I’ve talked about my recent love of Hawaiian food two other times now on the blog, Kalua Pork and Spam Musubi, and these Maui-Style Kalbi Short Ribs from Alana Kysar‘s new cookbook Aloha Kitchen is definitely being inducted as one of my favorite all-time Hawaiian dishes. I usually order these exact ribs from the local Hawaiian restaurant down the street, the one I gushed about in the Spam Musubi post. However, I never knew that they were so easy to make at home. The hardest part is waiting for the ribs to marinate overnight. I’m not kidding. Serve them with white rice and Hawaiian macaroni salad or a simple green salad on the side and you’ll be good to go. Which by the way, if I could eat white rice and Hawaiian macaroni salad as side dishes to every meal, I would be a very happy man. This will quickly become one of your new favorite dinners, and you’ll want to add it to your menu rotation as often as possible. In honor of Alana’s new book and because I think we should all have a little bit of Island paradise at home, I’m giving away a copy of the book to one lucky reader! All you have to do is leave a comment below with what your dream vacation is (or would be) and you’ll be in the drawing! You have until Friday to enter, and it’s open to anyone and everyone. A winner will be picked at random and notified via email. It’s a wonderful book filled with must-try recipes, especially if you want to bring a little bit of Hawaii into your own kitchen without leaving your home!
To make the ribs, in a very large bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, water, rice vinegar, sesame oil, fish sauce, brown sugar, ginger and garlic until well combined.
**Tip: This recipe makes a lot of ribs and so you need a lot of marinade, use a big bowl or very large measuring cup with a spout to make it easier to pour the marinade over the ribs later on!**
Divide the short ribs into two or three gallon-size ziplock bags and pour equal parts of the marinade into each bag. Refrigerate for at least 8 hours.
**Note: For optimal flavor, Alana recommends marinading the ribs overnight. So if you can plan ahead and do this step the night before, you’ll be good to go! I did it overnight and the ribs were amazing! Just be sure to squish the bags at least three times throughout the marinating process to ensure the ribs get evenly marinaded.**
I served these ribs with cooked white rice. I figured we all know how to make rice and so I’m not showing that part, but I also served it with a Hawaiian macaroni salad because it’s delicious together. To make the macaroni salad, cook the pasta according to package directions, and then drain. Transfer to a large mixing bowl and then while still hot, stir together the pasta with the vinegar, carrot and onion until combined. Set aside and allow to cool to room temperature.
**Tip: You want to stir the carrots and grated onion into the hot pasta because it’ll sort of cook them and develop some flavor for the salad! And it’ll take away that strong raw onion taste.**
You can go two ways here, simple mac salad with just pasta or you can add some potato to it. I love when Hawaiian macaroni salad has a bit of potato in it as well. So I cooked peeled and thinly sliced a large russet potato and boiled it until just fork tender. Then I drained and let cool and then added to the noodles in the bowl.
In a small bowl, whisk together the mayo, milk, sugar and a pinch of both salt and pepper (just to taste) until smooth.
Pour into the cooled pasta mixture and add the cooled potatoes. Stir everything until combined. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least 3 hours or overnight.
**Tip: You can definitely make the pasta salad the night before and keep in the fridge until ready to serve! However, if the salad dries a bit, stir about a tablespoon or so of milk to loosen it.**
Once ready to cook the ribs, heat an outdoor grill to medium. Remove the ribs from the marinade and cook them to your desired doneness, 4 to 5 minutes on each side for medium-rare.
**Tip: If the ribs seem to be burning, adjust the heat to medium-low and cook for a minute or two longer on each side. Also, if you don’t have an outdoor grill, you can also broil them in the oven for 5 minutes per side.**
Like I mentioned earlier, this recipe makes a lot of ribs, and so you can freeze half (or all) of them before grilling and then just thaw and cook another day. To do this, after they’ve marinaded, drain off the marinade, seal the bags removing the air and freeze for another day. Just thaw in the fridge the night before!
Once the ribs are done, transfer to a platter and garnish with toasted white sesame seeds and sliced scallions! Serve with a simple salad, cooked white rice and of course that macaroni salad! This is the perfect Hawaiian dinner you’ll want to make if you’re feeling like traveling to the Islands but can’t actually get away.
Don’t forget to leave a comment below with what your dream vacation is to enter for a chance to win a copy of Alana’s book Aloha Kitchen! You have until Friday to enter. The winner will be picked at random and notified via email. Only one entry per person, let’s keep it fair. Good luck, I’m rooting for you!
UPDATE: Congratulation to Cynthia for winning the giveaway! And thank you to everyone who participated! Stay tuned for more giveaways coming soon!
- 2 cups low-sodium soy sauce
- 1¼ cups water
- ¾ cup rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1½ tablespoons fish sauce
- 3½ cups packed dark brown sugar
- 1 4-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated
- 5 garlic cloves, peeled and finely grated
- 6 pounds bone-in beef short ribs, ½-inch thick flanken style (Korean or cross-cut), or 4 pounds boneless beef short ribs, ½-inch thick flanken style (Korean or cross-cut)
- Toasted white sesame seeds, for garnish
- 3 green onions, sliced, for garnish
- ½ pound macaroni
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 medium carrot, shredded
- 2 tablespoons grated white onion
- 1 large Russet potato, peeled, sliced and boiled until tender
- 1¼ cups good quality mayo
- 2 tablespoons whole milk
- ½ teaspoon granulated sugar
- salt and pepper to taste
- To make the ribs, in a very large bowl or measuring cup with a spout, whisk together the soy sauce, water, rice vinegar, sesame oil, fish sauce, brown sugar, ginger and garlic until well combined. Divide the short ribs into two or three gallon-size ziplock bags and pour equal parts of the marinade into each bag. Refrigerate for at least 8 hours. Although Alana recommends letting them chill overnight for optimal flavor! Just be sure to squish the bags at least three times throughout the marinating process to ensure the ribs get evenly marinaded.
- To make the macaroni salad, cook the pasta according to package directions, and then drain. Transfer to a large mixing bowl and then while still hot, stir together the pasta with the vinegar, carrot and onion until combined. Set aside and allow to cool to room temperature. In a small bowl, whisk together the mayo, milk, sugar and salt and pepper until smooth. Pour into the cooled pasta mixture and add the cooled potatoes. Stir everything until combined. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least 3 hours or overnight. If the salad dries a bit, stir about a tablespoon or so of milk to loosen it.
- Once ready to cook the ribs, heat an outdoor grill to medium. Remove the ribs from the marinade and cook them to your desired doneness, 4 to 5 minutes on each side for medium-rare. If the ribs seem to be burning, adjust the heat to medium-low and cook for a minute or two longer on each side. If you don't have an outdoor grill, you can also broil them in the oven for 5 minutes per side. Garnish the ribs with sesame seeds and green onions before serving. Serve with cooked white rice and mac salad. Enjoy!
These look so great. My dream vacation is to Honduras where my family is from. I’d love to see family I haven’t seen in years and visit the beaches.
Hawaii
Hello! My dream vacation would be to ride my bicycle all around Ireland!
I’m actually getting my dream vacation next week in Hawaii. My next dream vacation us Italy.
I just moved so I am currently dreaming of a spa vacation where I can soak, get massages, and generally be pampered!
I would love to visit Maui to see my brother who I haven’t seen in years. Exploring the island and trying local foods would be so much fun. But the best part would be reconnecting with my brother.
I visited Maui a couple of years ago and would like to island hop next time! The food looks soo good from this cookbook! I can’t wait to try some recipes on my own!
Perfect vacation has to be skiing in the Alps.
Those look amazing!
I’ve never been to Hawaii, so that’s a dream destination for me for sure.
Fiji! Fiji! Fiji! 😁
Hawaii is definitely on my list of dream vacations!!
Oh my! A taste of Hawaii w/o leaving my kitchen! Who doesn’t love ribs? Yum can’t wait to try this recipe! Would love this cookbook! Great for summer eating!
Sorry! Forgot to add my dream vacation! Hawaii of course!
I wish this was a Married & Hungry segment! My favorite place to vacation is Oahu because the Hawaiian food (shout out to Helena’s, Side Street & Uncle Bo’s) so freakin ono!!! But my dream vacation is a tour around the South Pacific; Fiji, Tahiti, Samoa, Tonga, New Zealand & Australia.
My dream vacation is a luxe ski trip to Japan. In my defense, my grandma lives in Hawaii, so it’s not really a vacation spot in my head. But it IS why I will be looking into this book. I love the food and would enjoy making it at home, not just getting it on family trips.
Current dream vacation would be Hawaii! I have been to Italy, Costa Rica, and El Salvador many times but never to Hawaii. It would be magical! 🌴
Hawaii would be on the dream vacation list, indeed!
I’d head right back to Kihei! The recipe I was smuggled by a former family worker at Azeka’s had sesame oil, 7-Up, shredded pear and the meat was first massaged with granular white sugar but I am eager to try this version. Never get enough Maui ribs!
I really want to go to Hawaii someday. Sooner than later.
I would LOVE to spend three weeks exploring Hawaii – I’ve never been and it is on my list. Until then… this recipe sounds FANTASTIC! Jonathan, I’d love to make this but don’t have access to a grill in my NYC apartment. Would a grill pan or any other method work? Thanks so much and keep it up – all of it! XOXO
Hi Natalie! I wouldn’t recommend a grill pan because it’ll smoke up your place way too much because of the marinade. BUT you can cook them under the broiler for about 5 minutes per side!
Loving all these recipes! Would love to go to Prague – my mother’s birthplace.
My dream vacation would be a Disney cruise or going to St Lucia
Eating and Drinking through Belgium, Netherlands, and Scandinavia with a capstone meal at Faviken.
Back to Hawaii. I love it there–the weather, the culture, and the plate lunches!
Spain for the octopus festival.
I have my dream vacation booked to spend Christmas 2019 with my entire family in Kauai! Would love to start practicing some delicious meals to get everyone excited, will definitely be trying these short ribs out this summer 🙂
I have so many dream vacations, but right now it’s be to road trip across Western Europe!
I’m already living in my dream vacation, the beautiful island of Maui. Nothing is better than living in this tropical place I call home, where family & friends brings warmth to my heart.
All vacations are dream vacations! Next up on my wishlist are Ireland, France, and Nashville, TN. I also absolutely love me some New Orleans.
Love to visit Thailand 😊
My dream vacation is an African safari and a visit to see the great apes in Rwanda. The ribs look delicious
My dream vacation is an African safari and a visit to see the great apes in Rwanda. The ribs look delicious
Yum! Dream vacation is Australia!
I have a 7 month old son. My dream vacation is to Maui. My husband and I got married there in 2017. I grew up on Oahu. I can’t wait for the day I can take my son to experience the wonderful Hawaiian culture I grew up experiencing.
These look INCREDIBLE. I’ve always wanted to visit San Juan, Puerto Rico!!
My dream vacation is touring and running in the French countryside!
Italy for all the pasta!
My dream vacation is to stay ocean front on an island just outside of Charleston so I could enjoy both the ocean and explore beautiful Charleston S C. I will be happy to share a recipe for a low country favorite, frogmore stew.
My dream is to go back to Portugal and visit the towns we didn’t have time for before.
I’m kind of obsessed with dream vacations. I’d love to vacation for a month in France with my family, or take a giant tour of Japan. And I would never, ever, say no to a Hawaiian vacation.
I’ve been dying to go to London
This recipe looks awesome!
My dream vacation is Italy to visit the vineyards.
Kaui.
Just wanna say, HIIII, thank you, and so many hugs!!
A couple of years ago, I did the ancestry.com DNA test. I discovered that my ancestors came exclusively from Scandinavia, England/Wales/Scotland/Ireland, and Germany. Thus, my dream vacation would be to travel to the lands where my ancestors lived, thrived, and from which some made their way to America where I now live and thrive.
It all looks so delicious! Right now, a dream vacation would probably actually be Hawaii to be able to hang out and relax on the beach or floating in the water with some poke or Spam musubi just down the street.
Looks like a great recipe! My dream vacations is to go to Indonesia and sit on a beach for a long time then try to catch fish and cook them!
My dream vacation is an overwater bungalow in Bora Bora. Heck…att this point in life, I would settle for a tent on the sands of Manhattan Beach…haha
I got to live a dream ‘vacation’ – I spent five weeks in Hawaii visiting my fiance before he moved back to California. He lived in Pearl City, so we hit all the museums and botanical gardens on Oahu, but also visited friends on Maui for some snorkeling and fishing. It was amazing.
I’d still love to do an eat/drink tour of Italy.
My dream vacation is to explore Japan!
Those look so delicious! My dream vacation would be New Zealand.
I’ve always thought that Santorini or the Greek Isle would be the place to travel with no time constraint – this recipe is on I’d like to try for our family get together over Mother’s Day weekend
My ideal vacation would be exploring Canada. Thanks for what appears to be a delicious recipe. Next time short ribs go on sale, i’ll Make it for sure.
I’d love to visit Iceland – that’s my dream.
I discovered short ribs last year and I cannot get enough of them – I made them last week! This recipe looks incredible .
Anywhere sitting on a beach with my hubby by my side drinking a Belgium style beer….
My dream vacation is just long lol! A good 3 weeks to relax I don’t care much where
My dream vacation would mostly consist of eating lots of yummy food and drinking wine. I’ve been lucky enough to do that in Italy and Spain, so I think the next place will be in France.
Hawaii is such a great place and these ribs look perfect for summer grilling. I can’t wait to try making them!
I’d love a dream vacation in Bora Bora! This looks fantastic!
Oh my goodness, that looks absolutely delicious. So many awesome recipes and the book looks stunning! My dream vacation is definitely going to Italy!
These ribs look delicious! My dream vacation is anywhere near the ocean that’s warm enough to duck dive in the waves. Nothing is more exhilarating to me than that! 🙂 Being in those frothy, effervescent waves makes me feel alive!
2 dream vacations — Cuba and Portugal. Not sure why, but would like to visit both
I’d love to go to New Zealand.
Would love to return to Maui where I visited 40 years ago but would have to find some great fishing spot for my significant other. All I would need would be a meal cooked by my cuz Lee Anne Wong.