Beef and pork are two basic types of meat that are indispensable at Korean BBQ parties. Each type of meat will have different options to bring a unique flavor to diners every time they enjoy it.
According to chef Park, the meat pieces for Koreans to "upgrade" must be the meat pieces with fat interspersed with the meat pieces, cut at a moderate thickness, so that when baked, the fat will dissolve, absorb the meat pieces, making the meat pieces softer and more plump. Another prerequisite is conservation. Beef and pork must always be fresh, delicious and stored according to temperature standards, from slaughterhouses to banquet tables.
With beef, ribs, core and pork belly are the best parts to make grilled meat dishes. As for pork, Koreans like to use dried pork with lean pork and intercropped fat. However, with Vietnamese taste, this meat is a bit fatty, so Vietnamese people prefer pork neck (gray) and lean belly. These are meat parts with a fat content mixed in the meatballs, making the meat soft enough and fatty enough without getting too much fat.
"Fire is one of the important factors to consider when baking meat. Do not use too much heat to dry the meat quickly, grill and slowly flip over the heat. Koreans know that ripe meat is when there is a slight burning. And when cut out, the meat is still moisturized inside. This is also the reason why we choose to serve unmarbled meat so that diners can experience the quality as well as ensure the most standard Korean flavor when eaten with banchan and other sauces," shared chef Park.
Koreans prefer grilled meat to eat with kimchi and this is considered an indispensable "golden couple" of Korean cuisine. Because kimchi is a naturally fermented food, this dish also has antibacterial effects, aids digestion, etc.
Sajang BBQ restaurant's chef Park also pointed out the mistakes that people often encounter when processing kimchi that not everyone knows.
He noted that you should choose fresh mustard plants, mustard leaves must be green and thin to quickly absorb the fever, the old leaves on the outside should be removed. When the salinity of mustard greens is reduced in half or into four pieces, rub the salt thoroughly with the leaves, use more salt in the white part and gradually reduce the green leaves.
After soaking in salt water and removing the heavy wood and pressing it up for 2-5 hours, you need to wash the kimchi thoroughly with water many times before marinating the sauce to reduce the salinity of the mustard. When seasoned with salt for enough time, mustard leaves will become soft, sticky, and not broken when folded.
Spices for kimchi marination often depend on the taste of each family, usually including white radish, carrots, garlic, chili powder, onions, ginger... A small tip that chef Park noted in the two steps of salting and marinating kimchi is to always leave the beetroot on the back so that the spices do not fall out, thereby increasing the richness of the finished product. Normally, kimchi can be stored at room temperature for 1-2 days to ferment quickly, or stored in the refrigerator for 1 week.
When you first start making kimchi, many people will experience the situation where kimchi is too sour or salty to taste. But don't rush to spend money, because according to Park's suggestion, you can completely process the broken kimchi into other dishes such as kimchi fried rice, kimchi soup, kimchi hotpot...
