Korean Bbq Recipe

Make the base marinade

In a large bowl combine soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, minced garlic, grated ginger, rice wine, grated Asian pear (or apple), toasted sesame seeds and black pepper. Whisk until sugar dissolves and mixture is slightly thick and glossy.

Separate sauces

Divide marinade: reserve about 1 cup and stir in 2 tablespoons gochujang for the spicy pork marinade. Reserve 1/2 cup plain for the chicken (add 1 teaspoon sesame oil if desired). Keep 1/4 cup of the plain marinade as a brushing sauce for the beef and vegetables. Set ssamjang and gochugaru out for the table.

Chop green onions finely and fold into both spicy and soy-sesame marinades; set aside a small amount of chopped scallion for garnish.

Marinate beef

Place the thinly sliced beef in a shallow dish or zip-top bag. Pour 1 cup of the plain soy-sesame marinade over the beef, add 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, toss to coat evenly. Press out excess air if bagging and refrigerate at least 30 minutes, up to 4 hours. Do not over-marinate (longer will break down texture).

Grill the beef

Preheat grill or grill pan to medium-high. Oil the grill lightly. Grill beef slices 30–60 seconds per side until lightly caramelized and just cooked through. Work in batches to avoid crowding. Transfer to a warmed platter and keep covered.

Marinate pork

Combine the thinly sliced pork with 1 cup of the gochujang-spiked marinade. Massage the marinade into the meat, cover and refrigerate for 1–4 hours (pork benefits from a longer marinade).

Grill the pork

Preheat grill to medium-high. Grill pork slices 2–3 minutes per side (depending on thickness) until nicely charred and cooked through. Pork will be slightly sticky from the gochujang — turn often to avoid burning. Transfer to platter and keep warm.

Marinate chicken

Toss chicken thigh pieces with 1/2 cup of the soy-sesame marinade. Let sit in the refrigerator 30 minutes to 2 hours.

Grill chicken

Grill chicken 3–4 minutes per side until internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C) and juices run clear. Slice into bite-sized pieces if desired and keep warm.

Prep seafood

Pat shrimp and squid dry and toss with a light brushing of oil and a pinch of salt and pepper so they don’t stick to the grill.

Grill seafood

Grill shrimp 1–2 minutes per side until opaque and curled; grill squid rings 30–60 seconds per side until just cooked — overcooked squid becomes rubbery. Remove immediately to avoid carryover cooking.

Prepare vegetables

Slice vegetables as noted. Parboil sweet potato slices 5–7 minutes until just tender, then drain. Toss mushrooms, zucchini, onions and sweet potato lightly with oil and a pinch of salt.

Grill vegetables

Grill vegetables 2–4 minutes per side depending on item — mushrooms until tender, zucchini until grill marks appear, onions until slightly softened, sweet potato until golden. Keep warm and transfer to serving platters.

Arrange lettuce, kimchi, pickled radish, steamed rice and ssamjang on the table for assembling wraps.

Set up a communal spread: platters of grilled beef, pork, chicken, seafood and vegetables; bowls of rice, kimchi, pickles, ssamjang, gochugaru and scallion salad.

To assemble a ssam (lettuce wrap): place a lettuce leaf in your hand, add a spoonful of rice, a piece of grilled meat or seafood, a little scallion salad or kimchi, and a dab of ssamjang. Wrap and eat in one or two bites. Offer extra grilled items so guests can re-grill if using a tabletop grill.

Garnish grilled meats with reserved chopped scallions and toasted sesame seeds. Keep hot items rotating from the grill so everything stays fresh and warm during the weekday lunch service.