Name: Mini Grilled Short Rib Patties
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Korean
Ingredients: ½ lb Ground beef; ¼ lb Ground pork; 2 tablespoons Soy sauce; 1 tablespoon Sugar; 1 tablespoon Sesame oil; 3 cloves Garlic (minced); 2 stalks Green onion (finely chopped); ¼ teaspoon Black pepper

Tteokgalbi has an interesting origin story. In the Joseon dynasty, court cooks would mince the meat from short ribs (galbi) off the bone, season it, form it into patties, and grill it. This was considered a refined preparation — easier to eat elegantly than gnawing on a bone, suitable for high-ranking diners. The name 'tteokgalbi' refers to the cake-like (tteok) shape of the formed meat, as distinct from regular bone-in galbi.

The modern home version uses ground beef and pork instead of laboriously mincing short ribs by hand, but the flavor profile is the same: soy sauce, sugar, sesame oil, garlic, and a touch of black pepper. The mix of beef and pork is important — beef alone lacks the fat content that keeps the patties moist through cooking, while all pork makes them too rich. The ratio in this recipe (two parts beef, one part pork) is the balance most Korean home cooks use.

I started making tteokgalbi regularly when I was meal-prepping Korean lunches for the week. They hold up beautifully in a dosirak (Korean lunch box) alongside rice and a couple of banchan — better than most proteins because the soy-sugar caramelization keeps them moist even after reheating. The patty shape also makes them easy to pack without liquid dripping.

The mixing with your hands in step one matters. You're not just combining — you're working the meat mixture until it binds, which gives the patties structural integrity. If they fall apart in the pan, the mixture wasn't mixed enough.

Instructions

In a large bowl, combine ground beef, ground pork, soy sauce, sugar, sesame oil, garlic, green onion, and black pepper. Mix thoroughly with your hands.

Tip: Traditional tteokgalbi uses minced short ribs, but this simplified version with ground beef and pork achieves a similar rich flavor.

Divide the mixture into 8 portions. Shape each into a small oval patty (about ½ inch thick).

Heat a non-stick pan or grill pan over medium-high heat. Cook the patties for 3-4 minutes per side until nicely browned and cooked through.

Serve as a banchan alongside rice, or wrap in lettuce leaves with ssamjang. Great for Korean lunch boxes (dosirak).

Mini Grilled Short Rib Patties

Tteokgalbi

Prep: 15 minCook: 10 minTotal: 25 minServings: 4

Ingredients

½ lb Ground beef
¼ lb Ground pork
2 tablespoons Soy sauce
1 tablespoon Sugar
1 tablespoon Sesame oil
3 cloves Garlic (minced)
2 stalks Green onion (finely chopped)
¼ teaspoon Black pepper

Instructions

In a large bowl, combine ground beef, ground pork, soy sauce, sugar, sesame oil, garlic, green onion, and black pepper. Mix thoroughly with your hands.
Divide the mixture into 8 portions. Shape each into a small oval patty (about ½ inch thick).
Heat a non-stick pan or grill pan over medium-high heat. Cook the patties for 3-4 minutes per side until nicely browned and cooked through.
Serve as a banchan alongside rice, or wrap in lettuce leaves with ssamjang. Great for Korean lunch boxes (dosirak).