These marinated grilled flanken short ribs are a great alternative to your average seared steak and a great option when you're craving BBQ ribs, but don't have hours to make them. A simple marinade of adobo sauce, lime, and spices adds smoky heat and tenderness to this rich and flavorful cut of meat.
Although many short rib recipes require hours of gentle braising to coax the richly marbled meat into falling-apart tenderness, thin cut flanken-style beef ribs are ideal for grilling and cook up very quickly. A smoky, spicy marinade ensures that these ribs are as tender as can be after a quick trip across the grill.
[feast_advanced_jump_to]Ingredients and Substitutions
- Adobo sauce--This is the sauce that's found in the can of chipotle chiles. It has a spicy, smoky flavor, and is fantastic for marinating meat.
- Lime--You should get about 2 tablespoons of lime juice from one lime. If your lime isn't very juicy, add a splash of the bottled stuff, or juice a second lime. Remember to zest your lime before you juice it!
- Flanken-style ribs--You can find these in most supermarkets, but for the best quality, go to a Korean market, if one is available to you. You'll find these labeled as galbi-cut or galbi-style ribs, and they are the perfect thickness for marinating and grilling.
Important Steps
- Mix the adobo sauce, lime juice and zest, and spices in a small bowl.
- Place the short ribs in a resealable bag and pour the marinade over them.
- Seal the bag and massage thoroughly to evenly coat the short ribs. Marinate for 8 to 24 hours, flipping and massaging the bag occasionally.
- Grill the ribs over medium-high heat until just cooked through about 3 minutes per side.
FAQs
They are beef short ribs that are cut across the bone, resulting in long strips of meat that are studded with small rounds of bone. The meat is well marbled with fat, making it very flavorful and tender, when cooked properly. Like English-style short ribs, they can be cooked slowly in a braise, but they're also well suited to marinating and grilling, thanks to their thin cut.
The longer you can marinate the ribs, the more flavor you'll get. Marinate them for at least 8 hours, but for the best flavor and most tender meat, I recommend letting them marinate for 24 hours.
Side dishes that you can toss onto the grill alongside these ribs are perfect. Try it with grilled garlic bread, grilled tomato and avocado salad, or grilled beets with goat cheese. If you want to keep it really simple, toss together a simple lime coleslaw or marinated bean salad to serve alongside.
Tips and Troubleshooting
- These cook very quickly, so don't step away from the grill while you're making them. They can become overcooked and tough if cooked too long.
- This grilled rib recipe is suitable for gluten-free and dairy-free diets.
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Recipe
Grilled Flanken Short Ribs
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons adobo sauce
- Zest and juice from 1 lime
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 ½ pounds (680 g) flanken-style short ribs
Instructions
- In a small bowl, mix the adobo sauce, lime zest and juice, coriander, and cumin. Season well with salt and pepper.
- Place the ribs in a resealable plastic bag. Pour the marinade over and seal the bag. Massage well to thoroughly coat the ribs.
- Marinate for at least 8 and up to 24 hours. Flip and massage the bag occasionally.
- Preheat the grill for medium-high (400°F).
- Place the ribs in a single layer on the grill and cook, flipping once, until seared on the outside and just cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Don't overcook--These cook very quickly, so don't step away from the grill while you're making them. They can become overcooked and tough if cooked too long.
- Dietary--This recipe is suitable for gluten-free and dairy-free diets.
