5 Korean Barbecue Recipes to Make at Home

When it comes to grilling, Korean chefs really know what they're doing. Bright, umami-packed flavors, perfectly marinated meat, super-hot charcoal fires — Korean barbecue is a delicious art. Learn how to master it with these fantastic recipes.

Beef Bulgogi

This succulent recipe comes from Julia Woon, the former chef-owner of San Francisco food truck Seoul on Wheels. A classic Korean barbecue dish, her bulgogi is made from thin slices of tender ribeye steak that's been marinated in apple juice and soy sauce and quickly grilled over a hot fire (the dish's name translates to "fire meat").

Sweet-and-Salty Korean Barbecued Short Ribs

Chef Roy Choi is a connoisseur of Korean barbecue. He loves these thinly sliced short ribs, known as kalbi in Korea, which are marinated overnight in a garlic-soy-sugar mixture, then quickly grilled.

Korean Barbecue Portobellos

The longer these meaty mushrooms marinate, the better.

Korean Barbecue Tofu

Chicago chef Bill Kim created this recipe to show how well tofu takes on flavors when marinated and grilled. Kim adds a jolt of spice to the marinade with sambal oelek, as well as light fruit flavors with kiwi and Asian pear.

Chicken Thighs Marinated with Homemade Ssam Paste

This recipe celebrates what Korean barbecue is all about: salty-sweet, sticky, delectably charred meat. Here, chef Bill Kim marinates chicken in a combination of miso, Korean chile powder, fish sauce, sesame oil, and ginger. (The mixture is a riff on ssamjang, a classic Korean condiment for grilled meats, that uses common supermarket ingredients.)