Korean Beef Short Ribs Recipe | BBQ Dry Rub

English cut or thin flanken ribs?

Thick ribs: the main method

English-cut ribs are cut between the bones, with one rib bone per piece. They can be thick and meaty. For the main method, use these thick short ribs or a suitable thick rib section. Ask your butcher about the cut and thickness if unsure.

Thin flanken ribs: a separate grilling method

Flanken ribs are sawn across several rib bones. The quick method below specifically means thin slices, not every piece labelled flanken. A thicker cross-cut rib is not automatically suitable for the same short cooking time.

Do not use thin ribs in the long main method as if they were equally thick. Thin ribs do not need to reach the high finishing temperature used as a texture guide for slow-cooked thick ribs.

Ingredients for thick short ribs

• 1.5 kg thick beef short ribs, such as English cut
• 40–50 g Korean BBQ Rub from the original recipe, as an adjustable starting point, not a compulsory dosage
• 2 tbsp sesame oil
• 2 tbsp soy sauce, less if needed because of total salt

Rub and soy sauce together can be salty. Follow the current rub label and adjust to surface area and taste; do not automatically apply everything generously. Thin slices have a different surface area per kilogram. Check every label for ingredients and allergens, including sesame, soy and possible wheat.

Equipment: lidded BBQ with an indirect zone, food thermometer, clean dish and optional butcher paper or suitable aluminium foil. For the oven, use a suitable ovenproof dish and cover.

Preparation and marinating

1. Mix the rub with sesame oil and soy sauce as needed into a thinly spreadable seasoning mixture. Rub provides the flavour base; oil and soy sauce are additions, not guarantees of tenderness.
2. Spread over the meat. If seasoning ahead, refrigerate covered and within the meat’s shelf life. The previous four hours or overnight is not a compulsory marinating time and does not automatically give the deepest flavour.
3. Drain excess marinade before grilling. Keep raw meat, hands and utensils separate from cooked dishes.
4. Set aside any table sauce cleanly before use. Discard leftover marinade that has touched raw meat; do not serve it untreated as a sauce.

Thick ribs on the BBQ: low and slow

1. Prepare indirect heat at 120–130°C. Do not place meat over flames. Optionally add a small amount of suitable smoking wood, such as apple or cherry.
2. Place thick ribs in the indirect zone and close the lid. Start checking in good time. The original 3–4-hour smoking stage is only a planning guide; size, thickness and BBQ determine progress. Do not leave unchecked merely because the time has not elapsed.
3. Wrapping is optional once the surface is as desired and you want to control further cooking. A 70°C core is not a compulsory wrapping point. Foil traps more moisture and may soften the outside.
4. Continue until the thick meat is sufficiently tender. Around 93–95°C is a familiar texture guide for slow-cooked thick ribs, not a guaranteed endpoint or a minimum safety temperature. Check several places without touching bone: a probe should pass through with little resistance. An extra fixed 1–2 hours may be too short or too long.
5. Transfer to a clean dish and rest briefly to suit size and serving plans. The previous 20–30 minutes is a guide, not a compulsory duration. Cover loosely if needed and avoid unnecessary cooling. Prolonged hot holding is a separate step requiring temperature control.

Thin flanken ribs: direct grilling

1. Use genuinely thin-cut ribs and adjust seasoning to the greater surface area. Carefully remove any loose bone-saw fragments without rinsing raw meat under the tap. Ask your butcher if the cut is unclear.
2. Create a direct grill zone with a cooler escape zone beside it. Drain excess marinade to reduce dripping and flare-ups.
3. Grill under constant supervision, turning as needed. Thin slices cook quickly; start checking early. Do not follow the hours-long thick-rib method or treat fixed minutes per side as a guarantee.
4. Where possible, measure from the side using a suitable thin probe in the meat without touching bone. For this method we follow the USDA guidance for whole cuts of beef: at least 63°C before removing from the heat, followed by at least three minutes’ rest. Marinade colour is not a doneness check. Follow appropriate supplier advice for processed meat or differing product instructions.
5. Serve on a clean dish. Thin grilled ribs usually retain more bite than slow-cooked thick ribs; do not expect the same fall-apart texture.

The quick method is a separate preparation variant. The thick ribs’ high texture temperature is not the target here. If you cannot reliably assess thickness or doneness, seek advice on a suitable cut and method first.

Thick ribs in the oven

1. Preheat a fan oven to 150°C. Put thick ribs in a suitable ovenproof dish and add a small splash of water.
2. Cover appropriately and cook gently. The original 3–4 hours is a planning starting point, not a guaranteed finishing time. Check liquid, core temperature and tenderness; carefully top up with a little hot water if needed.
3. Optionally remove the cover towards the end for a drier surface. Brief higher heat can add colour, but 220°C for 15–20 minutes is not compulsory and may burn the seasoning. Stay nearby.

Covered cooking in a moist dish gives a different surface from BBQ smoking. Crisp bark is not guaranteed. Do not use this long oven method for thin flanken slices.

Serving

Serve with rice, kimchi and grilled vegetables, for example. Sesame seeds and spring onion are optional garnishes, not proof of an authentic recipe. Consider sesame allergies.

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More BBQ techniques

Low and slow BBQ
Making bark
The BBQ stall
BBQ core temperatures
Choosing smoking wood

Sources and scope

Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner: thin flanken ribs and cutting direction

USDA FSIS: minimum core temperatures and resting time

The cut reference supports the distinction between quick grilling of thin ribs and slow cooking; it does not make our rub preparation a recipe tested by that source. The exact Food & Wine text about chefs’ recipes was not readable and has not been used as a substantive recipe source.