wine) is usually used in both types of marinade to remove any undesired porky smell.

If used, pork shoulder meat is carved into thicker slices of around {{Convert|2.5|cm|0|abbr=off}} in width.<ref name="MK">{{Cite news |last=Seo |first=Yeon-ji |date=2017-02-09 |script-title=ko:콘셉트에 따라 객단가 올릴 수 있는 아이템, 양념돼지갈비 |url=https://www.mk.co.kr/news/mki/7706204 |access-date=2025-01-17 |work=[[Maeil Business Newspaper]] |language=ko}}</ref> Deeper cuts are made when scoring the surface to allow the marinade to penetrate the meat.<ref name="MK"/>

=== Grilling and serving ===
''Galbi'' is grilled, typically by the diners themselves, on grills set in the tables. The meat cooks for a short time on medium high heat on a lightly greased gridiron over glowing charcoal. The remaining marinade is brushed on during grilling to produce a glazed finish.<ref name="EKC"/>

Once cooked, the meat is typically cut into pieces over the grill with kitchen scissors,<ref name="Yoon">{{Cite news|url=https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4793091|title=A Hard-to-Kick Habit: Korean Barbecue Short Ribs|last=Yoon|first=Howard|date=August 10, 2005|work=[[NPR]]|access-date=2008-04-20}}</ref> then wrapped inside lettuce leaves, ''[[kkaennip]]'' (perilla frutescens), or other [[Leaf vegetable|leafy vegetables]]. These made-on-the-spot leaf wraps, called ''[[ssam]]'', usually include a piece of grilled meat, ''[[ssamjang]]'', raw or grilled garlic, and a sauce made of ''[[doenjang]]'' (soybean paste) and ''[[gochujang]]'' (chili paste).<ref name="Yoon" /> Like other Korean main dishes, ''galbi'' is often accompanied by ''[[Bap (rice dish)|bap]]'' (cooked rice) and side dishes known as ''[[banchan]]''.

== See also ==
* [[Korean cuisine]]
* [[Bulgogi]] – barbequed beef or pork
* ''[[Dak-galbi]]'' – spicy stir-fried chicken
* ''[[Galbi-jjim]]'' – braised short ribs
* ''[[Galbi-tang]]'' – short rib soup
* [[Korean barbecue]]
* ''[[Samgyeopsal]]'' – grilled pork belly
* ''[[Tteok-galbi]]'' – grilled short rib patties
* [[Yakiniku]] – a similar Japanese dish
* [[Asado]]

== References ==
{{Reflist|2}}

== External links ==
{{Commons and category|Galbi}}

{{Korean food and drink}}
{{Beef}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Korean barbecue]]
[[Category:Korean cuisine]]
[[Category:Korean beef dishes]]
[[Category:Korean pork dishes]]
[[Category:Table-cooked dishes]]