Short Ribs Are Made for Summer Grilling

"Low and slow" is often the mantra for short ribs. But if you don't have the patience for barbecuing your beef (and you don't happen to be in the mood for a simmering stew), that's still no excuse to neglect this flavorful, well marbled cut in the summertime. Take your cue from Korean barbecue kalbi and grill your short ribs over medium-high heat after a few minutes in a robust marinade, and you'll have a terrifically beefy, crispy-edged dinner that's about half the price of fancy ribeye—but equally delicious. Here's how the dish comes together.

Score Some Boneless Short Ribs

Sure, bones add deep flavor when you're slow-cooking short ribs. But when you're sizzling them in a flash, it's all about exposed surface area. When the robust direct heat of the grill meets the abundant fat in beef short ribs, you'll get irresistibly crispy bits on the outside. Even better, the marbling means that the interior stays juicy after it's hit with medium-high heat.

Go for a Robust Rub Rather Than a Marinade

First things first: Begin by brushing your short ribs with salty, umami-rich fish sauce. That'll also deliver a bit of moisture, which will help the rub adhere to the meat. All you need for the rub is brown sugar and finely grated garlic. The combination of sweetness and garlicky flavor will create an irresistible coating with a minimum of effort. And don't worry about the salt—you'll be adding that at the end.

Char Your Scallions Before Cooking the Beef

After you've lit the coals (or fired up your gas grill to medium-high heat), toss some whole scallions with olive oil, salt, and pepper and throw them on the grill. They'll soften and char, making them the perfect partner for the grilled beef.

Grill Your Short Ribs to Medium Rare

Now comes the fun part. Instead of set-it-and-forget-it slow-cooked ribs, this recipe requires about 10 minutes of hands-on grill time. Arrange your seasoned short ribs on the oiled grates, cover the grill, and cook, flipping the ribs every two minutes and then closing the grill again, until they're golden brown on the outside and beautifully medium rare within.

Let the Beef Rest While You Make the Gremolata

As the beef relaxes off the heat, you can, too. The only thing left to do is make a simple (but non-traditional) take on gremolata to sprinkle on top of the short ribs. Combine minced garlic, parsley, orange zest, and salt and pepper in a small bowl, then use your fingers to rub the mixture together, releasing the flavors into the gremolata. Thinly slice the scallions you grilled, then stir them in, too.

Finish with Gremolata and Flaky Salt

Finally, it's time to slice your beef against the grain for maximum tenderness, then arrange it on a platter and sprinkle it with flaky sea salt. The final touch? That beautiful gremolata, of course. Scatter it across the sliced short ribs, leave a bit extra in a small serving bowl to pass at the table, and rejoice in the fact that this short rib dinner didn't take hours to cook.