Flanken is a style of cutting beef short ribs across the bones into thin strips, so each portion contains several small cross-sections of bone. The term is commonly used in North American butchery and Jewish cooking. Similar cross-cut ribs are central to Korean galbi preparations, although marinades and exact cut specifications vary.
Flanken-cut ribs are sliced across the bones, producing thin strips with several bone pieces. English-cut ribs are cut parallel to the bones, usually leaving one longer bone in each portion with a thicker section of meat attached. The two cuts have different thicknesses and cooking times.
Thin flanken ribs can be marinated and grilled quickly over high heat, or braised depending on thickness and recipe. A Korean-style galbi marinade may include soy sauce, garlic, sugar, pear or other ingredients, but the recipe varies. Avoid burning sugary marinades over excessive direct heat.
Example: marinate flanken-cut short ribs in a Korean-style galbi seasoning, grill quickly and serve with rice and pickled vegetables.
Specify the thickness of the cross-cut, number of bones per strip, bone-in status and whether the ribs are trimmed. These details affect cooking time, edible yield and portion cost.
Chef’s tip: keep the slices even so they cook consistently. If the ribs are thicker than the traditional quick-grill style, adjust the method and cooking time rather than relying on the name alone.
This term is one of hundreds covered in depth across OCS courses, learning paths, and 1-on-1 coaching with Chef Eric.
