How to Make Korean BBQ at Home

Korean BBQ: It's like a Blockbuster night with your friends but instead of VHS tapes and popcorn, you've got grilled meats and Soju. It's the conviviality of huddling around a fiery grill, the theatricality of sizzling meat, and the suspense of not setting off the smoke detector. It's a DIY meat feast that's as interactive as a game of Twister, and with the potential to be just as messy.

Making Korean BBQ at home? It's the suburban equivalent of a wild west showdown, except your weapon of choice is a pair of tongs and your grizzled stare is aimed at perfectly marinated bulgogi. It's where you can channel your inner grillmaster and control your carnivorous destiny. Plus, your vegetarian friends can join in too. Grilled tofu, anyone? It's a party where the smoky, charred meats are the star, and everyone's a VIP.

Here's a fun fact: In Korean BBQ, scissors are just as crucial as knives and forks in Western dining. Yeah, it's quirky, and it might give Edward Scissorhands a run for his money. So, round up the crew, marinate your meats, chop your veggies, and fire up the grill. Korean BBQ at home is all about having a blast and hey, if your clothes smell like grilled meat for days afterwards, well, that's just part of the charm. 🤘🏼Adam

Yield: 4-6 people

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Korean BBQ at Home!

Cook time: 6 HourTotal time: 6 Hour

Ingredients

Meat + Marinade

• 2 pounds Beef (Kalbi, Chadolbagi, etc.)
• 8 Garlic cloves (35g)
• 1 inch knob Ginger (20g)
• 1/2 Yellow Onion (175g)
• 1 Apple, halved and cored (230g)
• 2 Tbsp Brown Sugar (30g)
• 1/2 tsp Black Pepper, ground (2g)
• 1/3 cup Soy Sauce (80ml)
• 1 Tbsp Toasted Sesame Oil (15ml)
• 1 Tbsp Rice Wine Vinegar (15ml)

Pickled Radish “Wrapper”

• 1 pound Korean or Daikon Radish, thinly sliced
• 1 cup Water
• 1 cup White Vinegar
• 1 cup Sugar
• 1 tsp Kosher Salt

Toasted Sesame Oil Dipping Sauce

• 1 tsp Kosher Salt
• 1/2 tsp Black Pepper, ground
• 3 Tbsp Toasted Sesame Oil

Instructions

1. Begin by preparing the marinade for the beef short ribs, known as Kalbi. Blend together apple, onion, garlic, ginger, brown sugar, sesame oil, soy sauce, black pepper, and rice wine vinegar in a blender until it becomes a semi-smooth puree. Pour the mixture over the Kalbi and let it marinate for at least 2 hours, or preferably overnight.
2. While the meat is marinating, prepare the other elements of the Korean barbecue. This includes pickled Korean radish wrappers and white rice. To make the radish wrappers, peel and thinly slice a Korean or daikon radish using a knife or a mandolin. Prepare a quick pickling liquid, bring it to a simmer, and pour it over the radish slices. Cook the rice in a rice cooker.
3. Next, prepare the banchon, or side dishes. This can include a variety of dishes such as spicy pickles, assorted kimchi, savory pancakes, and cold salads.
4. Two sauces are commonly served with Korean barbecue: Samjhang and a simple sesame oil sauce. To make Samjhang, mix together equal parts of gochujang (a spicy sweet paste made from Korean red pepper flakes) and doenjang (a rich savory paste made from fermented soybeans). To make the sesame oil sauce, simply combine toasted sesame seed oil with a sprinkle of salt and freshly cracked black pepper.
5. After the meat has marinated, it's time to cook. Set up a portable cooktop or a heavy-bottom skillet, such as a cast iron pan, and get grilling. Grill the marinated short ribs and any other proteins you have chosen. Slice the meat into bite-sized chunks on the grill using a pair of kitchen scissors.
6. As the meat cooks, assemble your Sam, or wraps. This can be done by wrapping the grilled meat in a chosen vessel (like a lettuce leaf or pickled radish wrapper), adding a little sauce, some banchon, and a bit of rice.
7. Pair your Korean barbecue with traditional beverages like Soju (a neutral tasting liquor traditionally made from rice) and Korean beer.

Adam's Notes

• The Kalbi marinade recipe makes enough for roughly 2 pounds of meat.
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GEAR/INGREDIENTS THAT I USE:

Camp Stove

Kitchen Scissors

Shortie Tongs

Jumbo Japanese Mandolin

Lodge 12’ inch Cast-iron skillet

Gochujang (Korean Red Pepper Paste)

Doenjang (Korean Mild Soybean Paste)

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