HOW TO DIY KOREAN BBQ AT HOME

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HOW TO DIY KOREAN BBQ AT HOME

How to make Korean BBQ

Summer is well and truly here, which means it is time to have a good ol’ barbecue with your friends and family. I’m going to show you how to easily DIY Korean BBQ at home. 

I know, it seems intimidating from all the components Korean BBQ has, but its a lot easier than you think!

Table of Contents:

Kitchen Utensils Featured 

You don’t need my help with the usual bowls and stuff, but you might want to get the following: 

Huddling over the stove in the kitchen isn’t exactly safe or practical if you have a large group. 

Pop a portable butane stove on the table and place a non-stick grilling pan on top. You’re ready to start grilling! 

So... what's Korean BBQ?

Korean BBQ is essentially grilling different cuts of meat and having them with a selection of banchan (side dishes), wraps and other dishes like rice or soup. 

You typically have a wide range of items, which makes this meal perfect for gatherings. Korean BBQ is a social event as much as it is a type of meal. 

Because of the many different types of dishes you typically get for Korean BBQ, most people choose to have it outside at a specialised restaurant. However, you can easily have it at home if you have the space and the equipment.

Meats

The centre piece of the barbecue is going to be the meats you grill. There are a lot of different cuts and you can choose whatever you like. However, going to a Korean butcher is a sure way of getting the cuts you find at Korean BBQ restaurants. (Which is optimal for grilling)

Fun fact: butchers in different countries make different cuts to suite the local cuisine. So you might not find a flat iron steak in a Korean butcher, and you most likely won’t find Galbi (short ribs) cut the right way at a normal butcher. 

We got our meats at my favourite butcher for Korean BBQ, Samsung Butchery in Chatswood. 

Samsung Butchery 
427 Victoria Ave, Chatswood NSW 2067  
We purchased 500g of each of the 5 types of meats below. 
Total: ~$100 
 
1. Chadolbaegi (thinly sliced beef brisket) 
2. Harami Beef (Skirt Steak) 
3. Wagyu Beef 
4. LA Galbi (Korean BBQ Short Ribs) 
5. Pork Belly 
 
Everything was really fresh, but I enjoyed the Harami beef the most and the LA Galbi was also really nice. 
 
The pork belly was a little bit on the thin side, which made the strips crisp up too fast. 

Side dishes (Banchan)

Korean food always comes with banchans. Banchans are mostly fermented side dishes that, in my point of view, help you eat more.

Starting to feel full?

Have some more banchan, and you instantly have room for more.

Banchans are spicy, tart, sometimes slightly bitter and peppery. Appetising flavours that bring out your appetite and cuts through the fat from the meat perfectly.

Maybe I’m the only one, but I had major culture shock the first time I had Korean food at a restaurant. I was told all the banchan could be refilled for free. There was almost 6 different types of banchan, which was already a meal in itself!

Or so a thought, before I discovered how much more you’re capable of eating with the help of these yummy side dishes. 

We got our Banchan at PBS Chicken. They have a great 3 for $10 deal. We got 6 for $20. 

PBS Chicken
Shop 13, Lemon Grove Shopping Centre, 427-441 Victoria Ave, Chatswood NSW 2067  
 
1. Eomuk Bokkeum  – Korean stir-fried fish cake 
2. Kim Chi 
3. Korean Mung bean jelly 
4. Korean Perilla Leaf Kim chi 
5. Sigeumchi Namul – Korean Spinach Side Dish 
6. Japchae – Potato noodles 
 
They all tasted great, but if I was forced to choose, the fish cake, kimchi and spinach were really really tasty. 
 
You can eat them with your meat, or as is. Have it with some rice, or put some in a lettuce wrap. Not many rules to it, as long as it tastes good. 

Greens

Korean barbecue typically comes with lettuce to create wraps. You grab a leaf and sort of burrito wrap some meat, ssam jang sauce, garlic and kimchi. 

You can also add perilla leaf if you’re able to find it near you. Rice if you want. Actually anything you want, but the classic combo is a lettuce leaf, then perilla leaf on top, then some ssam jang, meat, kimchi and raw garlic. 

You can also get pumpkin sliced thinly, corn kernels, mushrooms and onions to grill. 

We got the rest of our food items at Asiana Korean grocery store in Chatswood. 

Asiana Korean Grocery Store 
Lemon Grove Centre, g16/441 Victoria Ave, Chatswood NSW 2067  
 
Essential Sides for the meats: 
1. Lettuce 
2. Perilla Leaves 
3. Sliced Garlic 
4. Sauces 
(i) Ssam jang sauce (korean Dipping Sauce) 
(ii) Sesame dipping sauce (1 pinch salt, 1 pinch pepper, 1 tsp sesame oil) 
 
Soup
– Miso Paste 
– 1 x Zucchini
– 1 x green pepper  
– 2 x Tofu blocks 
– Enoki mushrooms 
 
For the soup, you want to get the rough tofu that’s not smooth so it holds its shape after being in the soup for so long. 
 
Peeled or sliced garlic can be commonly found in most Korean grocery stores, so if you want to avoid doing that, there’s always that option! 🙂

Carbs

Kimchi fried rice is typically served last after Korean barbecue to make absolute sure everyone is walking away from the table with a food baby. 

You make the fried rice by first leaving some of the animal fat on the pan in (you should be getting rid of it as you cook or you’ll find it pooling, making your meat sort of fry instead of grill!) Then grill some kimchi, cut some spring onions and enoki mushrooms in. Let that cook a bit before adding in white rice. 

Mix it all well and let it cook for a bit so the rice gets a little crispy at the bottom. And there you go! Kimchi fried rice that’s way better than making it in a wok. 

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Janice Fung

Janice Fung

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