Sous Vide Short Ribs (Korean, Boneless Beef)
You will knock it out of the park with these mouthwatering sous vide short ribs made with boneless beef short ribs and a bold Korean-style marinade that’s sweet, salty, garlicky, and deeply savory.
If there was ever a reason to use the sous vide cooking method, short ribs are it. This tough cut becomes incredibly tender and perfectly cooked to the temperature you choose (even medium-rare) – something that’s impossible to achieve with a traditional oven method.
What to expect
The process: The short ribs are marinated, bagged, cooked sous vide until ultra tender, then finished on the grill for caramelized edges and extra flavor. Most of the cooking time is completely hands-off.
- No sous vide equipment? No problem. You can grill the short ribs after marinating (but they won’t be as tender)
- No grill for finishing? We have a bake/broil option in the recipe notes.
The marinade: The Korean-style marinade makes the dish – sweet, salty, garlicky, savory, and rich with sesame flavor. It’s similar to a traditional kalbi or bulgogi sauce and gives the beef incredible flavor.
The result: Ultra-tender, juicy sous vide short ribs that practically melt in your mouth, with deep savory flavor and beautifully charred edges from the grill. You will wow your guests.
Ingredients – tailored to your taste
- Beef: I use boneless beef short ribs about 1 inch (2.5 cm) thick, sliced horizontally into thinner strips to make them 1/2 inch (1.3 cm). I buy them at Costco. You can also use thin-cut bone-in flanken short ribs (LA galbi) if you prefer – more traditional.
- Korean-style marinade: soy sauce, brown sugar, Asian pear (or a regular pear), green onions, garlic, mirin, water, and sesame oil.
Substitutions
- For the Asian pear: Use a regular pear, grated apple, or kiwi instead
- For the brown sugar: use honey
- For the mirin: use sherry, sake or rice vinegar plus a pinch of sugar
- For the water: you can replace half with pineapple juice, but don’t over-marinate or it can turn the meat to mush.
Variations
- Instead of short ribs: try ribeye, sirloin, chicken, pork tenderloin, or pork chops. Only marinate for 2-6 hours.
- Add heat: with gochujang or chili flakes
- Finishing: instead of grilling, put the cooked ribs briefly under the broiler.
Step-by-step instructions
Time and Temperature
My preferred setting: I cook these sous vide short ribs at 135F/57C for 24 hours. The result is ultra-tender beef that still slices cleanly and stays juicy (medium rare-ish) rather than shredding like a traditional braise.
Other good options
- 12 hours: Still tender, especially for thinner ribs, but not quite as soft and melt-in-your-mouth as 24 hours.
- 24 hours: My favorite balance of tenderness, texture, and rich beefy flavor.
- 30 hours: Still very good, especially for thicker ribs.
- 6 hours: A reasonable shortcut, but the ribs will be noticeably less tender.
If your short ribs are very thin (under 1/2 inch / 1.3 cm thick), I suggest keeping the sous vide time closer to 12 hours.
Shortcuts
Make the recipe as written for the best texture and flavor, but these shortcuts still deliver delicious results.
- Marinate and sous vide the short ribs for 6 hours each instead of 24 hours. They won’t be quite as tender, but still good.
- Use a store-bought Kalbi/Galbi sauce instead of making the marinade. You can find these at Asian grocery stores and some mainstream supermarkets.
- Skip the glaze/sauce at the end if you’re short on time (although it adds great flavor and presentation).
- Use thinner bone-in flanken-cut ribs to reduce cooking time to 12-18 hours.
What to serve with Korean ribs
Traditionally, Korean short ribs shine with simple white rice. If you’d like to mix it up:
Grains & Bases: Jasime rice with chili crisp, mashed potatoes, or seasoned cauliflower rice for a lighter option.
Salad sides: Try grilled purple cabbage slaw, spicy Asian coleslaw (5 min), or Thai mango salad
Veggie Sides: roasted bok choy and broccoli, or grilled cauliflower.
Recipe FAQs
Yes. Marinate the short ribs, then grill them directly over high heat. They won’t be as tender, but they will still be delicious. You can also use more tender cuts like ribeye, flank steak, or sirloin with the same Korean-style marinade instead of the tougher short ribs cut.
Flanken short ribs (sometimes called LA galbi) are thin-cut, bone-in beef short ribs sliced across the bone. They are commonly used in Korean BBQ recipes. They cook faster than thicker boneless short ribs and work well in this recipe too (sous vide 12-18 hours).
Kalbi (or galbi) means “ribs” in Korean and is typically made with flanken short ribs, while bulgogi is usually made with tender cuts like ribeye or sirloin. The marinades are very similar – sweet, savory, garlicky, and rich with soy sauce and sesame flavor.
Yes. Thin-cut bone-in flanken ribs (Miami-style ribs) work especially well and can reduce the sous vide time to about 12-18 hours, depending on thickness.
For the best flavor, marinate the ribs overnight or up to 24 hours. If you’re short on time, even 4-6 hours will still add flavor.
Yes. Broil the ribs for 1-2 minutes on one side (so they don’t overcook).
Love beef ribs?
Here are a few more show-stopping options:
- sous vide beef back ribs (bone-in)
- baked beef back ribs with maple bourbon glaze.
- BBQ sous vide short ribs recipe
Please leave a 5-star rating ***** with a comment in the recipe card below if you like the recipe. Thank you so much!
Sous Vide Short Ribs (Korean)
Equipment
- Sous vide equipment and grill (or see other options in notes)
Video
Ingredients
- 3 pounds boneless beef short ribs 1/2 inch/1.3 cm thick (cut in half horizontally if needed), Note 1 I get them at Costco
- Garnish (optional) – chopped green onion, parsley and/or toasted nutty sesame seeds.
Kalbi Marinade (see Note 2 for substitutes)
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup light soy sauce
- 1/4 cup cold water
- 2 tablespoon mirin
- 1/4 cup chopped onion, about 1/2 small onion grate it if not using blender/processor
- 1/2 Asian pear (or regular pear), peeled, cubed
- 2 tablespoon minced garlic (6 cloves)
- 1 tablespoon dark sesame oil
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 green onion, chopped (optional)
Instructions
- MAKE MARINADE: Use a food processor or immersion blender. Place all ingredients in a food processor (or bowl). Process/blend until smooth. If you don't have a processor or blender, grate the pear and onion, then mix with the remaining ingredients.
- MARINATE SHORT RIBS: Pour marinade into large zipper lock bag along with boneless beef short ribs. Ribs should be in a single layer. Use 2 bags if needed. Remove air and seal bag. Squish meat around to ensure meat is well covered with marinade. Place in fridge for 24 hours (or 6 hours if taking a shortcut). Remove meat and reserve the marinade (save it in a sealed container in fridge). Dab meat with a paper towel and place in a fresh ziploc in a single layer. Use 2 bags if needed.
- SOUS VIDE SHORT RIBS (see Note 3 for non-sous vide option). Heat water with sous vide equipment to 135F/57C (for medium rare) or 140F/60C for medium. Lower bag of short ribs into water, unsealed, until top of bag is just above water line, then seal it once all air is pressed out by water. If using a circulator sous vide, cover pot with lid, foil, or towel to reduce evaporation. Sous vide ribs for 12-30 hours. I find 24 hours perfect or, if ribs are very thin, 12 hours. (For a shortcut, sous vide for 6 hours – but not as tender). Remove short ribs from bag. Pat dry well with paper towel for better browing.
- MAKE GLAZE/SAUCE (optional but recommended): Pour reserved marinade juices into small pot (I pour it through a sieve/strainer to remove small bits). Bring to boil, then reduce to medium high heat Boil for about 10 minutes until reduced by half and slightly thickened. If you like spicy, add a pinch of red pepper flakes.
- GRILL KOREAN SHORT RIBS: Spray grill with oil and heat to medium high (450-500F/232-260C). Brush glaze on both sides of short ribs. Spray ribs with oil on one side to avoid sticking. Grill for 2 minutes on the side that is sprayed with oil. No need to grill the other side. Brush on extra glaze and serve with remaining sauce on the side. Garnish with chopped green onions and/or sesame seeds if desired. Serve hot or at room temperature.
Recipe Notes
- Short ribs options: I use boneless beef short ribs, but thin bone-in flanken ribs (LA galbi) also work. Ribeye, sirloin, chicken breast, or pork tenderloin can also be used with the marinade, especially if grilling only.
- Substitutes in Marinade :
- Instead of pear – use apple, kiwi or pineapple.
- Instead of water – use half pineapple, half water. Don’t over-marinate with pineapple juice as the ribs can get mushy.
- Instead of mirin – use sherry or sake + a pinch of sugar. Or rice vinegar + a pinch of sugar.
- Instead of dark sesame oil – use light
- Instead of onion – use green onion
- If no sous vide equipment: Marinate at least 24 hours. Grill ribs over medium-high heat (450-500°F/232-260°C) for 2-3 minutes per side until an instant thermometer reads 130°F/54°C. If grilling isn’t available, broil or bake as an alternative.
- If you don’t have a grill:
- After sous vide cooking, broil ribs for 2 minutes close to the heat on one side. Brush with glaze first.
- If you don’t have sous vide equipment or a grill, bake short ribs at 375F for 20 minutes, then broil for 2-3 minutes close to heat to brown.
- Make Ahead:
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- Timing options/shortcuts:
- Marinating time can range from 6 hours to 24 hours.
- Sous vide time for this recipe is 24 hours. But I’ve tried the short ribs for only 5 hours and the meat was a lot more tender than no sous vide, but less tender than 24 hours. This tells me that anywhere from 12-24 hours will be good too. Even 30 hours should be fine.
- If your meat is thin (less than 1/2 inch/1.3 cm thick), sous vide for a maximum of 12 hours.
- The entire recipe can be made ahead except for the final step of grilling (or broiling) for 2 minutes just before serving.
- Timing options/shortcuts:
Thanks, Cheryl for the terrific recipe. I looked at many recipes primarily for the marinade and cook times and temps and picked your not only because I liked the marinade but also I liked your recipe style. I am very impressed that your take the time to include weights, substitutions, shortcuts and notes. Well done.
Because of time constraints and the fact that I was using flanken ribs, I combined your recipe with Chef Steps. I used your marinade and marinated for 12 hours. I did not cook in the marinade but did reduce it for the glaze. I cooked them at 167 for 8 hours (favored by Chef Steps for flanken style). Then broiled them for 2 minutes with the glaze. Outstanding!! Reminded me of those we had at an upscale Korean restaurant we’ve been to.
Thanks for your lovely, thoughtful note Noel. I, too, often combine 2-3 recipes, picking the ingredients and methods I think will work best. Most importantly, I’m really happy the ribs turned out so well for you. (And I’m honored to be in the company of Chef Steps!)
This recipe was excellent. My family and I enjoyed it very much! My kids said it was one of the best things I have ever cooked!
Quite the endorsement from your kids! So glad your family liked the short ribs Alison.
Can I sous vide the ribs and keep them in the fridge for 1-2 days before quick grilling and serving?
Absolutely! Cool them down after they finish cooking sous vide (either on the counter or plunge the bag of ribs into cold water for 10 minutes), then refrigerate for up to 4-5 days. When ready to use, you can warm them in a water bath, sous vide, at the same temperature for 30 minutes before grilling. Or, if the short ribs are thin, you can probably just bring them to room temperature before grilling. Hope that helps.
Was going to use the beef chuck short rib prime from Costco that are a bit thicker and not going to cut them but leave them thick. Would a sous vide time of 24hrs still be good? To prevent mush beef (reading comments) does it have to do with having a lot of the marinated in the bag while in the sous vide? Or is it the marinade b/c if I can’t find ingredients to make the marinade was just going to get pre mix kalbi marinade from the store. TYIA.
Hi Emma. If you’re going to leave them thick, I would sous vide them for closer to 48 hours. The time a tenderness is related to the thickness of the meet in sous vide.
I’m not sure what’s in the kalbi marinade you will buy so it may be best to marinate for 24 hours, then bag with meat without the marinade (transfer to another bag). After the ribs are cooked you can glaze them with additional marinade when grilling. I hope that helps. Good luck!
Do you sous vide right in the large ziploc bag you used to marinate the meat? Or do you split up the meat into smaller portions?
Ideally the ribs should be fit in one layer in the bag (not overlapped). If not, you can separate them into two bags.
And you submerge the whole bag? I usually keep the top out of the water for fear of water penetration during a long cook. No issues with this?
There’s no problem submerging the whole bag as long as it’s properly sealed. I just use freezer bag ziplocs. And they work just fine. If you have vacuum sealer, even better.
Do you Sous Vide in the marinade?
Hi Sharon, Yes, I sous vide the short ribs with the marinade in a single layer. If your short ribs are very thin (or you are using a tender cut of meat), don’t marinate for more than a day and you will only need to sous vide them for 8-10 hours I’d say. Hope that helps.
Totally did not work. Had to throw in the compost. Fully disintegrated, so nothing to grill.
Carol, it sounds like your short ribs were not thick enough and you sous vide them for far too long. Maybe go for a thicker cut and play around with the sous vide time. I haven’t tried this recipe yet, but I have a lot of experience with sous vide.
Hi Carol. So so sorry your Korean short ribs didn’t work out. Frustrating for sure. There’s couple of reasons your meat could have been mushy. 1) As Dustin mentioned in another comment, your meat was too thin. In which case, 6-9ish hours of cooking time would be plenty; 2) if you used a very tender cut of meat instead of the tougher short ribs, your cooking time will also need to be much less. 3) finally – and this happened to me once (I had to toss a whole beef tenderloin) – if you used a certain type of acid in the marinade, a long marinating time can make the meat mushy. For me, I used the juice from pineapple that been precut and put in a container. The store must have added a special preservative that turned my meat to mush 🙁
Again, sorry the short ribs didn’t work for you. I hope you will give the recipe another chance. I’ve made it many times and it always gets rave reviews.
With another recipe I too accidently made meat mush. Made a wonderful gravy. As previously commented, reduce time to reduce tenderizing.
Yes we’ve all been there ?. Never thought about doing a gravy with it!
Thanks For Sharing this Amazing Recipe. My Family Loved It. I will be sharing this Recipe with my Friends. Hope They will like it.
Such a nice compliment. Thank you!
A winner! Stumbled upon this recipe after impulse buying short ribs at the local butcher. About 25 hours Sous Vide, perfectly tender and utterly delicious. Seared in beef tallow and smothered in the the glaze. Yum. Thank you for sharing this recipe.
Thanks so much for leaving a comment David! So glad you loved the short ribs.
Do you sous vide the ribs WITH the marinade?
Yes, for this recipe, I sous vide with the marinade. You can reserve a third of the marinade before marinating and sous viding the short ribs if you prefer, but it’s not necessary.
Thanks
Mouth watering good
Agree! One of my faves.
You are right. The marinade is fantastic. And the ribs are sooo tender.