Korean BBQ Sauce Recipe (Gochujang Barbecue Marinade)
BBQ enthusiasts, stop wasting your life with premade sauce trash! This Korean BBQ sauce recipe is like a wild ride for your palate, combining bold spices, tangy vinegar, and a touch of sweetness. Grab your apron and get ready to savor every delectable drop.
Servings: 12 (1¼ cups /300 ml)
Calories: 60kcal
Cost: $4
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 scallion minced
- ⅔ cup tamari or other soy sauce of your preference
- ½ cup light brown sugar or coconut sugar
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons gochujang or sriracha
- 2 teaspoons gochugaru Korean chili flakes, or crushed red pepper flakes
- ¼ cup water
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
Instructions
- In a saucepan over medium heat, warm the toasted sesame oil. Add the freshly grated ginger, minced garlic, and minced scallion. Sauté for two minutes until fragrant, being careful not to burn the garlic.
- Add the in the tamari, sugar, rice vinegar, gochujang (or sriracha), and gochugaru (or crushed red pepper flakes). These ingredients contribute to the sauce's distinctive Korean BBQ flavor. Adjust the quantity of gochujang or sriracha according to your desired level of spiciness.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the water and cornstarch until smooth. This mixture will act as a thickening agent for the sauce.
- Once the sauce on the stove has come to a boil, pour the water-cornstarch mixture into the saucepan and stir well with a whisk. Continue cooking over medium heat until the sauce thickens to your desired consistency, usually a few minutes.
- Once the sauce has thickened, remove it from the heat and let it cool slightly. The flavors will continue to develop as the sauce cools.
Notes
Cooking Tips:
- To intensify the flavors, you can marinate your choice of protein or vegetables in a portion of the sauce for a few hours or overnight before grilling or cooking. If you intend to use this sauce as a marinade only, leave the cornstarch out. The thinner consistency allows the marinade to be more easily absorbed by vegetables or proteins.
- If you prefer a smoother sauce, you can strain it through a fine-mesh sieve to remove any ginger or garlic bits.
- Feel free to adjust the sweetness or spiciness of the sauce to your taste by adding more or less brown sugar or gochujang/sriracha.
- Store the sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week. Before using, give it a good stir as some separation may occur. Avoid freezing the sauce, as the texture and consistency may be affected.
Nutrition
Calories: 60kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 0.2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.5g | Sodium: 729mg | Potassium: 62mg | Fiber: 0.3g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 114IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 14mg | Iron: 0.5mg