Korean barbecue is an event. I love the social element as well as the epic flavours: how everyone gathers round the table grilling their meats, enjoying good times and conversation and eating a delicious meal together with an array of tasty condiments. But how to recreate it for yourself? Easy: you follow my guide on how to cook Korean BBQ at home.
WATCH THIS RECIPE
How to Cook Korean BBQ At Home
PREP TIME
20 minutes + marinating time
COOK TIME
20 minutes
SERVES
4
Ingredients
1kg (2 lb 3 oz) pork belly, skin removed, cut into 1cm strips
steamed rice, to serve
kimchi, to serve
butter lettuce leaves, to serve,
perilla leaves (or mint leaves), to serve
Marinade:
1 pear, peeled, cored, grated
¼ cup soy sauce
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp gochujang
1 orange, zested
1 tsp sesame oil
Sides:
400g (14 oz) bean shoots
400g (14 oz) baby spinach
1 garlic clove, finely grated
4 tsp toasted sesame seeds
2 tbsp sesame oil
2 tsp sea salt
Ssam sauce (ssamjang)
¼ cup doenjang*
1 tbsp gochujang*
2 garlic cloves, finely grated
2 tsp toasted sesame seeds
1 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp sesame oil
1 tbsp finely sliced spring onion
Sesame dipping sauce:
4 tbsp sesame oil
1 tbsp sea salt
⅛ tsp ground white pepper
Steps
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To make the marinade, place the grated pear in a large bowl. Add the soy sauce, sugar, gochujang, orange zest and sesame oil. Give everything a good mix until well combined.
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Cut the pork belly into 5cm-wide (2”) strips lengthways. Next, cut into 0.5cm-thick (about ¼”) slices and place in the marinade. Mix the ingredients together until evenly coated.
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Using some metal skewers, thread the pork slices onto the skewers so that the pieces lie as flat as possible. Transfer loaded skewers to a clean tray. Drizzle any remaining marinade over the skewers. Pop the tray in the fridge and leave the pork to marinate for 30 minutes.
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To make the ssamjang, place the doenjang, gochujang, garlic, sesame seeds, sugar and sesame oil in a bowl. Mix well. You may need to add 1–2 tablespoons of water to help it along if it’s difficult. Add in the spring onion and mix again. Transfer to a small serving bowl and set aside.
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For the sesame dipping sauce, add the ingredients to a small dipping bowl and mix well. Set aside.
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To make the sides, bring a large pot of water to the boil. Cook bean shoots for 2 minutes until just tender, then use a spider strainer to scoop them out and transfer to a sieve so they can cool and drain. Using the same pot of boiling water, add the spinach leaves. Cook for 1 minute until vibrant green in colour. Drain and set aside while you make a dressing.
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In a bowl, mix together the garlic, sesame seeds, sesame oil and salt. Pop the drained beanshoots into a large bowl, add half the sesame mixture and mix to combine. Add the drained spinach to separate large bowl and add in the remaining half of the sesame mixture. Mix again until evenly coated. Set aside while you grill the meat.
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Preheat a grill or barbecue on high then cook the pork skewers for 3-4 minutes on each side, brushing with any leftover marinade while they cook, until charred on the outside and cooked through on the inside. Pile skewers up on a clean plate, rest for 5 minutes, then serve with all of your condiments and sides.
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Notes:
– A popular Korean condiment, doenjang is a thick brown paste made from fermented soybeans and salt. It has a sour, salty and rich umami flavour – think of it as a punchier miso. Find it at Asian grocers and online.
– Gochujang is a Korean fermented chilli paste. It can be found in the Asian aisle at most supermarkets or from Asian grocers.
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