Queens Eats: Korean BBQ Tacos

This article was written by Erin Walsh.

Ahhh, tacos.

Is there a more beautiful word in the English language? Actually, I believe that it’s Spanish, with the savory street food originating from Mexico, but you get my point.

The other day I was riding the subway from Manhattan and a memory of a succulent meal consisting of Korean BBQ steak that I ate over the Christmas holidays in my hometown of Pittsburgh entered my mind.

This seems to happen a lot and might make you wonder if I have a one-track mind centered on food, but anyway, I digress.

So, I did what I usually do when this happens and feverishly begin searching my iPhone for recipes. And, boy, did I come up with a keeper.

Korean BBQ Short Rib Tacos - one of the most divine cross-cultural dining experiences ever invented. The meat in these tacos becomes impossibly tender, thanks to slow cooking for 10 hours over low heat in a Crock Pot.

And the Korean BBQ marinade? Heavenly. Top with a crunchy carrot and cucumber slaw and you have a taco near the top of the taco hierarchy. 

Korean BBQ Short Rib Tacos (Source: Tasty Kitchen by Shelbi Keith)

Ingredients

FOR THE KOREAN SHORT RIBS 
5 cloves Garlic
1-½ whole Inches Of Ginger, Peeled
¾ cups Soy Sauce
½ cups Plus 3 Tablespoons Brown Sugar (I used a 1/3 cup)
6 Tablespoons Rice Vinegar
2 Tablespoons Sesame Oil
1 teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes
3 pounds Beef Short Ribs

FOR THE CUCUMBER SLAW 
½ whole Hot House Cucumber
½ whole Carrot
4 teaspoons Rice Vinegar
1 teaspoon Sugar
2 pinches Salt
1 pinch Red Pepper Flakes

FOR SERVING 
4 whole Tortillas
2 Tablespoons Cilantro For Garnish

Instructions

For the Short Ribs 
In a mini food processor, blend garlic and ginger until minced. Mix with soy sauce, brown sugar, rice vinegar, sesame oil and red pepper flakes.  

Place short ribs in crockpot and pour sauce over ribs. Turn crock pot on low heat. Cover with a lid and cook for six to eight hours. (I left on for 10 hours, to get the meat extra tender).

Remove meat from pot, discard bones. Place in the fridge to chill to touch.   Meanwhile, skim fat off the top of the sauce. Place in a sauce pan and simmer until thickened.  

Once meat is cool to touch, pull apart with your fingers. Pour about 1/2 cup of the sauce back into the meat. You may serve the extra sauce on the side or discard it.  

For the cucumber slaw 
Peel cucumber and chop into matchsticks. Peel carrot and shred.  

Mix carrot and cucumber with rice vinegar, sugar, salt and red pepper flakes.   Serve meat on a warm tortilla topped with slaw and cilantro.