Slice into about half-inch-thick rectangular pieces, then toss in … Be sure to keep stoking your grill coals with the bike pump in the meantime, since you’ll want them nice and hot for the main event.For the cukes, start out by slicing Persian cucumbers into long, chunky batons. When you’re doing Korean barbecue at home, you can make or buy as much as you like—it all depends on your preferences. Brining involves resting your meat in a mixture of salt, sugar, and water overnight, a process that helps chicken retain its moisture.Let the meat sit anywhere from 15 minutes up to 24 hours before getting it out to rest. 2. No auntie required.If you so desire, though, you can go to the next level by getting smokey. If you can't find flanken-cut short ribs, or if you prefer thicker pieces of beef, don't let that stop you from making galbi. If you want to ensure that your chicken stays moist and avoid drying out at all costs, brining it in advance is a great idea. Observe how long it takes for the "..." bubbles to turn into "Oh, I forgot, I have to help my cousin move that weekend." We love Korean BBQ. The end temperature you’re looking for in the chicken is 160 F, while any pork should be cooked to fork-tender levels: “When you can push something through it with zero resistance, you're done,” says Han.If you want to go above and beyond the call of duty -- and happen to have a smoker handy -- now’s the time to use it. It’s all about the prep work, baby. Stovetop Korean BBQ Grill Pan. You can thank me later.So, let's talk about that meat. But as much as we love it, it gets to be pretty pricey here in the city. Also, most of them are smokeless and feature a non-stick coating. Combine garlic cloves, gochujang, sliced scallion, and some fish sauce into a paste. As with the beef, super-thin pieces of pork are hard to cook well on a grill; they're prone to sticking, and it's tough to get any char on the meat without overcooking it.As for lettuces, leafy varieties, like red leaf or Bibb, are key here, since the leaves need to be large and sturdy enough to hold ingredients without tearing, but also flexible enough to wrap around these items. Beef and pork are the most commonly used proteins for barbecue. I've also had galbi cut into thick planks.The sauce is rounded out by toasted sesame oil and sesame seeds, which provide subtle roasted, bitter notes, while fresh garlic and scallions wake everything up with a little allium bite.With all the salty funk, heat, and meat at the table, you'll want plenty of beverages on hand to pair with this food. Really, all you need is a hot, clean grill, preferably with mesquite charcoal. Some comments may be held for manual review.Though it's certainly growing in popularity among non-Korean communities in the US, there are plenty of people out there who aren't familiar with the festive joys of Korean barbecue (or KBBQ, for the TL;DR crowd). Those of you who have read some of our Beard and Brunch posts already know that and for the rest of you, you just learned the way to our hearts. Next, you’ll prepare the pressed tofu. Depending on the cut, the meat can be simply seasoned and grilled, or it can be marinated before cooking. If you have to turn it too many times, it means your grill is too hot,” says Han.Updated on 7/27/2018 at 10:33 AMRemember that grill you’ve been keeping nice and hot with your bike pump? Wash and dry the leaves thoroughly, and store them on a platter under a damp paper towel in the fridge until you're ready to serve the meal.Korean barbecue prizes the flavor of beef. Throw the wet chicken with the Korean ketchup sauce on here, too.Traditional Korean BBQ calls for kalbi ribs and bulgogi (thinly marinated slices of beef or pork), but if you don’t happen to have an endless supply of bulgogi at your fingertips (or local butcher shop), short ribs and chicken will work just fine. Korean barbecue is the platonic ideal of bar food: It gets you salivating and thirsty, and cries out for a chilled grown-up drink or three.Along with the ssamjang and grilled meats, there should be an array of finishing garnishes at the table for sprinkling into these leafy bites of food. And even if you've already been introduced to it, amid all the excitement and the whirlwind of smoky meat clouds flying overhead, you still might have ended the evening not fully aware of everything on the table, its relative necessity, and its significance.