One of the foods that travelers crave in Korea is sogalbi-gui or marinated beef ribs. Some of my guests that come to Korea for a week will eat this almost every night of their stay. The special marinade makes the meat tender and have a sweet/savory flavor.
Sogalbi-gui or grilled beef ribs, alludes to marinated meat short ribs flame broiled over a charcoal stove at the table. The tender ribs of young cows are recognized best for Sogalbi-gui. Previously, the ribs used to be marinated in a light colored and saltier soy sauce reputed to be 'Joseon ganjang.' Nowadays, the darker general soy sauce is utilized with some salt because it is more flavorful. There is also Saeng galbi-gui which is non-marinated flame broiled meat ribs for those looking for more natural beef flavor. Saeng means fresh. Koreans don't like the overly strong flavor of meat, so the ribs are usually soaked in cold water for several hours first to get rid of the smell. Then they are marinated. Generally, the marinade for this dish now includes ground pear and garlic, dark soy sauce, salt, pepper, honey and sesame oil that is left on the ribs for several hours to get rid of the beef smell. Then the ribs are grilled over fragrant charcoal.
Sogalbi-gui is cooked on a grill, which is placed over fine-textured oak charcoal at a red-hot temperature. The charcoal sears in the flavor and adds a delightful caramel texture. Its biggest appeal is the smoky flavor from the charcoal. It is crucial to skillfully score the ribs on both sides in order to allow the meat to be thoroughly marinated and grilled without burning. Koreans are very careful about not burning the meat because the charred parts are unhealthy and full of carcinogens.
The best places for sogalbi gui are places where there are chefs with excellent knife skills. Great knife skills are needed as it is not easy to butterfly and score the meat on both sides while still keeping it attached to the bone.
There are regional specialities. Suwon in Gyeonggi Province is particularly celebrated internationally for Sogalbi-gui. It is said that Hwachunok, which opened in the Yeongdong Market in Paldal-gu in the 1940s, was regarded as the first Sogalbi-gui restaurant in Korea. Unfortunately, it is not in business anymore, but the secret to its unique flavor remains, characterized by its method of using salt and sweet pear juice instead of soy sauce. Suwon-galbi is also cut with an axe, so portions are very large, and the meat attached on both sides of the ribs provide for generous servings.
Another famous area is Haeundae, Busan, which is also a famous Galbi town. Marinated Haeundae Galbi is not cooked on a barbecue but on a steel plate. The beef juices left on the plate is heavenly when blended with hot rice.
Another area, Pocheon in Gyeonggi Province, was once home to numerous military installations. Focusing on moms who needed to feed their children while on military leave, various Galbi restaurants grew up in the area. These restaurants are reputed to be 'Idong-galbi,' and are acclaimed for their low cost and large portions.
Indeed, today, the costly Sogalbi-gui is held for celebratory occasions. In fact, it was only in the 1980s, when the nation became relatively affluent, that average Koreans could afford to dine out at Galbi restaurants. At the time, many Galbi restaurants opened in the outskirts of big cities, invariably including the word ‘garden’ or ‘park’ in their name. They were built in the country because it was much cheaper to dine there. People donned their best clothes and celebrated special occasions at galbi ‘gardens’ and ‘parks,’ and were seen leaving with toothpicks dangling from their mouths. The conspicuous use of toothpicks was a way to show off and let everyone know that they had dined on delicious sogalbi-gui.