Regular Recipe

Prep the proteins and vegetables

Thaw any frozen seafood and pat dry with paper towels. Slice all meats thinly (if not pre-sliced) and arrange by type on chilled platters. Halve blue crabs, keep snow crab legs whole or chopped into sections. Rinse oysters and keep on ice until serving. Cube tofu, trim and separate mushrooms, chop napa cabbage, halve baby bok choy, quarter tomatoes, slice spring onions, mince garlic and julienne ginger.

Make two marinades (beef & mixed BBQ)

In a bowl combine 120 ml soy sauce, 2 tbs mirin, 2 tbs brown sugar, 1 tbs sesame oil, 2 minced garlic cloves and 1 tbs grated ginger. Divide: reserve half for wagyu/short rib (kalbi-style) and use the other half for pork belly, chicken and lamb. For a spicy glaze, mix 2 tbs gochujang, 1 tbs soy sauce and 1 tbs brown sugar; brush on meats while grilling if desired. Marinate beef and wagyu for 15–30 minutes; marinate pork, chicken and lamb 15 minutes.

Prepare hotpot broth

In a large stockpot bring 2 liters dashi or seafood stock to a gentle simmer. Add 4 sliced garlic cloves, half the ginger, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp black pepper, and optional 1 tsp sichuan peppercorns for a mild numbing note. Add tomato quarters and simmer 8–10 minutes to build flavor. Keep broth hot at a gentle simmer on a portable burner at the table.

Set up BBQ & grilling station

Heat a tabletop grill or cast-iron griddle to medium-high and oil lightly with vegetable oil (about 1 tbs). Have tongs, spatula and a wire brush ready. Place dipping sauces, lemon wedges, spring onions, sesame seeds, and chili oil within easy reach.

Cook seafood for BBQ

Brush scallops and shrimp lightly with oil and a pinch of salt. Grill shrimp 1–2 minutes per side until opaque and curled. Grill scallops 1–2 minutes per side until golden. For oysters, you can place them on the grill until edges just begin to rattle (about 2–3 minutes) or serve raw on half shell with lemon. Rewarm snow crab legs directly on the grill 3–5 minutes per side just to heat through and add char. Blue crab halves can be brushed with garlic butter (melt 2 tbs butter with 1 minced garlic clove) and grilled 4–6 minutes.

Cook meats on the grill

Grill thin slices of beef, wagyu, pork, lamb and chicken in batches. Beef/wagyu: 30–60 seconds per side for medium-rare (adjust to preference). Pork & chicken: grill until cooked through (pork ~2–3 minutes per side, chicken ~3–4 minutes depending on thickness). Brush with spicy glaze (gochujang mix) during the second half of cooking if desired. Rest briefly on a platter.

Use the hotpot

While grilling, guests can cook vegetables, tofu and some seafood in the simmering hotpot. Add harder vegetables (napa cabbage stems, mushrooms) first for 2–4 minutes, then tofu, bok choy and quick-cooking seafood (shrimp, scallops halved) for 1–2 minutes until cooked. Noodles can be added at the end to soak up broth for 1–2 minutes (udon) or until heated through.

Finish and serve

Arrange grilled meats and seafood on serving platters. Sprinkle sliced spring onions, toasted sesame seeds and cilantro over meats and seafood. Serve oysters on a platter with lemon wedges and a small dish of soy, minced ginger or ponzu. Provide individual bowls of ssamjang or yakiniku sauce, chili oil and extra soy sauce. Encourage guests to alternate between grilled items and hotpot-cooked bites, finishing with noodles in the broth.

Storage & leftover tips

Cool leftover broth and seafood within 2 hours, refrigerate up to 2 days. Store grilled meats separately in airtight containers up to 3 days. Reheat gently: broth on the stove to simmer; meats on a hot pan for 1–2 minutes or briefly under a broiler.