Korean Barbecue Sauce Recipe – Must Love Home (2024)

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Korean Barbecue Sauce Recipe is a flavor game changer. Spiced with Gochujang, this sticky and spicy Korean barbecue sauce is versatile enough to pair with any grilled meat or used to season stir fry, lettuce wraps and soups. Quick, easy and can be made ahead!

Korean Barbecue Sauce Recipe – Must Love Home (1)

Let me introduce you to one of my new favorite sauces. It only takes a few minutes to make and has such a unique flavor profile from the Gochujang that I am sorry I waited until now to start making it. I love Tamari and even though it is not considered interchangeable, I’m regularly substituting it into recipes that traditionally call for soy sauce.

Looking for more Asian-inspired recipes?

Instant Pot Orange Chicken – sweet,sticky and better than take-out
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Fiery Asian Chicken Wings – sticky and smokin’ hot
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Slow Cooker General Tso’s Chicken– sticky sweet and spicy without standing in line
Slow Cooker Cashew Chicken– serve over rice for a taste treat
Slow Cooker Mongolian Beef with Broccoli– healthy and better than takeout

Korean Barbecue Sauce Recipe – Must Love Home (2)

Tips and Hints for the best Korean Barbecue Sauce Recipe:

I always say this, but the best results start with quality ingredients, so use the best you can afford.
Use fresh, minced garlic. Garlic is an integral component of this sauce recipe and some flavor may be lost if fresh is not used.

Korean Barbecue Sauce Recipe – Must Love Home (3)

Korean Barbecue Sauce adds amazing flavor as a marinade and glaze for ribs, chicken and burgers, or use it as a dipping sauce for egg rolls, fries and veggies.

Korean Barbecue Sauce Recipe – Must Love Home (4)

Tools and Essential Ingredients to make this Korean Barbecue Sauce recipe:

Gochujang – one of the backbone ingredients of Korean cooking. This red chili paste is a savory, sweet, and spicy fermented condiment made from chili powder, glutinous rice, fermented soybean powder, barley malt powder, and salt. It gets that hint of sweetness from the starch of the cooked rice.
Tamari – thicker, complex and more mellow than soy sauce, Tamari is a by-product of miso production. It is the liquid that is extracted from the fermented miso paste. It’s interesting that even though they are so similar, soy sauce is a product of China and Tamari is a product of Japan.

Korean Barbecue Sauce Recipe is a flavor game changer. Spiced with Gochujang, this sticky and spicy sauce is versatile enough to pair with any grilled meat,and be used to season fried rice, stir fry, lettuce wraps and soups.

4.12 from 67 votes

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Prep Time :5 minutes minutes

Cook Time :10 minutes minutes

Total Time :15 minutes minutes

Servings :24

Calories :40

Course :Sauce

Ingredients

▢ 3/4 cup brown sugar packed
▢ 1/2 cup Tamari or soy sauce
▢ 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
▢ 1 tbsp Gochujang paste
▢ 2 tsp sesame oil
▢ 1 tsp fresh minced ginger
▢ 1 tbsp minced garlic about 6 cloves
▢ 2 tbsp honey
▢ 1/8 tsp fresh ground black pepper
▢ 2 tsp cornstarch
▢ 1 tbsp water

Instructions

Stir brown sugar, Tamari, rice wine vinegar, Gochujang paste, sesame oil, ginger, garlic, honey and black pepper together in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly.
Whisk cornstarch and water together in a small bowl until the cornstarch dissolves. Pour the cornstarch slurry into the boiling Tamari mixture. Continue to stir the sauce.
Reduce the heat to low and cook until the sauce thickens, about 3 – 4 minutes.
Use immediately or store covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Equipment Used

Gochujang

Whisk with Scraper

Tamari Sauce

Nutrition Facts

Korean Barbecue Sauce Recipe

Serving Size

1 tablespoon

Amount per Serving

Calories

% Daily Value*

Fat

Saturated Fat

Sodium

272

Potassium

25 Comments

Dana
at

Tasted great but mine did not thicken. I added more cornstarch slurry and it’s still pretty thin.
Gwyneth
at

Great! it works for me.
Kenny
at
See Also
Easy Homemade Gochujang Recipe - Almost Instant!

Thank you so much for sharing this! I made it many times for my family, they love this kind of sauce much much.
Christine Mello
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Hi Felipa, thank you! Straining out the minced garlic and ginger is a good idea if you want a nice smooth BBQ sauce! Sounds delicious?!
Felipa
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Love this sauce! I am a vegetarian and I use this sauce when making a Korean BBQ sandwich for my family. They all love it including the 7 year old! It’s a little spicy so I go light for the kids. I strain the sauce before using it too.
Christine Mello
at

Hi Dandre – I’m with you…this sauce is really good. We love it so much I’ve been adding it to everything…potato salad, deviled eggs and a french fry sauce with equal parts of this sauce and mayo! Totally delicious!!
Dandre
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I do actually like football, but I’m all about the food on game day too. These ribs sound perfect. I think I could probably drink that sauce/marinade straight!
Christine Mello
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Hi David, thank you! This is totally our favorite sauce for both grilled and oven cooked meats?. So MUCH flavor!
David Rice
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Wonderful flavours layer upon layer of umami. Has to be a staple for any bbq
Christine Mello
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Hi Lisa, I’m so glad you like it! Thank you.
Lisa
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So greatly it came out! My son loved it much and asked me to do more. I am so happy! Thank your recipe much!
Christine Mello
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Hi Angelica, thank you! We love it too. This recipe is great because it keeps in the fridge for several weeks so you can always have some on hand for when you’re craving some spice.?
Angelica
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This is off the hook! Made it and put it on some spare ribs, baked them and wow. I’ll never buy or make another sauce. Thanks!
Christine Mello
at

HI Kristin, thank you very much! You can’t beat the mix of spices in this sauce when you want something a little different than traditional BBQ sauce.?
Kristin
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The taste is very strange and delicious. I really like this.
Christine Mello
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Barbecue sauce with interesting ingredients are always fun to try! Glad you enjoyed it.
Christine Mello
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Glad you liked it!
Thegiftsports
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Korean food is always great. Thank you for sharing.
Teetine
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oh. The taste is very strange and delicious. I really like this.
Christine Mello
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Hi Lauren – I love it that you adjusted the recipe to use what you have on hand! That Hello Fresh meal sounds yummy, especially the pork meatballs, a personal favorite of mine. Thanks for the rating and I’m so happy you liked it?.
Lauren Fischetti
at

This was so delicious! I actually used the sauce to re-create a Hello Fresh meal (Bulgogi pork meatballs with zucchini, carrots, and rice) and it worked out perfectly. The sauce was delicious and it went well with everything. I reduced the amount of Gochujang because my family is wimpy, and I used apple cider vinegar because I didn’t have rice wine vinegar. I’ll definitely be making this again!!
Christine Mello
at

Hi Lisa, You could use Thai chili paste or in a pinch, mix up a teaspoon of red pepper flakes, a tablespoon of soy sauce (to moisten) and a 1/2 teaspoon or so of sugar for sweetness. You could also order online, https://amzn.to/2VdJVHJ . I like to buy it in the tube so it doesn’t dry out. Let me know if these work for you.
Lisa Lindstrom
at

This looks so amazing. Yum! Where do you find Gochujang paste? Is there a substitute you can use if that’s not available in my grocery store?
Christine
at

Happy to hear that! Nice idea with the cornstarch for a glaze.. I am going to give that a try. Thanks for the comment and rating!
usnthem
at

Turned out excellent! I used more corn starch because I wanted to use as a glaze for spare ribs.
Thank you!

I’m Christine, and I’m glad you’re here! Must Love Home is a food blog where you’ll find easy, family recipes with lots of flavor that even the beginner home cook can make. All are simple and most call for less than 10 ingredients Learn more…

Korean Barbecue Sauce Recipe – Must Love Home (2024)

FAQs

What is the difference between BBQ sauce and Korean BBQ sauce? ›

The main difference between Korean BBQ sauce and a more traditional American BBQ sauce is going to be the base. That's because this sauce uses soy sauce as a base rather than your American tomato-style base. Because of this, it's going to be a thinner sauce with a bold savory flavor and a punch of heat.

Show Me More ›

What makes Korean BBQ so good? ›

The marinades and dipping sauces are rich and filled with umami. It's the perfect marriage of meat, marinate, and fat. A Korean barbecue feast includes all kinds of textures — chewy and crunchy — and tastes: sweet, savory, spicy, sour, and bitter. Korean barbecue is a feast for the senses.

Read On ›

What is Korean barbecue sauce made of? ›

Korean BBQ Sauce Ingredients

To make this Korean barbecue sauce recipe, you'll need: soy sauce, dark brown sugar, minced garlic, rice wine vinegar, chile-garlic sauce, ground black pepper, fresh ginger, Asian sesame oil, cornstarch, and water.

Get More Info Here ›

What is the most famous Korean sauce? ›

Gochujang sauce is most often used in Korean recipes, but its sweet, spicy umami flavor is so delicious that you'll want to drizzle it over everything! As far as flavor goes, there's nothing like gochujang sauce.

Read The Full Story ›

What is traditional Korean BBQ? ›

Korean barbecue (Korean: 고기구이, gogi-gui, 'meat roast') is a popular method in Korean cuisine of grilling meat, typically beef, pork or chicken. Such dishes are often prepared on gas or charcoal grills built into the dining table itself.

What is the best Korean BBQ sauce? ›

Ssamjang is the undisputed king of Korean BBQ sauces. Combining fermented soybean paste (doenjang), spicy gochujang, sesame oil, garlic, and green onions, this addictive sauce packs a punch. Its rich, savory umami flavor enhances the smoky goodness of grilled meats.

Tell Me More ›

Is bulgogi sauce same as BBQ sauce? ›

It is sweet and savory and adds a vibrant flavor to any dish. Meishi Bulgogi sauce is a Korean style BBQ sauce for BBQs and grilling. Its an Ideal addition to your marinades or stir-fry's and makes a superb dipping sauce for burger and nuggets.

How do you thicken Korean BBQ sauce? ›

BBQ sauce can be thickened by boiling it to remove excess liquid, or you can add flour, cornstarch, or some fat to thicken it.

How do you not smell after Korean BBQ? ›

❗️bring powder sheets to wipe yourself after eating. What makes you smell is the oil particles in the smoke. 🤯 I like to use a wipeable bag when heading to kbbq places, but if I can't, I'll bring a huge ziplock bag to place my whole bag in.

Tell Me More ›

What is the red paste in Korean BBQ? ›

Gochujang (Korean: 고추장; Korean pronunciation: [kotɕʰudʑɑŋ]) or red chili paste is a savory, sweet, and spicy fermented condiment popular in Korean cooking. It is made from gochu-garu (chili powder), glutinous rice, meju (fermented soybean) powder, yeotgireum (barley malt powder), and salt.

Discover More Details ›

How do I use store bought Korean BBQ sauce? ›

As you grill your steak, chicken or pork, baste it with Korean barbecue sauce just like you would with regular ole barbecue sauce. We love to marinate steak tips in our Korean Raspberry Gochujang Sauce, they are so flavorful!