One cut of meat that I get asked about a lot is Flanken Ribs. It’s not a very common cut around here and so most people haven’t heard of it. And by the amount of times I get asked, “Is it like bacon?” it’s safe to say that they don’t know how to cook them either!
So, if not bacon, what are they?
Flanken ribs are a strip of beef cut across the bone from the chuck end of short ribs, instead of being cut with the bone in one piece, so they look a bit like long thin steaks with circle-shaped bones in them.
All you have to do is marinate, grill, and eat around the bones – the meat is tender, juicy, and so delicious! Cutting against the bone allows you to cut flanken ribs ultra-thin, making them perfect for hot and fast grilling.
Flanken ribs are common in Korean BBQ, and can often be found in Asian markets or grocery stores with a great Asian food section – but are also popular in other markets where less trendy and expensive cuts of beef are popular and are sometimes called Miami ribs.
We’re using a quick homemade marinade, but if you have a Korean BBQ sauce, Teriyaki marinade, sesame ginger marinade, or even a spicy beef marinade that isn’t soy or sesame based, this recipe will work beautifully with it!
TIPS AND TRICKS TO MAKE PERFECT GRILLED FLANKEN RIBS
Marinate for more flavor. The longer you let your beef ribs marinate, the more flavor they will soak up. I like to let these flanken ribs sit overnight, making the total marinating time close to 24 hours.
Brown as much as you like. I prefer a dark brown on my flanken ribs, with a light pink middle – similar to a medium rare. Some people prefer less crunch and a chewier steak – and can cook it for less. This is a cut that you can really cook to your own preference – I personally like flanken ribs slightly more done than a steak.
Cook hot and fast. Get your grill as hot as possible – scorching hot – and lay ribs on grates for 4 minutes per side to get a nice crisp char on each side. Flank steak is cut so thin, 4 minutes per side is all you need for a medium sear – with a tiny bit of pink and enough fat to have rendered to soften to make this cut tender and juicy!