Kalbi Beef
Sweet Onion Purée, Kalua Spring Onions, Nukazuke Vinaigrette, Beef Jus Tare
Chef James Huffman of Canlis | Seattle, WA
Adapted by StarChefs | November 2025 | Photo: Alexander Zeren
INGREDIENTS
Kalbi Beef:
Yield: 3½ quarts
650 grams chopped pears
180 grams chopped apples
165 grams chopped garlic
150 grams chopped sweet onions
100 grams chopped fermented green onion tops
1 kilogram tamari
Honey
100 grams wagyu zabuton
Kalua Spring Onions:
Vegetable scraps
Spring onion bulbs
Kosher salt
Beef tallow
Thyme sprigs
Sweet Onion Purée:
150 grams butter
150 grams grapeseed oil
3 kilograms sliced sweet onions
30 grams kosher salt
Nukazuke Vinaigrette:
120 grams chopped fermented green onion tops
240 grams grapeseed oil
130 grams rice vinegar
80 grams chopped green onion tops
80 grams golden sesame oil
80 grams toasted sesame oil
40 grams fish sauce
Beef Jus Tare:
1 quart beef jus
1 apple, grated
1 pear, grated
To Assemble and Serve:
Julienned spring onions
Thinly sliced spring onion bulbs
Beef fat
Finishing salt
METHOD
For the Kalbi Beef:
In a Vitamix Commercial blender, add fruit, alliums, and tamari. Season with desired amount honey. Blend on high speed until fully combined. Set aside. Place beef in a nonreactive, shallow dish. Cover with enough marinade to submerge. Cover and refrigerate 48 hours.
For the Kalua Spring Onions:
In a hotel pan, add burning charcoals to the bottom in an even, flat layer. Top with onion tops and vegetable scraps to form a thin layer, followed by 2 additional layers of onion bulbs. Season with salt. Top with cheesecloth, followed by additional layer onion tops, vegetable scraps, and burning charcoal. Let sit 12 hours at room temperature. The next day, remove onions from pan and cut into quarters. Transfer to a sauté pan over medium heat. Season with beef tallow and salt. Sear until onions are charred on all sides. Add desired amount thyme. Cook additional 30 seconds. Remove from heat and let cool. Transfer to a nonreactive container and reserve.
For the Sweet Onion Purée:
In a small saucepan over low heat, add butter and grapeseed oil. Cook until butter is melted. Add onions and salt. Sweat 5 minutes, or until onions are soft and translucent. Add 1 kilogram water and cover pot with a cartouche. When onions begin to fall apart, remove from heat. Transfer mixture to a Vitamix Commercial blender. Purée until smooth. Pass through a chinois into an airtight container. Season with salt, cover, and refrigerate.
For the Nukazuke Vinaigrette:
In a Vitamix Commercial blender, add all ingredients. Blend until well combined. Pass mixture through a chinois. Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate.
For the Beef Jus Tare:
In a pot on medium heat, add all ingredients. Cook until apples and pears have released all juices. Cook until nappe, then reduce heat and keep warm.
To Assemble and Serve:
In a small saucepan over low heat, warm Sweet Onion Purée. Prepare and heat a binchotan grill. Once hot, add Kalbi Beef and sear on all sides. Brush with additional reserved marinade and continue to grill until meat reaches an internal temperature of 130°F. Remove from grill and let rest. In a mixing bowl, dress Kalua Spring Onions with desired amount Nukazuke Vinaigrette. Spoon Beef Jus Tare slightly off center onto a serving plate. Top corner of Beef Jus Tare with 1 dollop Sweet Onion Purée. Place 1 piece Kalbi Beef to the right side of the plate. Place dressed Kalua Spring Onions, julienned spring onions and sliced spring onion bulbs to the left side of the belt. Finish with beef fat and salt.
