Summer is a time for barbecues or grills featuring food with bold flavors. I like mine highlighted with chilies, citrus, vinegars, garlic, fresh herbs, spices and things like fresh ginger. Humble short ribs are transformed from a slow cooked wintery dish to savory spicy grilled beef that goes great with salads and fresh vegetables. Bright colors, bright flavors, these thin sliced short ribs are full of lip smacking goodness you can eat with your fingers.
The flavor of this marinade is my version of Asian-Korean style ribs. Have your butcher take the short ribs and slice them length-wise into thin pieces about one third inch thick. Slice them as thin as you can get them. They are easier to slice when slightly frozen so you may want to ask your butcher in advance or you may want to attempt it at home with caution. I served this the other night with stir fried peppers onions and cilantro and rice.
Serves 4 to 8
4 1/ 2 pounds beef short ribs (about 4 pieces of flanken), sliced in half and then sliced lengthwise into 1/ 3rd inch strips, look at the picture
1/ 2 cup low sodium soy sauce
1/ 2 cup brown sugar
1 inch long piece fresh ginger root, grated or more
3 scallions, minced
5 garlic cloves, minced
1 jalapeño, minced
2 tablespoons sesame oil
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Place ribs in a large baking dish. Combine marinade ingredients in a medium bowl and stir to blend. Distribute marinade over ribs. Cover ribs with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 4 to 6 or more hours. 
Heat barbecue grill to medium-high heat for about 15 minutes. Spray ribs with unflavored oil such as canola or safflower and place ribs on grill. Don’t move ribs for two minutes or they will stick. Grill each side for a couple of minutes until ribs have nice grill marks with some caramelization. Only turn ribs once, using a tong not a fork. Ribs are very thin so they cook quickly. Pass the napkins.
If you do not have access to a barbecue, you may use a two burner grill pan with ridges. Heat it until almost smoking and then grease it.
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