Fabulous Korean Beef Tacos
Korean Beef Tacos are integral to Korean BBQ and start with one of the world’s most flavorful marinades and boast one of the most stimulating arrays of condiments. The resulting bundle is hot and cold and chewy-crisp and lights up your mouth like a Roman candle - Truly Fabulous Korean Beef Tacos!
It also has the virtue of being completely customizable. Just you and a friend on a weeknight? Serve the steaks with lettuce leaves and hot sauce. Party time? Set out a full Monty spread of grilled vegetables, kimchis, salads, and dipping sauces. You can make these as simple or elaborate as the occasion calls for.
Thanks to Steven Raichlen and his Barbecue Bible where I found this Korean BBQ recipe, used it, fell in love with it...and now share it with you!!
Yield: Serves 4 to 6
Method: Direct grilling; broiler; or skillet
For the steaks, marinade, and dipping sauce
- 2 pounds skirt steak (trim off any silverskin)
- 1/2 cup soy sauce
- 1/2 cup mirin (sweet rice wine), sake, or dry sherry
- 1/4 cup sugar, or more to taste (a little more if you use sake or sherry)
- 1/4 cup Asian (dark) sesame oil, plus 1 tablespoon for the skillet
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
- 4 scallions, trimmed, both white and green parts minced
- 1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 3 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds (optional)
- 1 kiwi fruit or small Asian pear (optional), peeled and cut into 1/4-inch dice
- 3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
For serving
- 1 head romaine lettuce, separate into leaves, rinsed, and dried
- 1 cucumber, thinly sliced
- Kimchi
- 1/4 cup kochujang (Korean chili paste), doenjang (Korean bean paste), Chinese or Vietnamese chili paste, Sriracha, or another Asian hot sauce
- 1 bunch fresh cilantro, washed, patted dry, and stemmed
- 2 cups cooked white rice
Optional vegetables
- 8 cloves garlic, peeled and skewered on toothpicks
- 4 scallions, trimmed
- 4 jalapeno peppers, or 2 Anaheim peppers
Step 1: Using a chef’s knife, lightly score the steaks in a crosshatch pattern on both sides by making a series of shallow 1/8-inch deep) cuts 1/4 inch apart, first in one direction on the diagonal, then at a 90-degree angle to the first set of cuts. Place the steaks in a glass or nonreactive baking dish or in a resealable bag just large enough to hold them.
Step 2: Place the soy sauce, mirin, and sugar in a mixing bowl and whisk until the sugar dissolves. Whisk in the 1/4 cup sesame oil, lime juice, minced scallions, ginger, black pepper, and sesame seeds, and kiwi (if using). Pour half of the mixture into a serving bowl, or 4 small bowls, for the dipping sauce.
Step 3: Add the minced garlic to the remaining mixture. Pour it over the steaks, turning them a couple of times to coat both sides. Cover the steaks with plastic wrap and marinate in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours.
Step 4: When ready to serve, arrange the lettuce leaves on a platter. Place the cucumber, kimchi, chili or bean paste (or hot sauce), cilantro, and rice in small bowls for serving.
Step 5:
Grill method (...and Jack's favorite method!): Set up your grill for direct grilling and brush and oil the grill grate. Drain the steaks well, discarding the marinade. Arrange the steaks on the hot grill and grill until cooked to taste, 3-4 minutes for medium. If you are using the skewered garlic, scallions, and/or peppers, arrange them on the grill and grill until browned on both sides, 3-4 minutes per side.
Broiler method: Just before serving, preheat the broiler as hot as it will go. Place a broiler pan or cast-iron skillet under the broiler and preheat it as well. Drain the steaks well, discarding the marinade. Carefully remove the hot pan from the broiler and arrange the steaks on it. Broil the steaks until cooked to taste, 3-4 minutes per side for medium. If using the skewered garlic, scallions, and/or peppers, arrange them on the broiler pan and broil until browned on both sides, 3-4 minutes per side.
Skillet method: Just before serving, drain the steaks well, discarding the marinade. Heat the 1 tablespoon sesame oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the steaks to the pan in a single layer without crowding, working in batches as needed, and cook until done to taste, 3 to 4 minutes per side for medium. Transfer the steaks to a cutting board. If you are using the skewered garlic, scallions, and/or peppers, add them to the hot pan and brown on both sides, 3 to 4 minutes per side, again, working in batches as needed so as not to crowd the pan.
Step 6: Transfer the steaks to a cutting board and let them rest for about 30 seconds. Slice the vegetables, if using. Stir the bowl(s) of dipping sauce again. Slice the steaks thinly on the diagonal across the grain.
Step 7: To eat, pile slices of steak on lettuce leaves. Top with your choice of cucumber slices, kimchi, chili paste (kochujang), bean past (doenjang) or hot sauce, cilantro, rice, and grilled vegetables, and roll or fold up. Dip the taco in the dipping sauce and dig in.
Summary
Korean Beef Tacos, and Korean BBQ in general, are amazingly flavorful, fresh and gaining in popularity. The options for ingredients based on availability, preference and seasonality make it easy to adjust the recipe and enjoy all year round!
BONUS!
My son and daughter-in-law bought me a non-stick grill grid last year for Father's Day. At first I was like, "Oh boy, one more grilling accessory". Oh, was I wrong. Get one. Just do it. This is what mine looks like, but there are a myriad of them available. And I love using it!!
Recipe
I know, it's pretty simple to grill veggies, but there are a couple of things I have discovered that really improve my end result.
- Preheat - get your grill hot! I have a Weber Genesis with a sear station (extra flame bar) and I can preheat my grill to over 700 degrees. With the top down, I get it to about 600 degrees with the non-stick grill grid inside.
- Oil your veggies - use olive oil or canola oil and coat your veggies with a light coat of oil.
- Seasoning - I use a 50/50 mix of Jack's Blend SPG and Jack's Blend Dipping Mate and sprinkle the oil coated veggies.
- Grill time - using a spatula or tongs, rotate the veggies to get them lightly blackened all around. More or less blackened is up to you.
- Remove and serve!
