If you’re a foodie and looking to try something new, Korean BBQ is definitely worth exploring. Korean BBQ is a meat-lover’s paradise, consisting of a variety of grilled meats served with a variety of traditional Korean side dishes. It typically involves marinated cuts of beef, pork, chicken, and vegetables grilled at the table, and served with rice, lettuce leaves and various dipping sauces.

Here is a mouth-watering guide to Korean BBQ that will take you through the best recipes and techniques of preparing this sensational cuisine.

The first step is to choose your meat. Some of the most popular meats for Korean BBQ include beef short rib (galbi), thinly sliced beef (bulgogi), pork belly (samgyeopsal), beef brisket (jangshik), and chicken. When choosing meat, be prepared to spend a little more to get quality cuts, as the meat is the most important component in Korean BBQ. Each type of meat is marinated in a different sauce with unique blends of soy sauce, chili powder, sugar, and sesame oil, as well as a range of spices and herbs.

Once you have purchased your meat, the next step is to marinate it. There are many marinades available for Korean BBQ, but the most common ones include soy sauce-based marinades such as bulgogi, kalbi, and dakgalbi sauces. The marinades need to penetrate the meat for at least a few hours, but preferably overnight, to be fully absorbed.

When it’s time to grill the meat, the traditional method involves using a charcoal grill. However, you can also use a gas grill, a griddle, or a broiler. The key is to make sure the meat is cooked evenly on both sides and doesn’t burn. For those who are not confident in their grilling skills, you can also go to a Korean BBQ restaurant, where the meat is cooked by a professional chef.

Once the meat is cooked, it is time to serve it with an array of side dishes. Known as banchan, these side dishes include kimchi (spicy pickled cabbage), kongnamul (bean sprouts), pickled radish, and many more. The side dishes not only add flavor to the dish but also act as palate cleansers between bites of meat.

Finally, it’s time to assemble your dish. Take a lettuce leaf, add some rice, meat, and any other ingredients you like, roll it up and enjoy! The most popular dipping sauce for Korean BBQ is ssamjang, a mixture of doenjang (fermented soybean paste) and gochujang (chili pepper paste), soy sauce, sesame oil, vinegar, garlic, and sugar. Others include sesame oil and salt, spicy mustard sauce, and peanut dipping sauce.

In summary, Korean BBQ is a delicious, flavorful, and exciting cuisine that everyone should try. It involves marinating and grilling various cuts of meats, served with a variety of side dishes and dipping sauces. Whether you decide to create your own Korean BBQ feast or visit a Korean restaurant, it is definitely worth the effort to indulge in this mouth-watering delicacy.