Grilled Food Pairings (구이)

Typical Layout of Korean BBQ

On your typical Korean BBQ table, you will see the following items:

• Raw protein
• Fresh Vegetables for wraps
• Dipping Sauces
• Side Dishes
• Pickled, Kimchi, Soups

Korean BBQ Wraps (쌈채소)

Usually, Korean BBQ proteins are eaten as a wrap. “Ssam chaeso” (쌈채소) is the term for vegetables that are used to wrap the ingredients that you grilled. The term “Ssam” means wrap.

There are a variety of vegetables that are used to wrap the grilled ingredients. You can mix and match to make your Korean BBQ interesting and flavorful.

• Chicory (치커리): Chicory has a bitter flavor. It is crisp and firm in texture.
• Kale (케일): Flat leaf kale is easier to use to wrap. Curly leaf kale isn’t the best substitute because the stem is super thick. Flat leaf kale is bitter and has a pungent flavor.
• Mustard greens (갓): Red mustard leaves are crisp and have a peppery, mustardy, nutty flavor.
• Lettuce (상추): Red and green leaf lettuce are one of the most common types of vegetables that are served with grilled foods. This type of lettuce is very tender, fragile, and soft. It has a fresh flavor.
• Wakame Seaweed (미역): Soaked Wakame seaweed is used to wrap as well. It comes dry and should be soaked in cold water for at least 30 minutes. It has a chewy texture and mild flavor.
• Romaine lettuce (로메인 상추): Romaine is a firm and crisp darker green lettuce. It has a sweeter flavor and is juicy.
• Korean Dandelion (민들레): Dandelion has tender leaves and an acidic mild flavor. It is better to use younger leaves because as it gets older, it gets more tough and woody.
• Pumpkin Leaves (호박잎): Pumpkin leaves can be prepped and steamed and used as a wrap. Peel the fibers from the pumpkin stem and then steam them before eating them. Use smaller, younger leaves because they have a more tender texture. Pumpkin leaves have a mild flavor.
• Water dropwort (미나리): Water dropwort can be added to the wrap to add more flavor. It has a slight celery flavor.
• Endive (꽃상추): There are two kinds of endives that you can use as a wrap. Both endive varieties are bitter. Curled endive offers a different plush texture to your wrap. Belgian endive is waxier in texture as well as bitter.
• Dried Seasoned Seaweed Sheets (맛김): Dried seaweed sheets are seasoned, pressed, and dried seaweed. It has a delicate texture and is fragile. The pre-seasoning makes it easy to pair with various grilled slices of meat.
• Perilla leaves (깻잎): Perilla leaves are another type of green that you will see often paired with Korean BBQ. It is in the mint family and has a fresh, unique herby flavor.
• Chard (근대): Swiss chard (you can use green or rainbow) is a vegetable that consists of a bitter stalk (the fibers from the stalk should be removed), and the leaves are bittersweet.
• Mizuna (미즈나): Mizuna aka Japanese mustard greens, are mild with a mustard peppery flavor.
• Ramp Leaves (산마늘): Ramp leaves have a garlic flavor. You may see them pickled on the Korean BBQ table.
• Garlic (마늘): Sliced and whole garlic are added to the wrap to add a spicy, garlicky punch to your wrap. Sliced garlic would be milder while whole can be for experienced Korean BBQ wrap eaters.
• Onion (양파): Thickly sliced or large diced onion adds a fresh bite to the Korean wrap and helps to cleanse the palette as you eat by cleansing your mouth of any grease flavor. You can eat them raw or grill them, depending on the effect you want.
• Napa Cabbage (배추): Napa cabbage can be eaten raw but, when blanched, is a great addition to a wrap. It is tender but crisp and has a mild, milky flavor.
• Korean Peppers (고추): Korean peppers can be eaten along with the sauces used in the wraps. It can also be cut into thick pieces and added to the wrap. Some peppers are spicier than others, so pick based on your preference. Some examples are 오이고추 and 아삭이고추. If you can’t stand spice but like the fresh burst of pepper flavor, scoop out the seeds and discard them before eating the pepper.

Korean Side Dishes Paired with Grilled Foods (구이 반찬)

Now that we covered some fresh vegetables that you can use to make Korean BBQ wraps let’s move on to some popular kinds of side dishes and soups that are often paired with Korean BBQ.

“구이 반찬”  are the side dishes that go along with grilled foods. “구이” means grilled and “반찬” means side dish.

Here are some side dishes and why they work!

• Korean Green Onion Salad (파절이/파무침): Green onion salad is a fresh, spicy, vinegary side dish. Fresh side dishes help to break up the heaviness of any grilled dishes while also adding different textures, mouthfeels, and a fresh palette cleansing flavor.
• Kimchi (김치): Kimchi, like with any meal, is always present on the table. You can add different types of Kimchi to the table. A popular method is to eat the kimchi raw, but you can also grill the Kimchi along with the other ingredients to enhance the umami and savory flavor of the Kimchi.
• Gyeran-jjim (계란찜): Steamed eggs are made by adding whisked eggs with seasoned broth into a ttukbaegi. The texture is fluffy and delicate. They are super versatile, and you can season them how you prefer. You can add different broths, red pepper flakes, green onion, garlic, and soybean paste. Serve immediately after making because it will deflate quickly.
• Jangajji (장아찌): Soy pickled ingredients like onions are made by adding a mixture of water, soy sauce, vinegar, and sugar to fresh raw onions, letting them soak, and then serving. It has a fresh, unique flavor and a juicy texture.
• Pickled Radish (무생채): Pickled radish can be made plain or spicy. It has a sweet vinegar flavor. This is one of my favorite side dishes for grilled dishes because it is a palette cleanser, and that vinegar flavor cuts through any grease from the meats. It tastes so fresh!
• Pickled Sliced Radish (무쌈): “무쌈” is thinly sliced radish that is pickled and can be used to wrap ingredients. It is a palette cleanser and adds a fresh, crisp flavor.
• Cabbage salad (양배추 샐러드): This side dish is made from thinly sliced cabbage that is tossed with a mayo or sesame seed-based dressing. The creamy flavor adds a unique savory flavor and texture.
• Seasoned bean sprouts (콩나물무침): Seasoned bean sprouts can be served spicy or soy-based. The dish is juicy and crisp in texture. The freshness adds a different flavor profile to the BBQ table and pairs well with the heavier grilled meats.
• Soups: There are many kinds of soups that can be served with Korean BBQ, like soft tofu soup (순두부찌개), Kimchi soup (김치찌개), and more. Soybean paste soup (된장국) is a super common one and has a savory flavor.
• Soybean soup (콩나물국): A simple bean sprout soup with a very mild and almost bland flavor can be served with Korean BBQ. Bean sprouts are said to help with hangovers but also help to give a neutral flavor that can mellow any spicy foods.
• Jumeok-bap (주먹밥): Various types of seasoned rice balls can be served on the table. These rice balls are great to pair with spicy foods and also add a different carb to the table.

Korean BBQ Dipping Sauces and Powders

Spicy Dipping Sauces:

• Ssamjang (쌈장): Ssamjang is a mixture of soybean paste and red pepper paste. It has a mild spice and is one of the most popular dipping sauces that you will find on a Korean BBQ table. It pairs well with pork and beef. The term “쌈” means wrap, and “장” is the term used for fermented paste or sauce.
• Wasabi & Soy Sauce: You can make a simple sauce combining wasabi with soy sauce (양조간장). This mixture will create a refreshing salty spice.

Jeot Dipping Sauce:

• Jeot (젓): Jeot is a type of salted seafood. There are different types of Jeot which vary based on the seafood used, like anchovy. Salted Fermented Shrimp Sauce (새우젓) is one of the most used kinds. It adds a fish and salty flavor to your dish. This kind of Jeot pairs well with pork and blood sausage as a dipping sauce.

Oil-Based Dipping Sauce:

• Sesame oil and Coarse Salt: Sesame oil and coarse salt can be mixed together in a bowl to make a savory and nutty dipping sauce. It pairs well with beef, poultry, and fish.
• Perilla seed oil and Coarse Salt: Perilla seed oil and coarse salt have a unique flavor and pair well with beef, poultry, and fish.
• Butter, Onion, and Pepper: Adding melted butter seasoned with onion or minced peppers pairs super well with clams and seafood. I had this served in Busan, and it was delicious.
• Sesame oil and Soy sauce (양조간장): Sesame oil and Soy sauce can be mixed together into a bowl to make a nutty, savory sauce that enhances the flavor of what it is dipped into. It pairs well with beef, pork, and fish.

Soy-Based Dipping Sauces:

• Soy sauce, Vinegar, and Sliced Onion: Mixing soy sauce with vinegar and sliced onion creates a fresh salty dipping sauce that goes well with pork, fish, and beef.
• Soy sauce, Vinegar, and Sugar: Soy sauce with vinegar and sugar is a fresh, slightly sweet, balanced dipping sauce. It pairs well with pork, beef, and fish.
• Soy sauce and Green Onion: Soy sauce with green onion adds an aromatic aspect to the dipping sauce. It pairs well with fish, pork, and beef.
• Soybean paste (된장): Soybean paste can be used as a dipping sauce. It pairs well with beef and pork.

Dipping Powders:

Dipping powders are served on the side in a sauce bowl, and the grilled ingredient is dipped into it and enjoyed.

• Perilla seed powder (들깨가루): Perilla seed powder is a savory nutty milky powder. It pairs well with duck and beef.
• Roasted soybean flour (볶음콩가루): Roasted soybean flour has a golden color and adds a nutty flavor to the grilled ingredients. It goes well with pork and duck.
• Crushed sesame seeds and coarse salt: Mixing crushed sesame seeds and coarse salt together adds a nutty flavor and gives a different texture to the ingredients. It goes well with meats and poultry.
• Spicy cumin powder (쯔란): This powder is on the spicy side and has a rich cumin aroma and taste. It pairs well with grilled lamb skewers.