Hawaiian “Pulehu” Beef Short Ribs

An essential must-have at any Hawaiian cookout! “Pulehu” means “to broil,” and in this case it’s cross-cut, bone-in beef short ribs (similar to Korean kalbi) that are thin-sliced, marinated in a sweet-salty soy sauce, and cooked over hot embers for a fire-kissed, slightly charred flavor.

Highway Inn is a Hawaii icon, renowned for serving up traditional Hawaiian specialties since its 1947 founding by Seiichi & Nancy Toguchi. During World War II, the Toguchis and their three children were forcibly moved to Japanese Incarceration Camps. Seiichi mastered his culinary skills while working in the camp’s mess hall, and in 1947, after returning home to Hawaii, he opened Highway Inn. Crowds soon began to line up for a taste of Toguchi’s cooking, and they haven’t let up since. Highway Inn is today owned by Seiichi & Nancy’s grandchildren, and the menu hasn’t changed much since those early days.