Recipe Ideas for Planning a Korean BBQ Party with a Fusion Twist!
Love a summer BBQ party, but want to switch up the menu this time? Have we got a surprise suggestion for you: why not try Korean?! For those of you who know Korean BBQ and kimchi, then you definitely know you’ll be in for super-flavorful, often spicy fare. For those of you who’ve never tried Korean food…well, then, this post is for you as well! Get ready for a roundup of both fusion-style main dishes you can serve, plus enticing side dishes to pair with them (recipes are in the links). So enjoy your summer BBQ adventure—Korean style!
Ideas for What You Can Cook for a Korean BBQ Party!
Just looking at these mouth-watering photos has us wanting to invite ourselves over to your summer cookout! Which ones catch your eye and tempt your taste buds?
Kalbi (3) is basically beef short ribs marinated in a soy sauce and sugar marinade (with Asian pears and/or apples added, in this recipe we found), then grilled till the edges are slightly charred and crispy. The meat can also be flaked off the bone and used to make Korean Kalbi Taco (4), tucked into corn tortillas along with chopped red onions and cilantro. Love the Korean-Mexican fusion there!
Want something with chicken? This Easy Prepared Korean Chicken BBQ recipe (2) uses thigh meat soaked in a teriyaki sauce, sesame oil, garlic, and ginger marinade, that can be cooked on an electric tabletop grill as shown. Or for a twist on the classic chicken wings, we found these Grilled Korean BBQ Wings (6). Again, the secret is in the marinade which, in this case, contains soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, brown sugar, and cola!
Speaking of fusion, what about Korean-Italian? Yes, there’s a Sweet Korean BBQ Pizza (5) you can try. The meat is made super-tender and flavorful from hours in a slow cooker, then spread over homemade or store-bought pizza dough with some mozzarella and sliced onions. And for the more adventurous, maybe this Crispy Skin Pork Belly (1)? It’s marinated in a red wine mixture, baked in the oven till nice and crisp, then topped with an exciting sauce that includes soybean paste, chili paste, and plum wine!
Recipes:
1 – Crispy Skin Pork Belly, from Good Food
2 – Easy Prepared Korean Chicken BBQ, from Gourmet Traveller 88
3 – Kalbi (Korean BBQ Short Ribs) and intro pic, from Closet Cooking
4 – Korean Kalbi Taco, from Rasa Malaysia
5 – Sweet Korean BBQ Pizza, from Home Cooking Memories
6 – Grilled Korean BBQ Wings, from Life With the Crust Cut Off
Don’t Forget The Sides!
Now, for the scrumptious accompaniments! First up are 3 light veggie-based side dishes. This Bean Sprout Salad (7) comes with an interesting mix of flavors from sesame seeds, garlic powder, green onion, and red chili flakes (optional). Korean Spinach Banchan (9) is an easy, authentic side dish that can be made ahead—simply blanch some spinach, toss it in a soy sauce-garlic-sesame oil mix, and top with toasted sesame seeds. Spicy Korean Coleslaw (11) is pretty similar to traditional coleslaw but with a pop of color from red cabbage, plus an extra kick from soy sauce, vinegar, and crushed red pepper.
Want an authentic look to your BBQ sides? Try Japchae (Korean Stir-fried Starch Noodles with Beef and Vegetables) (8), another traditional favorite featuring ‘glass noodles’ made from sweet potato starch, topped with strips of beef and your choice of vegetables. For an interesting change from the usual French fries and ketchup, offer guests Spiced Korean Yam Fries (12), served with Wasabi Garlic Aioli dipping sauce (talk about multiple-fusion!).
And finally, you can’t have a Korean-inspired cookout without some form of kimchi. So here’s a Korean Radish Kimchi recipe (10) which you’ll need to make ahead—as in, at least a week before serving—to allow the radish to ferment in a special sauce.
Ready to try these recipes for planning your own Korean BBQ party? We certainly hope so!
Recipes:
7 – Bean Sprout Salad, from Beyond Kimchee
8 – Japchae (Korean Stir-fried Starch Noodles with Beef and Vegetables), from Korean Bapsang
9 – Korean Spinach Banchan, from Honest Cooking
10 – Korean Radish Kimchi, from Aeri’s Kitchen
11 – Spicy Korean Coleslaw, from About.com
12 – Spiced Korean Yam Fries, from Food 52
You are most welcome, Brandie! Just had to include your recipe in this post, to give summer party hosts some delicious alternatives to serve!
These are some delicious looking party ideas! Thank you for including my Korean BBQ Pizza in it!