What is Korean BBQ?

As with many cultural and culinary traditions from South Korea, Korean BBQ has seen a rapid rise in popularity in many Western countries over recent years. Most of us will be familiar with the concept of a barbecue (especially in the summer) and the sweet, tangy American-style BBQ sauce, but Korean BBQ offers a slightly different experience.

What is Korean BBQ?

Korean BBQ primarily refers to the method of grilling marinated meat. Eating Korean BBQ is often a communal and very social experience as diners at BBQ restaurants will sit around the grill (sometimes built into the table itself) and cook the meat to their own preferences.

As is typical of many Korean dining experiences, BBQ also tends to be enjoyed with a wide variety of side dishes to complement the grilled meat.

What is Korean BBQ Sauce?

The marinades for Korean BBQ meat will usually include things like soy sauce, sesame oil, and gochujang to bring out all the delicious umami flavours. Aside from the marinade itself, you’ll also likely find plenty of dipping sauces to get stuck into, with ssamjang being the classic BBQ sauce in Korea.

Ssamjang

Ssamjang sauce is made primarily with Korean soybean paste (called doenjang) and gochujang, usually along with some sesame oil, garlic and spring onions. It is most often eaten with lettuce wraps served alongside the BBQ.

The sauce has a rich, tangy flavour with slightly sweet and spicy notes – but all that really matters is that it goes excellently with Korean BBQ meat!

What is Incorporated in Korean BBQ?

Korean BBQ can be pretty versatile, and there are lots of things you can order to create the perfect BBQ experience.

The Meat

Whatever cut of meat is your favourite, you’ll probably find something to pique your interest at a Korean BBQ restaurant. Beef and pork tend to be the most popular choices, and it’s often better to go for really thin slices of meat as these will be much easier to cook at the table.

In most Korean BBQ restaurants, the diners are responsible for grilling the meat, so you’ll need to keep an eye on it! The tables are also usually equipped with a pair of scissors to make slicing the meat at the table slightly easier.

Bulgogi

One of the most popular and well-known Korean BBQ items is bulgogi, which consists of thin strips of marinated beef grilled on a barbecue, although you could also stir-fry it when making it at home.

The Sauce

We have already mentioned ssamjang, which is a staple and BBQ essential. You’ll want to spread this liberally on the meat and lettuce wraps.

Along with this classic sauce, you can also use soy sauce, sesame oil and wasabi-based dipping sauces for additional delicious flavour.

The Lettuce Wraps

Aside from the meat, another key component of Korean BBQ is the lettuce leaves, which act as wraps for your barbecued meat and other veggies. The word ‘ssam’ is used to describe the concept of wrapping food in lettuce and other leafy greens to create a tasty parcel. So, you lay out a lettuce leaf, spread on some ssamjang, top it off with some BBQ meat, roll it all up and enjoy!

Side Dishes

No Korean meal would be complete without an array of side dishes. These dishes are collectively known as banchan, which accompany a main meal (in this case, the BBQ) on small plates which are shared among the group. There’s an almost endless selection of banchan to explore, but some popular items include things like:

• Kimchi
• Namul
• Green onion salad
• Braised vegetables and tofu
• Seafood pancakes
• Bokkeum (stir-fried dishes)
• Stews
• Soups (often eaten after the main BBQ meal)

What to Drink With Korean BBQ

Korea has quite a prominent drinking culture, so it's common to enjoy communal meals like BBQ with an alcoholic drink. Soju tends to be the most popular, but beer and makgeolli may make an appearance, too.

Soju is ideal for enjoying with BBQ as it’s quite refreshing and comes in various fruity flavours to wash down all that delicious food. Somaek is another popular option – this is a soju and beer cocktail.

If you don’t drink alcohol, water or soda is a perfectly fine accompaniment for BBQ, too.

Cooking Korean BBQ at Home

Eating at an authentic Korean BBQ restaurant is an experience well worth having, but if you’re unable to get to one, there’s no need to miss out. Hosting your own BBQ night with friends is relatively easy if you can get your hands on a good selection of ingredients.

You will also need a portable stove that you can set up on a central table. These are quite accessible, but you will need to make sure the space has good ventilation so your fellow diners don’t end up getting surrounded by smoke when cooking. Remember to provide various tongs, chopsticks and scissors, too, so everyone can easily dish up their food.

And speaking of food, you should aim to provide a good selection of different things to get that unbeatable BBQ experience. Need some inspiration? Check out what’s on offer at our online Korean supermarket to discover some tasty BBQ essentials. Ultimately, so long as you’ve got a good cut of meat, some tasty Korean sauces and your favourite side dishes, you can’t go far wrong!