Faux Korean BBQ

I hope everyone’s taking full advantage of the fleeting summer days now that Labor Day is just around the corner! I recently got back from a nice long trip down to Virginia Beach. It was a low key vacation spent soaking up the rays, swimming around like a fish, and spending good quality time with family. One night, I hunkered down in the kitchen, gathered some flavorful ingredients and hit the grill!

6 pounds of beef flank steak
10 cloves of garlic
1 onion, coarsely chopped
2 Asian pears, cored and cubed
2 cups dark soy sauce
2 cups brown sugar
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup sesame oil
2 Tbsp of gochujang or sriracha sauce (optional)
S&P to taste

Combine garlic, onion, pear, soy sauce, brown sugar, honey, sesame oil, gochujang or sriracha and S&P in a large bowl. Note, the bowl is going to also hold your 6 pounds of flank steak, so choose wisely.

Prior to marinading, score your meat — place the flank steak on a cutting board, then use the tip of a sharp knife to make several shallow cuts into the surface of both sides of the steak in a diamond pattern. Cuts should be no more than 1/4 inch deep. Place steak into the large bowl ensuring the marinade is well distributed. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2-4 hours.

Whether you grill using a gas grill, coals, or a grill pan, make sure your cooking using high heat. Grill the steak for 5 minutes per side, or until a nice brown crust forms (easily the best part, so don’t skip this!). Move the meat to a cooler part of the grill, or turn down your heat to medium if using a grill pan, and cook for an additional 2 minutes per side. Check for doneness by touch.

Thanks for the image, Reddit!

Once the meat has reached its final destination, remove from the heat and let sit for 5-10 minutes before slicing. Serve with scallions, mango, rice noodles, chopped peanuts, and butter lettuce for your “sangchu ssam” or wrap. Wraps are a wonderful and healthy option because of the plethora of veggies you can include as your fillings. You can also swap out the rice noodles for brown rice, quinoa, bulgur, wheat berries, you name it. The possibilities are really endless and delicious. I hope you can sneak this one in before the summer and grilling season is over.