15 Best Korean Grill Recipes That Anyone Can Master

With Korean BBQ’s popularity nowadays, it’s not very surprising that many are investing in Korean Grills to satisfy their Korean cravings.

In recent years, Korean BBQ, or simply K BBQ, has made headlines around the world and has become an all-time favorite cooking method to grill meat, typically pork belly or samgyupsal.

In addition to pork belly, K BBQ is also composed of several side dishes and other meat options that are cooked using the Korean grill.

A Korean grill is a type of grilling equipment often placed in the middle of the table. It is used like an ordinary grill where you can cook your preferred dishes yourself.

Like other types of grills, Korean grills can also offer much versatility in cooking mouthwatering dishes.

They are portable as well so you can enjoy grilling outside or right in the comfort of your own home together with the people you love. Something which makes people feel more open and comfortable.

Still not convinced that a Korean grill can be versatile? Well, then here is an article that will certainly change your mind. Here is a round-up of various Korean grill recipes that you can easily master and will impress your guests. Without further adieu, let’s get into it.

1) Samgyupsal Gui / Grilled Pork Belly

No Korean BBQ party will be complete without this classic K BBQ menu item. Samgyupsal Gui is a Korean term that translates to grilled three-layer meat. In many contexts, this dish is simply referred to as grilled pork belly.

Preparing samgyupsal gui doesn’t involve a lot of preparation. You can easily just slice the pork belly into thin slices about 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick. The thinner you cut the pork belly, the easier it is to cook and eat.

Samgyupsal gui doesn’t require any marinade so you can opt to grill the pork belly right after slicing or you can season it with some salt and other flavorings.

When you grill thick pieces of pork belly, don’t forget to cut them into bite-size pieces with a pair of kitchen scissors right on the grill. Samgyupsal gui is often enjoyed with alcoholic drinks.

This dish is a perfect choice for people who are trying to avoid salt for their health.

However, keep in mind that pork belly is a fatty cut of pork meat, so if you have high blood pressure or just trying to avoid fat in your diet, we suggest eating samgyupsal in moderation.

2) Grilled Scallops

If you haven’t tried grilled scallops, then you are missing out. Scallops are mollusks that can easily be purchased in many grocery stores or your local fish market.

It has a slightly sweet and briny taste with a melt-in-your-mouth buttery texture. Although scallops can be expensive, trying them once will surely level up your K BBQ experience.

Scallops can be marinated with many kinds of spices and flavorings depending on your preference.

We like marinating scallops with some lemon, olive oil, minced garlic, and a pinch of salt and pepper before grilling.

But if you are feeling a little bit extra, you can marinate your scallops with honey, olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, and Spanish smoked paprika.

After marinating your scallops for one hour, they should be ready for grilling. To grill scallops, you can opt to use a skewer to hold the scallops together or grill them separately.

Once your scallops are ready, pour some oil into your grill and place your scallops over the hot surface. Grill for 2 to 3 minutes on each side and enjoy!

3) Roasted Vegetables

Roasted vegetables provide a variation in the flavors in your K BBQ. They can also add more nutrition, and color to your Korean Feast. You can pretty much use any vegetables you like for your roasted vegetables.

We particularly like eggplants, carrots, green beans, bell peppers, and asparagus.

Preparing roasted vegetables is not complicated at all, once you’ve cleaned your vegetables, you can cut them into small pieces depending on your liking.

After preparing your vegetables, place them on your grill with medium-high heat. Grill your vegetables in batches and cook accordingly. Cooking vegetables can take 4 to 10 minutes depending on the vegetables you cook.

Season your roasted vegetables with olive oil, ground black pepper, balsamic vinegar, minced garlic, chopped parsley leaves, and chopped rosemary leaves.

You may also just skip all the seasonings and enjoy your freshly grilled vegetables.

4) Grilled Corn

Grilled corn is no doubt a great dish to eat if you want to take a break from all the oily meats. Grilling the corn on the cob makes it extra flavorful and juicy.

Like vegetables, corn can also be grilled without any seasonings. As for us, we love grilling our corns with some salt and butter. If you are more into Korean flavors, you can use ssamjang sauce, finely chopped green onion, and toasted sesame seeds to flavor your freshly grilled corn.

Grilling corn is pretty straightforward. You just have to let it cook until the kernels are blistered and the grill marks become visible. Its a little different than traditional cooking where you roast the corn until cooked.

After grilling, spread ssamjang sauce on the warm corn and garnish with green onions and toasted sesame seeds.

5) Korean BBQ Salmon

Salmon can be difficult to cook but when you get the right technique for cooking this fish, you will be able to cook it with perfection all the time.

One great dish that involves salmon is the Korean BBQ salmon which has a rich savory and smoky flavor that goes well with sides like vegetables, rice, and more.

For this dish, you will need to make a sauce with soy sauce, sugar, garlic, ginger, and sesame oil. Mix these ingredients in a saucepan and add water with cornstarch to thicken the sauce.

Simmer the sauce for 3 to 5 minutes until it thickens. Allow your sauce to cool down and add salt and pepper for more taste. Brush your salmon with the sauce you made and get ready to grill.

Grilling salmon can be extra tricky because it can easily overcook so we suggest that you pay close attention to it. To properly grill your salmon, place it with the skin side down on your preheated grill.

Cook for 5 to 10 minutes until the salmon meat is almost cooked and reaches 145 degrees Fahrenheit. When your salmon is almost cooked, flip it and grill the flesh side for 1 to 2 minutes.

6) Korean Grill Bulgogi

If you’ve ever been to a K BBQ restaurant, you probably have already heard of Bulgogi. Bulgogi is a Korean dish that translates to fire meat. Bulgogi is made of thin slices of beef meat marinated with a variety of ingredients that give Bulgogi a mildly sweet and smoky flavor.

Making bulgogi doesn’t require Master chef skills. The first thing you have to do is buy your bulgogi beef. You can buy pre-cut Bulgogi beef from the Asian market or you can also choose to cut the Bulgogi meat by yourself.

If you want to cut the bulgogi beef, opt for a rib eye or scotch fillet beef meat cut. Next, wrap the beef meat in plastic or cling wrap and freeze for 2 hours and more.

Then, cut the meat with about 2 mm to 3 mm thickness. After this, you can proceed with marinating. If you are using pre-cut Bulgogi meat, you can proceed with marinating instantly.

To marinate Bulgogi meat, simply combine soy sauce, brown sugar, rice wine, Asian pear or apple, onion, garlic, ginger, and ground black pepper. Blend your marinade ingredients to form a marinade with a smooth consistency.

After this, marinade the bulgogi beef with sesame oil and blended marinate. Cover your Bulgogi meat and let it sit for 4 hours or overnight in the fridge.

Cook your bulgogi on a grill with medium-high to high heat for 3 to 5 minutes. Wrap it in some lettuce and enjoy.

7) La Galbi / Korean BBQ Short Ribs

Galbi in Korean means ribs, La Galbi is a variation of Galbi dish that is also called BBQ beef short ribs.

The preparation for La Galbi is almost similar to Bulgogi. La Galbi uses beef short ribs which you can buy from many grocery stores and meat shops. After buying your meat, you have to prep it for the marinade.

To do this, place the ribs in a pot with cold water. Soak the ribs in the water and refrigerate them for one hour. This will help pull out the blood from the ribs and make it safer to eat.

Drain the water and proceed with making the marinade.

The marinade of La Galbi is composed of garlic, pear, soy sauce, brown sugar, honey, black pepper, and sesame oil. Blend the garlic, onion, and pear in a blender until they are well incorporated and have turned into a puree.

In a bowl, combine the ribs, your blended marinade, and the remaining ingredients. Cover your marinated La Galbi meat and allow it to marinate overnight.

The next day, your La Galbi meat will be ready for grilling. Grill the ribs in high heat for 5 to 10 minutes on each side until cooked.

8) Jeyuk Bokkeum / Spicy Korean Pork

If you like spicy pork cuisines, then the Jeyuk Bokkeum is a must-try for you. This dish is the spicy version of Bulgogi and is also commonly served in many Korean restaurants.

Jeyuk Bokkeum doesn’t require a specific part of meat but many like to use pork shoulder, butt, or pork belly which is more accessible in many grocery stores.

You can opt to buy pre-cut meat for Jeyuk Bokkeum or slice the meat yourself at home. If you choose to do the latter, freeze the meat for about an hour to make it easier to slice.

After buying or cutting your meat, you can continue with the next step which is to make the marinade. The marinade for Jeyuk Bokkeum is composed of several ingredients namely gochujang (Korean red chili paste), gochugaru (Korean pepper flakes), soy sauce, rice wine, sugar, honey, sesame oil, minced garlic, grated ginger, and grated apple.

Mix the marinade ingredients in a bowl and add in your meat, some sliced onion, and scallions.

Mix and cover the bowl. Allow the meat to marinate for 30 minutes. When your meat is ready, cook them on the grill with medium heat until tender and cooked. Serve with side dishes and enjoy.

9) Jang-Uh Gui / Grilled eel

Jang-Uh Gui is a Korean dish that means grilled eel. Grilled eel is a popular delicacy in Korea and is known for its health benefits. Its taste is similar to raw salmon, squid, and lobster.

Cooking Jang-Uh Gui can be relatively difficult to master but once you get familiar with preparing this dish, you can prepare it much easier and faster.

To make this dish, start by mixing the marinade.

The ingredients for the marinade are composed of hot pepper paste, soy sauce, chopped green onion, garlic, sesame salt, ginger juice, rice wine, starch syrup, sesame oil, sugar, and gochugaru.

Mix all these ingredients in a pan and cook. Let it cook for several minutes and once it thickens, remove it from the stove and prepare your eel.

Preparing the eel can be complicated so you need more patience for this step. Let’s begin. First, you have to remove the head of the eel and insert the knife into its belly side.

Open the eel’s stomach and spread the eel’s meat wide so you can access its inner parts easily.

Remove the bones, intestines, and tail. Wash the eel and vertically cut it into 3 to 4 slices or more depending on how many slices you want. Insert a skewer into the eel’s meat and get ready to marinate.

Simply rub the thick sauce you made a while ago into the eel’s meat and let it sit for about an hour.

After an hour, let’s get into grilling. Place the eel meat over the hot grill and cook until tender. You can brush some of the sauce as it grills for more flavor.

10) Grilled Potatoes

Who said that potatoes are only for frying and stews? Potatoes are all-around ingredients that can be cooked with different cooking methods including grilling.

Grilled potatoes have a great smoky flavor that is best to partner with grilled meat and vegetables.

Grilled potatoes are generally easy to prepare.

You will only need 6 ingredients to make the best-tasting grilled potatoes. These ingredients are sliced potatoes, garlic powder, kosher salt, ground black pepper, olive oil, and chopped herbs.

After preparing your ingredients, boil your sliced potatoes in a well-salted pot for up to 7 minutes. Next, drain the water and let the potatoes cool down.

Mix the other ingredients in a large bowl and coat your sliced potatoes with these seasonings. Then, grill the potatoes on a medium-high heat grill and cook for 5 minutes until it is golden brown.

Don’t forget to flip your potatoes to prevent them from burning. Finally, get your bowl of seasonings again and toss the grilled potatoes and serve.

11) Mini Chicken Skewers

This mini chicken skewer recipe will no doubt make your guests love you more. Because Korean grills tend to have a smaller grilling surface than other grills, grilling full-size skewers can be difficult.

But don’t worry because these mini chicken skewers will allow you to serve real BBQ goodness in sticks even when you are using a small cooking surface.

To make this dish, you’ll need sliced chicken breast, red pepper, and onion.

For the marinade, prepare olive oil, rosemary, thyme, dried parsley, black pepper, salt, and lemon juice. Buy some mini wooden skewers too or cut regular-sized skewers into two,

Combine your marinade ingredients and massage the mixture to the chicken breast slices.

Next, thread your skewer to the chicken alternating the chicken, pepper, and onion. Then, grill your chicken skewers for 5 to 7 minutes until cooked and ready to eat.

12) Honey Soy Grilled Pork Chops

Honey Soy Grilled Pork Chops is probably one of the best dishes to bring for outdoor parties.

It has the perfect balance of sweet, smoky, and salty flavors that can be enjoyed by both children and adults. Additionally, making this dish is also very easy.

You begin by seasoning the pork chops with salt and pepper and securing the meat in a plastic bag. After that, prepare the marinade which is a combination of honey, soy sauce, oil, and white vinegar.

Add your marinade into the pork chop bag and seal it for 1 hour.

If you have already finished marinating your pork chop, then you can cook it on your grill for 4 to 5 minutes per side. Make sure to flip your pork chop only when it easily releases from the grill so you won’t damage the meat.

13) Korean Grill Shrimp

Another grilled seafood favorite is the grilled shrimp. Making this dish is almost foolproof and the results are always delectable.

To begin making this mouthwatering dish, you have to mix your seasonings in the bowl. The seasonings for this dish include crushed garlic, salt, paprika, cayenne pepper, olive oil, and lemon juice.

Next, toss your shrimps into the bowl of your mixed seasonings until they are coated. Then, grill your coated shrimps on an oiled grill with medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Lastly, serve the grilled shrimps with lemon wedges.

14) Grilled Bison Burger

Like other types of grill, you can also cook a burger on the Korean grill. Here is a recipe for grilled bison burgers that will surely make your BBQ party unforgettable.

Making a Bison Burger is pretty straightforward. First, you will need to make your patty by mixing ground bison meat, minced garlic, sliced shallot, fresh thyme, mustard, salt, and pepper.

You can add olive oil to your patty mixture to make your burger patty extra juicy. Combine all your ingredients until well incorporated and shape your meat mixture into patties. After that, it’s time to start heating the grill.

Grill your burger patties on medium-high heat until they are cooked thoroughly.

To make your bison burger extra special, you can make your burger sauce by combining mayonnaise, smoked paprika, and mustard. Assemble your burger and enjoy your smoky, tangy, and flavorful bison burger.

15) Grilled Chicken Street Tacos Recipe

If you’ve never tried grilled tacos before, this is the perfect time to try them. Cooking tacos are easy to do and always turns out to be delicious.

In cooking grilled tacos, you can opt to use any meat and prepare the meat the way you want to but for this recipe, the meat used is the chicken thigh. So how do you make grilled tacos?

The first thing you need to do is marinate your chicken meat.

You can do this by putting your chicken inside a resealable bag together with lime juice, olive oil, garlic, cumin, chili powder, cilantro, salt, and pepper. Seal the bag and allow the meat to marinate for up to 6 hours.

When your chicken is ready, start grilling over medium-high heat for 5 to 6 minutes per side. When it has fully cooked, cover it with foil and let it sit for 5 more minutes.

After this, dice your chicken and assemble your taco with other fillings like avocado, onions, and cilantro. You can squeeze some lime sauce and hot sauce on your taco as well for more flavor.

Using the Korean Grill

A Korean grill is probably one of the most worthwhile investments you can ever make.

This cooking equipment doesn’t just allow you to cook and try different recipes but also makes grilling extra fun and enjoyable for everyone in your family or guests.

With a Korean grill, you can cook your all-time BBQ favorites right at your dining table.

Moreover, a Korean grill is easy to use and doesn’t require any technical or special skills. For the most part, you just need to turn on the ignition system and wait for the grill to heat up.

It gives a moderate heat level making it safer for usage compared to bigger and more powerful grills. Additionally, it is smokeless so you can use it in every indoor space.

If you are still not sure if a Korean grill is suitable for your cooking needs, you can certainly take your time and think about it. To help you make a decision, we suggest visiting a KBBQ restaurant to experience cooking on a Korean grill.

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