Indoor Korean BBQ Essentials
All the swag you need for the quintessential Korean BBQ party at home.
GRILL (the Fire)
Camping Stove: This is the type we use, an oldie but a goodie. No cables, easy transfer to tabletop of choice plus, you get a workhorse that can be used at the campsite in the summer too! You will also need a grill pan (there are many angled grill pans that let fats drip away) and butane canisters.
Electric “Smokeless” Grill: Amazon sells many indoor “smokeless” grills- plug it in to cook meats indoors with a built-in fan that activates at the touch of a button! There are many complaints of it being extremely difficult to clean and the fan seems to suffer an early death in most cases, so YMMV.
Portable Cooktop + Pan: Bring back the classic hot plate (or induction hot plates look nice and sleek) and grill up a side of Korean BBQ along with a generous dose of college-days nostalgia. Take it to the tabletop and cook your meats in a plain ol’ frypan (some grill pans will work with hot plates like this one).
Indoor Tabletop Grill: Make use of that George Foreman, if you’ve got the one that opens up all the way (like this griddler from Cuisinart), you’re golden. Plus you can make paninis for lunch the next day.
Air-Fryer: This is ideal if you’d rather not have meat grease spatter scald you at the table. I’m talking about the fattiest of ‘em all Samgyupsal aka Pork Belly. You can really drain away a lot of fat, crisp up the outside and bite into juicy pork goodness with this method. Get yourself a nice, thick cut of pork belly, cook it on high for 15 minutes, wipe away oils in the drip tray and flip and cook for another 15. Yet another thing the air-fryer’s good at. Pfft, what an overachiever.
This is not technically for tabletop grilling, but if you like fatty pork belly (which is hello, the most delicious everrr), this is a very solid option. You can still serve hot and slice at the table.
TONGS
To flip, pick up and serve.
Get stainless steel for maximum grip and easy cleanup. Meat grillers usually prefer tongs like these with blunted serrated edges which pick up meats better.
Long handles may work better to keep hands away from burning hot meat fat splatter but short ones yield better control.
SCISSORS (the workhorse)
Kitchen shears don’t feature as prominently as in the Korean kitchen. Sharpen them up and realize what an efficient tool they are. I like OXO products, and these are their kitchen scissors.
MEAT (the star)
Classic Korean BBQ is all about cooking meat in fire and eating it immediately in a yummy lettuce hug. That’s why meats will only be lightly seasoned with salt when cooking.
Pork Belly: The addictive ratio of fat + juicy meat goodness.
Beef Sirloin/Rib-Eye/Brisket: These need to be sliced so cook time is short. Cut them into easy-to-eat pieces once cooked using handy dandy kitchen shears and tongs.
SAUCY MEATS (the superstar)
Marinated or sauced up meats do better grilled on their own- pan or cast iron fancy doodah (You can cook it on the stove in this kind of round cast iron pan and serve it sizzling to the table). We stick with unseasoned meats most time because it’s pretty much one-step (take out meat and grill) and leave this option for days when we have find the spare time to plan ahead (which with toddlers is basically never).
Chicken: If chicken is your meat of preference, cut them to bite-sized pieces and cook them à la Buldak (fire chicken). See Maangchi’s Mozz smothered recipe here.
Pork: Korean Bapsang makes a legit Pork Bulgogi here.
Beef Bulgogi: Simple savoury-sweet combo, perfect for noobs. My Korean Kitchen has a good recipe here.
Beef Galbi: The heart and soul of Korean BBQ- do it whenever you find beef short ribs on sale! Even The New York Times does it (recipe here).
VEGETABLES (the breakout star)
Vegetarians/Vegans and Veggie lovers rejoice. Korean BBQ makes vegetables delicious as well! Sure you can grab some plant-based meat protein, but why not just go for whole foods.
Tofu/Tempeh/Seitan: These can be grilled, seasoned lightly with salt/soy sauce. They add a satisfying mouthful (not to mention fresh!) when wrapped up in a crisp lettuce leaf. Ssamjang dip adds the signature Korean kick. But tofu products do extremely well with Korean BBQ meat marinades as well. Whether Gochujang-based or Soy Sauce-based, tofu is the ideal flavour-sponge.
Mushrooms: You haven’t really enjoyed mushrooms if you haven’t tried grilling Oyster or Shiitake mushrooms. Cremini and Portobello, any type of meaty mushroom is uber delicious in Korean BBQ.
More Options: Eggplant, squash, cauliflower, peppers. Whatever is fresh and local to you- keeping in mind you want it grilled fast in high heats.
As with the meat options, you can make marinades or sauces or you can grill them simply with some salt. As you will be eating them wrapped in fresh greens, with dips and Banchan (side dishes), you’ll find you can enjoy the flavour of the actual vegetables alongside the punchier flavours of all the other stuff.
This article by Serious Eats “An Introduction to Korean BBQ” is a good read.
SSAM (The Wrap)
Lettuce: The traditional route is green or red lettuce (you’ll find Koreans will use smaller leaves or what appears to be the hearts of big heads of lettuce). You want a fresh, crunchy vessel to help carry the delicious load to your mouth so X-Large sized leaves may not be a good look. You can of course, rip larger leaves into smaller sizes. Romaine is a bit too rigid but has a good crunch. Boston lettuce is a bit too soft, but wraps well.
Perilla Leaves: These are always present at a Korean BBQ, but not easily available unless you grow them yourself (they grow like weeds!) or have access to a well-stocked Asian supermarket. It’s a heart-shaped leaf that is very flavourful (a bit bitter, some describe it as a licorice taste) but also sweet and frangrant; it’s an oversized herb.
There is no hard and fast rule here, choose what’s easily available to you. Also, there is a beauty to layering. Wrap tasty morsels in sweet butter lettuce, layer in a smaller piece or Romaine and add some Perilla for some welcome bitter relief. Want more healthy greens? Add a bit of sprouts/microgreens or some sprigs of chives.
Rice (The Filler)
White Rice: This is the carb portion of the meal and if you’re low on meat or veg, this will fill you up.
Healthier Rice: Brown rice, mixed grain rice, even purple rice (white rice cooked with a bit of black rice) can add more nutrients than plain white rice.
DIP (the star’s bff)
Ssamjang: Classic, this is a mixture of Gochujang (heat) + Doenjang (savoury). Add sesame oil/garlic/roasted sesame seeds/chopped chilis or all of them at once. Sold pre-mixed in green tubs at the Korean grocery.
Gochujang: If you like heat, bypass all the fluff and just go for the spicy paste.
Doenjang: Some people just enjoy a small dollop of Doenjang for a hit of savoury, creamy flavour. Add some sesame oil if you prefer an even richer taste with better consistency for dipping.
Toasted Sesame oil: Add some salt and pepper to a shallow dish and drown it in a pool of sesame oil. Dip meats for a spice-free alternative that adds just the right amount of seasoning to your freshly grilled meats (or vegetables!).
Korean Dip Shopping List
Ssamjang: ChungJungOne’s Ssamjang is a dependable brand.
Gochujang: CJ’s ChaeHandle Gochujang is the best-selling Gochujang in Korea.
Doenjang: Sempio’s Togul Doenjang makes a mean Doenjang Soup as well.
Toasted Sesame Oil: This cheerful yellow capped bottle is cute on the countertop too.
Wanna know more about Korean ingredients?
Must-Have Korean Ingredients
Which is the Best Gochujang to Buy?
Best Doenjang Brands
BANCHAN (The Supporting Cast)
Like a Broadway production that wouldn’t be complete without its hundreds of behind-the-scenes workers, side dishes really allow the main performers (meat/veg/Ssam) to shine.
Kimchi: A bite of cool fire to tamp down the heat (read: temperature hot) of sizzling grilled foods while also cutting the greasiness. Kimchi becomes a crisp palate cleanser, perfect before making another exciting mouth-bundle (I’m talking about Ssam).
Muchim: Korean salad-type side dishes (lightly dressed edible plants) also offer a fresh, zingy, often spicy kick to the grill fest.
No Banchan is right or wrong at a Korean BBQ, but having a diverse colour palette is always aesthetically pleasing (visual feast before the mouth feast). If you don’t make your own Banchan, feel free to take advantage of your local Hmart’s (Korean grocer) Banchan sales and pick up 4-5 to fill up the table top.
Garlic (The Dependable Sidekick)
You know how much garlic we love here, so much so that we feel it deserves a heading of its own.
Thin slices placed at the table like garnish give a straight-up wakeful jolt. Add a delicate sliver to a Ssam and tell me you don’t love it.
You can also put them in a pool of sesame oil and place them on a grill (Hack: Makeshift a bowl from a bit of aluminum foil for a mini garlic pan) and enjoy softened, carmelized garlic butter to add to Ssam. Whole garlic takes longer (add them right at the beginning of the party) but turns into creamy seduction when ready.
Omit if you don’t like garlic. The smell of cooking garlic is woo-hoo! Sure to chase those vampires (or first-date kisses) away.
Soup (The Needy Friend)
No meat-grilling is complete without burning-hot soup at the table. You’ll find some Korean restaurants will throw in a soup as a freebie. Apparently the meal just wouldn’t be complete without something to slurp on (I still think of this as an old man tendency). Doenjang Soup or Kimchi Soup are the usual suspects.
Cold Noodles (The Glutton)
This is an aspect of Korean BBQ eating regimen that I don’t really get. But in Korea, grill restaurants will often have cold noodles (Nengmyun) on the menu. Sure, it’s a refreshing end to a heat-intensive meal, but the first time my Korean family ordered this (yet another!) entrée after a ginormous meat-fest, I was pretty darn shocked.
Maybe prepare yourself and save some tummy room for this possibility.
Alcohol Bevvies (The Fun Friend)
Honestly, meat grilling is usually to accompany many a shot glass(es) of Soju (Korean vodka). This clear, potent liquid also helps degrease in-between bites. But this house is just not a Soju-loving household (ask again in 16 years when the kids become of age!) and we find a nice cold beer to a more than suitable alternative. Of course, if you don’t do alcohol, an ice-cold Coca Cola is a very fine alternative indeed.
Red wine is surprisingly alright too. I personally am not a fan of the French stuff, but most South American reds are real winners with Korean BBQ. In my humble opinion.
Whether you have one type of meat with sad looking lettuce with some Gochujang with a single lonely plate of kimchi, or a table loaded with 10 types of Banchan with soup and noodles to finish, Korean BBQ is what you make it. The point is to grill some meat and get it down your throat while it’s still nice and hot. Caveman food at its best.
You’d be surprised at how even the humblest of servings will make a festive atmosphere when grilling at the table.
What’s your fave thing to have at a Korean BBQ?