We love Korean BBQ flavor, and I’m sure you do too! Making a Korean BBQ bowl is particularly great when you have some leftover meat after a big BBQ cookout. Even with a small amount of meat, you can create a substantial meal by combining it with rice and your favorite vegetables. Learn my tips below!
Why Make Korean BBQ Pork Bowl
There’s something incredibly satisfying about smoky and savory Korean BBQ. Even though I grew up eating it all the time, I can never get sick of it!
You can make a Korean BBQ bowl with marinated and grilled meats such as beef, pork, or chicken. However, my favorite version uses pork because it tastes like my favorite BBQ, yangnyeom galbi (양념 갈비) – Korean marinated ribs.
To make this pork bowl, I used pork collar (Boston butt) steak, which I source from a local Korean grocer. (Rib cuts for yangnyeom galbi are much harder to get overseas!) I marinate it in a special Korean BBQ sauce, and once cooked, it is served over a bed of rice. The dish can be accompanied by a variety of vegetables (cooked or uncooked) and garnishes, making it an easy and balanced meal.
A Korean BBQ bowl is versatile and customizable. Below are my tips on how to enhance your experience with it.
Tips for Perfectly Flavored Korean BBQ Bowls
Meat: This recipe uses pork, but if you want to use beef or chicken instead, check out these recipes: beef bulgogi and chicken bulgogi, which are catered for those options.
As with most Korean BBQ cooking methods, marination is important to deepen the flavor and tenderize the meat. This classic marinade includes onion, apple or nashi pear, soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, and ginger. Marinate the pork for at least 3 to 4 hours. If you want to deepen the flavor, you can marinate it overnight.
I almost forgot to mention: give a diamond pattern-like slit to your meat to help with tenderization. The meat I bought already had it done, so I didn’t do it, but if you want to see examples, check step two of my Korean BBQ pork recipe.
When you cook, don’t overcrowd the pan if you want to maintain the smoky flavor of the meat.
Vegetables: I used king oyster mushrooms and asparagus in this recipe, but you can use other vegetables, such as broccoli, bell peppers, button mushrooms, or shiitake mushrooms. If you want to serve it with fresh vegetables, chopped lettuce, thinly sliced cucumber, and carrots will go well.
Sauce: This isn’t necessary, but for an extra funky flavor, you can add a dollop of ssamjang (Korean BBQ dipping sauce) into the bowl and mix the meat, rice and the vegetables around it as you would with bibimbap (Korean rice bowl). It goes really well! However, if you think this is a bit too much, just use it as a dipping sauce for your meat.
Side Dish: For a true Korean BBQ experience, you can serve it with some kimchi or Korean pickles. Napa cabbage kimchi, radish kimchi, or ssam mu go well.
Meal Prep:This BBQ bowl is great for meal prep. My sister often makes it for her work lunch, and it provides her with four lunches. If preparing it as a make-ahead meal, I suggest using cooked vegetables over fresh ones, as they can be easily reheated and you don’t need to worry about dehydrating vegetables.
Ingredients
Main
- 400g (0.9 pounds) pork collar steak (Boston butt), about 0.4 inch (1cm thickness), score the meat with diagonal slits if not pre-slit.
- 3 to 4 servings steamed rice
BBQ Marinade
- 80g (2.8 ounce) onion
- 70g (2.5 ounce) red apple or nashi pear, cored (If using a nashi pear, it needs to be peeled as well.)
- 1/4 cup water
- 3 Tbsp soy sauce, regular (I use Kikkoman brand.)
- 1.5 Tbsp dark brown sugar
- 1 Tbsp rice wine (mirin)
- 1/2 Tbsp minced garlic
- 1/2 tsp minced ginger
- A few sprinkles ground black pepper
Vegetables
- 150g (5.3 ounce) asparagus, rinsed
- 150g (5.3 ounce) king oyster mushroom, gently rinsed
Optional
- Ssamjang (Korean BBQ Dipping Sauce)
* 1 Tbsp = 15 ml, 1 cup = 250 ml
** If you want to learn more about Korean ingredients, check my essential Korean ingredients post.
*** The BBQ marinade above can be used for up to 600 grams (1.3 pound) of meat.
How to Make Korean BBQ Pork Bowl
1. Blend the BBQ marinade in a food processor or blender until smooth. Place the meat in a sealable container and pour the blended ingredients over it. Mix well and cover. Refrigerate it in the fridge for at least 3-4 hours (overnight marination is even better for deeper flavor).
2. Cut the asparagus and king oyster mushrooms (or your choice of vegetables) into bite-sized pieces.
3. Preheat a skillet over medium-high heat, add cooking oil, and cook the meat. Do not add the leftover sauce from the container; discard it. Turn over when the bottom of the meat is well seared. Use scissors and tongs to cut the meat into bite-sized pieces once it’s 80% cooked for easier cutting.
4. Reduce the heat to medium. Once the meat is 90% cooked, move it to the side of the skillet. Add the vegetables to the middle of the pan and cook them over medium heat, mixing and stirring with the meat until everything is fully cooked.
5. Assemble a plate by serving the rice as the base. Serve the cooked meat with vegetables on top. Add a dollop of ssamjang (optional). Enjoy!
Other Korean Bowl Recipes to Try
I love Korean bowl recipes. They are usually quick to make and perfect for a weekday dinner. I hope you try making these!
Love Korean food? Explore our site for more authentic Korean recipes including how to create a perfect Korean BBQ at home or other easy Korean recipes. Also, never miss a new recipe by subscribing to our newsletter, and join us in celebrating Korean cuisine!
Korean BBQ Pork Bowl
Ingredients
MAIN
- 400 g pork collar steak (Boston butt), (0.9 pounds), about 0.4 inch (1cm thickness), score the meat with diagonal slits if not pre-slit.
- steamed rice , 3 to 4 servings
BBQ MARINADE
- 80 g onion (2.8 ounce)
- 70 g red apple or nashi pear, (2.5 ounce), cored. (If using a nashi pear, it needs to be peeled as well.)
- 1/4 cup water
- 3 Tbsp soy sauce , regular (I use Kikkoman brand.)
- 1.5 Tbsp dark brown sugar
- 1 Tbsp rice wine (mirin)
- 1/2 Tbsp minced garlic (2 to 3 cloves garlic)
- 1/2 tsp minced ginger
- A few sprinkles ground black pepper
VEGETABLES
- 150 g asparagus (5.3 ounce), rinsed
- 150 g king oyster mushroom (5.3 ounce), gently rinsed
OPTIONAL
- ssamjang (Korean BBQ Dipping Sauce)
Instructions
- Blend the BBQ marinade in a food processor or blender until smooth. Place the meat in a sealable container and pour the blended ingredients over it. Mix well and cover. Refrigerate it in the fridge for at least 3-4 hours (overnight marination is even better for deeper flavor).
- Cut the asparagus and king oyster mushrooms (or your choice of vegetables) into bite-sized pieces.
- Preheat a skillet over medium-high heat, add cooking oil, and cook the meat. Do not add the leftover sauce from the container; discard it. Turn over when the bottom of the meat is well seared. Use scissors and tongs to cut the meat into bite-sized pieces once it’s 80% cooked for easier cutting.
- Reduce the heat to medium. Once the meat is 90% cooked, move it to the side of the skillet. Add the vegetables to the middle of the pan and cook them over medium heat, mixing and stirring with the meat until everything is fully cooked.
- Assemble a plate by serving the rice as the base. Serve the cooked meat with vegetables on top. Add a dollop of ssamjang (optional). Enjoy!
Notes
- 1 Tbsp = 15 ml, 1 Cup = 250 ml
- If you want to learn more about Korean ingredients, check my essential Korean ingredients post.
- The BBQ marinade above can be used for up to 600 grams (1.3 pounds) of meat.
How to Store
You can store the BBQ bowl in the fridge for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month. Make sure to use an airtight container. If you plan to store it, use cooked vegetables for easier reheating. Alternatively, you can keep the meat and rice separate and prepare fresh vegetables as needed.Nutrition Info (per serving)
The nutrition information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
