Korean BBQ at Home — Complete Guide | The Rub Kitchen
Korean BBQ — known as gogi-gui (먹기구이) — is one of the most social and interactive dining experiences in the world. Diners grill their own meat at the table over a charcoal or gas grill, wrapping the cooked meat in lettuce leaves with fermented pastes, pickled vegetables and dipping sauces. Korean BBQ has exploded in popularity across Europe and the Netherlands, where Korean restaurants and at-home Korean BBQ nights have become a regular fixture for food lovers. This is your complete guide to recreating the experience at home.
What makes Korean BBQ different?
Unlike Western BBQ where one person cooks for the group, Korean BBQ is communal and interactive — everyone cooks their own portions at the table grill. The experience is as much about the ritual as the food: wrapping perfectly grilled meat in perilla leaves or lettuce, adding a dab of gochujang and a slice of raw garlic, then eating it in one bite. The meal is always accompanied by banchan — small shared side dishes of kimchi, pickled vegetables, egg and seasoned greens.
Essential Korean BBQ cuts
Samgyeopsal — pork belly
The most popular Korean BBQ cut: thick slices of uncured pork belly grilled directly on the grate until the fat renders and the edges char. No marinade — the natural fat provides all the flavour. Eaten wrapped in lettuce with ssamjang (a fermented soybean and chilli paste) and thinly sliced raw garlic.
Bulgogi — marinated beef
Thinly sliced ribeye or sirloin marinated in soy sauce, Asian pear (or kiwi), sesame oil, garlic, ginger and sugar. The fruit enzymes tenderise the meat and the sugar caramelises beautifully on the grill. One of the most recognisable Korean BBQ dishes worldwide.
Galbi — beef short ribs
Cross-cut beef short ribs marinated in the same bulgogi-style marinade. The thin cut means they cook in minutes on a hot grill. Rich, sweet and deeply savoury — one of the highlights of Korean BBQ.
Dak galbi — spicy chicken
Chicken thigh marinated in gochujang, gochugaru, soy sauce, sesame oil and garlic. Intensely flavoured and slightly spicy. Works perfectly with a dry rub as a starting layer before the marinade is added.
The essential sauces and condiments
- Gochujang: Fermented red chilli paste — sweet, spicy and deeply umami. The most important condiment at a Korean BBQ table
- Ssamjang: A blend of gochujang and doenjang (fermented soybean paste) with garlic and sesame oil. Specifically designed for wrapping
- Sesame oil with salt: A simple dipping sauce of toasted sesame oil and coarse salt — particularly good with samgyeopsal
- Kimchi: Fermented cabbage — both a side dish and a condiment. The sourness cuts through the fat of the grilled meat
Setting up Korean BBQ at home
You don’t need a specialised tabletop grill to enjoy Korean BBQ at home. A cast iron grill pan, a regular gas BBQ or even an electric griddle works well. The key elements are high heat and thin-cut meat. For the full setup guide with menu and shopping list, see our Dutch guide: Koreaanse BBQ-avond thuis.
Korean dry rubs and spice blends
A Korean-inspired dry rub typically combines gochugaru (Korean red pepper flakes), garlic powder, ginger, sesame and a touch of brown sugar. Applied before grilling, it creates a flavourful crust that complements the traditional sauces. Our Korean BBQ rub is specifically developed for this flavour profile and works on chicken, beef short ribs and pork belly. For a full rub recommendation, use our rub selector.
Where to find Korean ingredients in the Netherlands
Korean ingredients are increasingly available across the Netherlands. In Amsterdam, the Kinkerstraat and Chinatown area have well-stocked Asian supermarkets. Rotterdam’s Chinatown (Zuidplein area) and The Hague’s Chinatown are also excellent sources. Online, Tamu and other Asian grocery delivery services ship across the Netherlands.