The Benefit Of Cooking With Flanken-Style Short Ribs

When it comes to whipping up a batch of BBQ ribs, there are many options on the market. There are country-style ribs, chuck short ribs, plate short ribs, and back ribs — all of which have their own unique meaty flavors and cooking methods, per Beef. It's What's For Dinner. But sometimes, life gets in the way and you find yourself searching for ribs that don't require a 5-hour cooking time. That's where the magic of flanken-style short ribs comes into play.

The site explains that flanken-style short ribs, which are known as Korean short ribs and beef short ribs, come from the short plate area that also supplies ground beef and skirt steak. Fischer Bros. & Leslie states that butchers slice the meat into two-inch "flanken" strips, which usually have a few bones. And in terms of flavor, Very Meaty notes that these have tons of fat and connective tissues which break down upon grilling.

But flanken-style short ribs have another benefit that makes cooking them a snap. Here's what that is.

Beef. It's What's For Dinner states that flanken-style short ribs are best for marinating and grilling and are often utilized in Korean-style cooking. Serious Eats explains that since flanken-style short ribs are thin with an "increased surface area," they don't need too much time on the grill. 3-4 minutes per side is sufficient, either in an uncovered charcoal grill or a covered gas grill. These can also be marinated for up to 24 hours or for just one hour if you're pressed for time.

And since the ribs are so thin, the resting time is quite short, usually no more than two minutes. For a true Korean experience, cut the bones off the ribs with kitchen shears and serve alongside "banchan" side dishes like steamed rice or Korean steamed eggs.

So if you find yourself having zero energy to cook, skip the takeout meals and spend a few short minutes grilling some flanken-style short ribs. They soak up tropical marinades, are quick and easy to cook, and taste like charred, buttery magic.