Regarding Korean food, BBQ is typically considered to be the crowning achievement of the country’s many different culinary traditions. This festive dinner is a delicacy that is enjoyed during festivities or when one is in the mood to splurge, and now, with the increased availability of Korean restaurants, it has also become the gateway food for many individuals who are interested in trying Korean cuisine.
Whether this is your first time enjoying Korean BBQ or you’ve been there before, this feast is set up in the style of a family gathering. It includes several traditions that may be unfamiliar to some people and serve as a valuable review for the most experienced eaters. When partaking in a meal of Korean BBQ from a reliable establishment like Han Il Kwan, the following are some helpful hints to bear in mind.
First, try plain meat, then marinated.
Beef, pork, shrimp, and mushrooms are common ingredients for Korean barbecue. Soy sauce-based salty-sweet-umami blends are used to marinate the beef. Gochujang and sugar are common ingredients in sweet marinades for pork.
It’s best to eat plain, unmarinated meat first to get a sense of its texture and flavor. To get the most out of this dish, you should use sesame oil and salt or ssamjang, a sauce made from gochujang and doenjang. Serve the meat dipped in the sauces with lettuce and the rest of the banchan and dishes.
Korean BBQ is served with ssam (wraps)
To begin, take a piece of lettuce from the basket, which typically comprises raw jalapenos, red leaf lettuce, and perilla leaves, among other things. After that, a piece of beef with sauce, some kimchi, and some banchan should be added. Please don’t overdo it.
Ssams are designed to be swallowed in a single bite or one swallow. It’s important to sample all of the different flavors at the same time.
Explore various meats
Intestines and offal are frequent items ordered in Korean barbecue restaurants, along with beef short ribs and pork belly. The most frequent kinds are called gopchang, makchang, and pork skin. This is a common practice at Korean BBQ restaurants. Although it is not a widely popular trend in the United States, it is an essential part of the BBQ tradition in Korea.
Include some meatless items in your meal
Ordering additional dishes that frequently function as palette cleansers is a great way to restore your taste buds after eating a meal heavy on the meat.
Kimchi jjigae [stew] and doenjang jjigae are typically saved for the very end of the meal. Also, reserve some room for the noodle dishes, like naengmyeon, because an Authentic Korean BBQ dinner is not complete without them. The cold noodles and the broth that they come in are both delightful. In most cases, a single order meant to be shared among the table members is sufficient to ensure that everyone gets to enjoy this tidy conclusion to the dinner.
Order Korean alcohol to accompany your meal.
Alcohol has a significant role in Korean society; hence, many believe that a barbecue is incomplete without liquor. “You must consume soju or beer. The astringency of soju goes well with meat.