May 15, 2023

Korean BBQ Dry Rub

Korean BBQ is one of my favorite ways to shake up the family menu when we’re not in the mood for traditional barbeque. A little bit of sweet, a little heat, some citrus and a bunch of umami come together for a unique bite. If you haven’t tried this style of BBQ you really should.

The base for any good Korean BBQ is a great dry rub. This is where you will get most of the heat and sweet from. The heat coming from the Korean chili powder (gochugaru) and the sweet coming from brown sugar. We’re also adding some black and white sesame seeds for some flavor and texture enhancements.

What is Korean Chili Powder (Gochugaru)

Korean chili powder is very similar to other chili powders as it is simply dried and ground chili peppers. The difference being that it is made from Korean chili peppers and ground coarsely. It has a a consistency similar to crushed red pepper flakes. Taste wise, it’s not over-the-top hot and provides a deep subtle heat that compliments a wide variety of meats.

If you don’t see Korean chili powder on the shelf it goes by a few names.

Gochugaru (Not the same as Gochujang)
Korean Chili Flakes
Korean Hot Pepper Flakes

They all are referring to the same product. If you can’t find it locally they are widely available on Amazon. This link is to the one I use and know it’s good.

Where’s the salt?

Please note that there is no salt in the rub. You will need to salt the piece of meat (3/4-ish teaspoons per pound of meat) prior to adding the salt.

Without repeating myself I firmly believe food tastes better when properly salted first and then the dry rub applied. You can read more about salt on my most popular post.