What is Korean BBQ?
With Korean BBQ you grill thinly sliced meat at the table. You eat it with lettuce, sauce and small side dishes, creating a new combination every time. Making Korean BBQ at home is popular because cooking and tasting come together at the same table.
In Korea this way of eating stands for enjoying together, sharing flavors and taking time for a meal. The table gradually fills with small bowls, aromas and colors, allowing the entire experience to slowly come to life.
How does Korean BBQ work?
With Korean barbecue you place thinly sliced meat on a grill of at least 200 °C. At that heat the marinade caramelizes on the meat within 30 to 60 seconds. As soon as the edges become lightly crispy, you know it is just right.
Then you wrap it in a lettuce leaf with ssamjang and your favorite toppings. The high temperature creates a beautiful crust and a tender inside, bringing out maximum flavor.
Why it is so popular
Thin slices cook quickly and deliver a lot of flavor. Sweet, savory and spicy come together without feeling heavy. The lettuce wraps keep it fresh and the banchan, side dishes, add variety. The experience is interactive and social and fits perfectly with shared dining. Everyone builds their ideal bite, so the meal keeps surprising.
What cannot be missed at Korean BBQ?
Korean barbecue is a true food culture centered around great food and enjoying the table together. For the perfect evening you need a few essentials.
Ssamjang and the perfect ssam
The essence of Korean BBQ lies in creating the perfect ssam. This is a type of wrap where you fill a lettuce leaf with meat, sauce and a topping. The sauce most commonly used is ssamjang. This is a thick sauce made from doenjang, fermented soybean paste, gochujang, chili paste, garlic, sesame oil and spring onion.
For an ideal ssam choose butter lettuce, romaine or perilla. Butter lettuce is soft and flexible, romaine gives more bite and perilla adds a light herbal note. A ssam consists of a single leaf, a piece of meat, a little sauce and a topping of your choice. This creates a bite where everything comes together.
The meat for Korean BBQ
It is best to choose beef, pork and chicken. Each type has its own structure and flavor profile. The meat is sliced thin so it cooks quickly and receives a marinade that caramelizes beautifully.
At The Butchery the master butchers ensure that each piece of meat is triple trimmed. This leaves just enough fat to melt during grilling, keeping the meat tender and adding more flavor. Here are a few popular cuts:
Bulgogi
Thinly sliced beef of about 4 mm. The meat develops a soft, almost fruity aroma from a marinade of soy sauce, Asian pear, sugar, sesame oil, garlic and spring onion. During grilling that aroma transforms into a warm caramel flavor.
At The Butchery you will find bulgogi such as 4 mm steak slices from various breeds, from American Black Angus to Japanese Wagyu.
Galbi
Galbi short ribs are thinly sawn short ribs in a sweet marinade. The bone adds extra depth during grilling and because the slices are cut thin, they cook quickly. The flavor is rich and slightly sweet with a gentle smoky note.
Karubi
Karubi is the Korean name for thinly sliced ribeye without the bone. This leaves only the tender, finely marbled meat. During grilling the fat slowly melts away, creating an exceptionally soft, almost creamy texture.
Dwaeji bulgogi
Pork in a spicy marinade of gochujang, ginger, garlic, sugar and rice vinegar. This meat develops a warm, full flavor that pairs beautifully with fresh lettuce. Think of Iberico ribfingers or wang slices Iberico.
Buldak
Korean fire chicken known for its spicy flavors. Chicken thigh or chicken drumette stays juicy and is often combined with cheese to balance the heat.
Mini burgers
Mini burgers are an accessible option, especially when dining with children or when you want variety. At The Butchery you will find mini burgers in different flavors such as cheddar jalapeno. They are compact, cook quickly and are easy to share.
Banchan, side dishes
Banchan are small Korean side dishes served alongside the main meal. They are placed in the center of the table so everyone can share. A typical table includes five to seven banchan, such as:
- Kimchi
- Pickled radish
- Sesame spinach
- Cucumber pickle
- Lotus root
- Glazed baby potatoes
- White rice
Drinks with Korean BBQ
Soju is often enjoyed with Korean grilling. It is a refreshing drink with a relatively low alcohol percentage, usually between 12 and 20 percent. This makes it easy to drink and a fresh counterpart to savory dishes.
Cold beer also works very well. The light bitterness and gentle bubbles refresh the palate after the richness of grilled meat, allowing you to fully taste each new bite.
Menu for 4 people
For a complete Korean BBQ evening combine different types of meat. Here is a proven menu that covers all flavors:
Meat
- 300 grams 4 mm steak slices
- 500 grams Kalbi short ribs
- 300 grams Iberico ribfingers or wang slices Iberico
- 200 grams small burgers
Banchan
- Kimchi
- Pickled radish
- Sesame spinach
- Cucumber
Wraps and sauces
- Three heads of butter lettuce
- Ssamjang
- Toasted sesame seeds
Drinks
The basic steps of Korean BBQ
- Grill thin meat at high temperature.
- Make a ssam with lettuce, meat, ssamjang and a topping.
- Alternate banchan for variety.
- Keep the grill glowing hot so the meat continues to caramelize.
Why the cutting method matters
Thickness and cutting method determine everything. Four millimeters is ideal for quick cooking and a beautiful crust. Marbling provides extra flavor because the fat slowly melts away and makes the meat tender. The triple trimmed meat from The Butchery therefore always delivers a grill ready result.
In addition, Bert Jan lived in Singapore for a year, where he fully mastered the Asian style of cutting. There he learned everything about the importance of precision and now brings that knowledge into your kitchen.
The ideal setup
A compact, round setup works best. In Korea grills are often built into the table so everyone can grill together. The experience revolves around eating together, tasting slowly and embracing the rhythm of shared dining.
Which grill do you need?
A table grill, cast iron skillet, kamado or Korean electric grill works well. The grill must reach at least 200 °C so the meat sears properly and does not cook in moisture. Let the grill rest briefly between different types of meat so the flavors stay clean.
Korean BBQ without a built in grill
A built in grill is not necessary. A regular barbecue, table grill or kamado works perfectly. High heat is far more important than the equipment.
Korean BBQ at home
With good meat, flavorful marinades and a table full of banchan you can easily bring Korean BBQ into your home. With the assortment from The Butchery everything is ready for an evening where flavors come together, guests linger at the table and the atmosphere naturally unfolds.
Order Korean BBQ meat online
Thin slicing requires precision. At The Butchery you will find 4 mm steak slices, Kalbi short ribs, Iberico ribfingers and wang slices Iberico, all already cut to the ideal thickness. If you order in the morning, it can be on your grill that same evening. All our meat is delivered flash frozen so quality and flavor remain optimal during transport.
Frequently asked questions about Korean BBQ
What is the best meat for Korean BBQ beginners?
Just starting with Korean BBQ? Steak slices and Kalbi short ribs are a great beginning. These thin, neatly cut pieces cook quickly, absorb plenty of marinade flavor and are easy to handle. Steak slices are ultra thin pieces of beef that shine in a bulgogi marinade. Kalbi short ribs are cross cut ribs that are perfect for a hot grill. At The Butchery all Korean BBQ cuts are prepared at the right thickness, neatly trimmed and ready to go straight onto the grill.
Do you need special equipment for Korean BBQ?
You do not need special equipment. A hot frying pan, an electric table grill or a kamado works perfectly, as long as you reach around 200 degrees so the marinade caramelizes beautifully. A compact table grill adds to the experience because you grill together at the table as in traditional Korean cuisine. A charcoal grill is allowed, but modern electric grills perform just as well.
How much meat do I need for four people?
Plan for 300 to 400 grams of meat per person when serving a mix of different cuts. Combine for example bulgogi, short ribs and pork belly for a complete table. If you serve many banchan such as kimchi, namul and glass noodles, 250 to 300 grams is often more than enough because of all the variety.
Can I marinate the meat in advance?
Yes, preferably. Bulgogi and Galbi taste best when marinated overnight in the refrigerator so the flavors fully develop. Ribfingers and wang slices need about an hour. Be careful with marinades containing fruit such as pear or pineapple, as longer than 24 hours can make the meat too soft.
Do you need to thaw the meat for Korean BBQ?
Thawing is important for even cooking. Do this slowly in the refrigerator and take the meat out an hour before grilling so it can come to temperature. Frozen meat placed directly on the grill results in a burnt exterior and a cold interior, which wastes flavor.
What is the difference between Korean BBQ and gourmet cooking?
Where gourmet cooking focuses on small pans and low temperature, Korean BBQ is about heat, speed and flavor. The marinade caramelizes on the grill, the meat gains a full bite and is usually eaten in fresh lettuce wraps together with banchan. This makes it lighter, fresher and far more aromatic than gourmet cooking.
How long can you store marinated meat in the refrigerator?
Marinated meat keeps for about 24 hours in the refrigerator, provided it is well covered and stored in the coldest part. Use your senses to be sure, if it smells fresh and clean you can prepare it safely.
Can Korean BBQ be vegetarian?
Absolutely. Vegetables such as bell pepper, eggplant, zucchini and mushrooms grill beautifully at high temperature and absorb marinades wonderfully. Tofu and tempeh also respond very well to Korean flavors and develop a lovely crust on the grill. Serve them in the same lettuce wraps with banchan and you will not miss the experience.
