Korean Short (Beef) Ribs or Bulkogi

Note from Cheri: The following text and recipe is re-printed from Ribs by Christopher B. O'Hara with photographs by William Nash, published by The Lyons Press, 2000. The book is a connoisseur's guide to barbecuing and grilling and will teach you everything you need to know about great ribs. Click here for more information about this fabulous book as well as more sample rib recipes.

Beef short ribs are generally pretty tough customers, requiring long marinating times to get them tender. I like to make them Korean style because there is something about the marinade that really breaks down the meat and gets them super tender. Another thing that's so neat about short ribs is that, because they are beef, you don't have to worry about under cooking them; they can be served rare. The other great thing about this recipe is that the only difficult part is having the patience for the marinade - you'll need to soak them for at least 12 hours, preferably more.

6 lbs. short ribs cut into thin pieces, about 2 1/2 inches long Marinade (yields about 1 1/2 cups) 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds 4 large cloves garlic, pressed 1 C soy sauce 2 tablespoons sherry (or substitute sweet rice wine) 3 tablespoons sugar 2 tablespoons sesame oil 2 tablespoons water 2 teaspoons fresh ginger, finely grated 1/2 C chopped green scallions (green and white parts, mixed)

Serves 4-6 Toast the sesame seeds in a regular pan over a low flame. Remove the seeds when they are nicely browned and set aside. Combine the rest of the marinade ingredients, mixing well. Using a black pepper grinder on the fine setting, mill the sesame seeds into the mix and stir in. Add your ribs to the marinade, and let them sit in it (refrigerated) as long as you possibly can. I like to prepare the marinade the night before so it's ready for the next night's dinner. Get a hot fire going in your barbecue and grill these ribs until they are nicely browned and crisp on the edges. Depending on the thickness of the ribs, they should take between 15 - 20 minutes. If you plan on cooking these in the oven, they can be roasted at 400 F for 30 minutes. Be sure to baste them often.