The world of food is often a world of fads, some of which actually stick around for quite some time One of the best and most welcome developments is the rise of Korean Barbecue, and Asian take on an All-American tradition. Chef Jerry Pellegrino, a fan of Korean Barbecue, wants to get the word out.
In Baltimore we are lucky that we have literally dozens of Korean Barbecue joints. KBBQ, as it’s known, is designed to be a social event. You certainly can go solo, but it is so much better when you bring some friends along.
Being a barbecue, the focus is on meats: pork and beef and most common. Many cuts of meat are marinated, although some are simply seasoned. You will encounter short ribs, thinly sliced sirloin or pork. Chicken will also make an appearance, with bone-in chicken thighs lathered with a spicy hot sauce taking center stage.
One of the most common ways to serve the meat is to cut it into small pieces and wrap it in lettuce leaves with whatever sauces and veggie garnishes you want to add.
What gives KBBQ its distinction are the sauces. Whereas the French have about 5 or 6
“Mother sauces” the Koreans get by with three. The "mother sauces" of Korean cuisine are doenjang (fermented soybean paste), ganjang (soy sauce), and gochujang (red pepper paste), as they form the base for many other Korean sauces and dishes, with gochujang being the most well-known for its spicy flavor.
Key points about these Korean mother sauces:
• Doenjang: A rich, fermented soybean paste with a complex umami flavor, often used in stews and dips.
• Ganjang: A basic soy sauce, milder than doenjang, used for seasoning and marinades.
• Gochujang: A spicy red pepper paste made with fermented soybeans, glutinous rice, and salt, adding heat to dishes
Here are a few recipes for KBBQ favorites
When you build your wrap, you will want to slather a special condiment all over the leaves. This is ssamjang – the ubiquitous condiment for Korean BBQ. But honestly, we’ve started to use it in place of ketchup! It’s great on a burger, perfect for French fries and amazing with steamed shrimp instead of cocktail sauce! Below is our version…
Ingredients
• ½ cup doenjang
• 1/3 cup gochujang
• 2 tablespoons ganjang
• 4 cloves garlic minced
• ¼ cup minced sweet red pepper
• 1 small onion, grated on the small holes of a box grater
• 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
• 1 tablespoon corn syrup
Mix all the ingredients together and refrigerate in an airtight container. Keeps for up to 1 month
Since many meats in KBBQ are marinated, you’ll want to try making your own liquid.
Kimchi Marinade – we love to use this on so many things. Whatever you choose to ‘Kimchi’ first, toss it in an ample mixture of salt and sugar in equal parts and allow it to drain for 30 minutes in a colander over the sink. Then simply mix with the marinade. It can be eaten immediately but gets better overnight in the fridge.
Ingredients:
1 cup Asian Pear, peeled, cored and cut into ¼ inch dice
½ cup gochugaru (Korean Red Chili Pepper Flakes)
2 tablespoon gochujang
¼ cup fish sauce
4 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
2 oz. piece of peeled fresh ginger, grated
Place all the ingredients in a food processor fitted with the chopping blade and purée until smooth. Store in an airtight container for up to two weeks in the refrigerator.
One non-meat item that you’ll encounter is the Scallion Pancake. The Korean pancake can be made with many different things – kimchi, seafood, etc. We choose to make a simple scallion pancake to accompany the multitude of other Banchan on the table. The Korean pancake mix is easy to find online.
Ingredients
1 cup Korean Pancake Mix
1 cup cold sparkling water
1 egg yolk
1 tablespoon doenjang
1 bunch of scallions, chopped
Olive oil, as needed
In a skillet set over medium heat, sauté the scallions in a small amount of olive oil until soft and starting to brown around the edges. Set aside. Mix all the remaining ingredients together in a bowl until just combined. Do not over mix! In a large, non-stick sauté pan, heat the oil over medium heat until just shimmering. Pour in the pancake batter and sprinkle the scallions evenly over the batter. Cook until brown, flip and brown the other side. Slide out of the pan onto a plate and serve with dipping sauce.
Finally, the classic KBBQ set-up features a bowl of dipping sauce, which Jerry has looked up for us.
Joen Dipping Sauce
Ingredients
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon sesame oil
2 teaspoons gochugaru
2 teaspoons of toasted sesame seeds
Combine all the ingredients in a bowl. Use immediately or keep refrigerated.
