Known locally as gogi-gui, the Korean way of grilling your meats is through charcoal grills inlaid into the dining table itself. Bulgogi is the crowd favorite for Korean barbeques. These are slices of beef sirloin or tenderloin cuts that marinated and seared to perfection. Galbi (short ribs) and sagyupsal (grilled pork belly) are also a popular Korean BBQ meat choices.

This DIY method of barbequing your meats with the whole family or your group of friends is a clear characterization of how the Korean dining experience is rooted in the value of sharing. You’re gathered around a hot platter filled with sizzling meats, taking turns in flipping, cooking, and grabbing a bite of your main entree straight from the grill, while munching on numerous side dishes and toasting shot glasses of soju over good conversation. What else could you want!

A ssam, or vegetable-wrapped meat, is an essential food item at the best Korean BBQs. Making it is incredibly easy and fun! Once your meat is cooked, take a lettuce or perilla leaf and place in your meat, a slice of garlic, maybe even a small ball of rice, and a dollop of soybean paste on top, before wrapping it all up and eating it in one bite! There really are no rules in what goes inside your ssam. But the savory ssamjang sauce can complement the smoked flavors of your grilled meats and have you preparing the next ssam excitedly. You can even use it as a standalone dipping sauce.

Popular Korean BBQ Side Dishes

• Danmuji - Pickled yellow daikon
• Eomuk bokkeum - fried glazed fish cakes
• Gamja jorim - Sweet potato with soy garlic glaze
• Gamja saelleodeu - Potato salad with bits of carrot, apple, and/or peas
• Gyeran mari / Gyeranjjim - egg rolls/steamed eggs
• Kimchi - Spicy fermented napa cabbage
• Kongnamul - Soybean sprouts seasoned with sesame, soy, scallions, and garlic
• Mu Saengchae - Spicy Radish Salad
• Myulchi Bokkeum - Stir-fried anchovies with sweet soy syrup
• Seaweed - Kelp, wakame, or laver
• Yongeum jorim - Braised lotus root with sweet soy glaze

Apart from the fun way of cooking your meat, what makes Korean-style Barbeque so special lies in the marinade. Smoky and spicy flavors dominate Western-style barbeques. However, most of Korean barbeque sauces are infused with fruit purees like apples and pears, giving you an irresistible blend of sweetness, smokiness, and spiciness in every bite. There are marinades readily available for your choosing depending on your meat or flavor preference: there’s one for beef bulgogi, galbi, a hot and spicy chicken and pork variant, and even a gluten-free option. 

Sure, your barbeque must taste good as it is. However, you can add more depth to the smokiness of your grilled beef by dipping it on some good ol’ sesame oil. What you want to do is add a dash of salt and pepper in your sesame oil. This dipping sauce is sure to heighten the smoky umami flavors from your meats, especially if they're unmarinated.

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