Late Summer Korean BBQ

My plan for a Korean barbeque: offer a variety of meats, grilled vegetables, large leaves of lettuce, brown rice, sesame seeds, rice seasoning, and hot bean paste (gochujang),  and instruct my guests how to make lettuce leaf packages….

 

How it was: When everything was ready, we assembled our packages by smearing a bit of the hot bean paste on the lettuce leaf, and piling modest amounts of rice, vegetables, and cut up meat on the lettuce leaves. Romaine is a bit difficult to roll up, so you end up eating it more like an endive leaf with filling on top, folding it lengthwise….

 

Serve with beer or red wine, and sit outside to catch the slightest evening breeze passing by, and soak up the last of the rays. Snag a neighbor or two to stop by and have a drink with you. It makes it more festive! If you plan it as a seduction dinner, it will work like a charm!

 

Note: Adding rice seasoning to the brown rice makes it especially appealing.

 

I used pork and two kinds of beef cuts, but this marinade is good for almost
any kind of meat:

 

Meat Ingredients:
Flank steak, rinsed and patted dry, gently criss-crossed with a sharp knife
Lean sirloin steak, slightly frozen, cut crosswise into thin strips
Boneless porkchops, slightly frozen, cut crosswise into thin strips

 

Vegetables:
Zucchini and patty pan squash, sliced lengthwise rather thinly
Sweet potatoes, sliced lengthwise thinly, lightly steamed

 

(then marinate in olive oil and lemon, OR sesame oil and salt, garlic
optional)

 

Red leaf lettuce leaves, easiest to roll up  (I used romaine)

 

Brown rice – serve hot and steaming

Meat Marinade (amounts approximate):

Soy sauce (used low sodium)  3/4 c.
sesame oil  1/4 c. approx.
minced ginger  2 tbsp
minced or pressed garlic  4-6 cloves
minced scallions  3-5
(and some sliced lengthwise in 3 in. lengths)
fresh ground pepper (about 20 twists)
2 tsp sugar
2 tbsp mirin
Sesame seeds toasted, ground (save some for
topping)


(I like the idea of blending this marinade with some kiwi fruit, but I did not get a chance to try it–see bulgogi recipe linked to below)


Equipment:

The Korean fryer
Gas grill (easy to regulate temperature)
Tongs
Platters
Vegetable griller

See picture here of a Korean fryer for bulgogi—I forgot to take a picture of mine….it’s good for the tender slices of beef or pork, provided the fryer is heated up properly (whether on grill or stovetop). Pour a little water in the basin around the perimeter.


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