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These saucy Korean BBQ beef skewers are a total lip-smacking treat, and they’re easy enough for weeknights! You can marinate your beef the night before or the morning of to simplify dinner time. This is such a great way to change things up during the week.
Table of Contents
- Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Ingredients for Korean BBQ Beef Skewers
- Recipe Variations & Modifications
- How to Make Korean BBQ Beef Skewers
- Pro Tip
- What to Serve With Korean BBQ Beef Skewers
- Storage, Freezing, and Reheating
- Useful Equipment
- Frequently Asked Questions
- More Tasty Beef Recipes to Try…
- Saucy Korean BBQ Beef Skewers Recipe
Get ready to put your manners aside to lick your fingers and, quite possibly, your plate. These crave-worthy Korean BBQ beef skewers are rich in umami flavors with notes of sweet and salty goodness—and a little heat if you choose to throw in some extra Sriracha! If you enjoy Teriyaki sauce, you’ll fall head over heels for Korean BBQ sauce.
If skewers are your jam, you should also check out my grilled Moroccan chicken skewers or these grilled pineapple chicken kabobs with teriyaki sauce. You can do fish, too! These grilled salmon kebabs with chimichurri are SO tasty.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It’s easy — despite the complex flavor profile of the sauce, it’s super simple to throw together.
- You can prep it in advance — make the marinade the night before or morning of and pop your meat and mushrooms in to marinate while you go about your day.
Ingredients for Korean BBQ Beef Skewers
A full list of ingredients and measurements can be found in the recipe card below.
- Beef—Choosing the right kind of beef for skewers is important. You’re looking for a well-marbled cut with little connective tissue. Tri tips and sirloin steak tips are great for grilling skewers since they’re nice and juicy and hold up well. Best of all, they aren’t overly expensive!
- Sriracha—I always have Sriracha on hand, but sambal oelek or any other spicy chili sauce will work.
Recipe Variations & Modifications
- Protein—You can absolutely try these with a different proteins. Boneless chicken, shrimp, or salmon would be great! Just keep in mind that cook times will vary with different proteins.
- Vegetables—I’m really fond of mushrooms and scallions here because they grill nicely and at the same pace as the beef. But you could definitely play around with veggie variations. Just be sure to cut them to be close in size with the beef.
How to Make Korean BBQ Beef Skewers
Here’s a quick look at how to make these finger-licking beef skewers:
Step 1. Whisk all of the marinade ingredients into a mixing bowl.
Step 2. Transfer the cubed beef and cut up mushrooms to the mixing bowl and toss them well in the marinade to ensure everything is coated. Pop it in the fridge and marinate for 2 hours, or up to a full day.
Step 3. Bring all of the sauce ingredients together in a small saucepan; whisk until combined. Bring the sauce to a low simmer and let go for about five minutes, then remove it from the heat and set aside.
Step 4. After marinating, thread the beef and mushrooms onto skewers along with the scallions going in a pattern of meat, veggies, meat, veggies; place them onto a baking sheet or large plate until you’re done.
Step 5. Pop the skewers on to the preheated grill and cook for about 3 minutes. Carefully flip the skewers and cook for another 2-3 minutes or until the beef has an internal temperature of 135º F for medium-rare. Cook a bit longer for medium (internal temperature of 140-145º F).
Step 6. Remove the skewers from the grill and transfer them to a clean plate or serving platter. Brush them generously with the Korean BBQ sauce and garnish with scallions and sesame seeds.
Pro Tip
Always be sure to cut your vegetables and meat cubes so they’re as uniform as possible to ensure an even cook on everything. I usually aim for 1-inch x 1-inch, give or take.
What to Serve With Korean BBQ Beef Skewers
Our absolute favorite way to enjoy these skewers is over this Coconut Ginger Instant Pot Rice with a side of this refreshing smashed cucumber salad or this crunchy Thai rainbow salad. You could also serve these with a side of honey miso roasted sweet potatoes or roasted mini potatoes along with seared bok choy or easy grilled asparagus, which you can throw on the grill right next to your skewers.
Storage, Freezing, and Reheating
- Leftovers can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4 days. The Korean BBQ sauce should be stored in its own container so the meat and veggies don’t get soggy.
- These skewers can be frozen after being cooked in freezer-friendly gallon-sized bags for up to 3 months, but you will want to wrap the sharp skewer tips with tinfoil to prevent puncturing the bags. When you want to cook them, pop them into the fridge the night before to thaw.
- Be sure to remove the meat and veggies from the skewers prior to reheating them. Then you can pop them in the microwave and heat in 25 second increments until warmed through.
Useful Equipment
- Skewers—Both metal and bamboo skewers are fine. Metal are nice because they’re reusable and don’t require a soak, whereas wooden skewers require being soaked prior to hitting the heat so they don’t burn.
- Meat thermometer—a meat thermometer will help you ensure you get the perfect cook on your beef.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Simply add 1 TBSP of sesame oil to a large medium-hot skillet and place the kebabs into it, cooking them for about 2-3 minutes per side or until the beef is cooked through to your preferred level of doneness.
Sirloin cuts are great for kabobs. They’re tender, lean, and have some nice marbling. Some other good beef options include flat iron or strip steaks.
This is typically due to using a cut of beef with too much connective tissue. You want to avoid cuts of meat that are meant to cook low and slow, like stew meat and briskets. These cuts don’t do well with quick high heat cooking and become rubbery as a result.
More Tasty Beef Recipes to Try…
If you try these Korean BBQ Beef Skewers, or any other recipe here at Killing Thyme, please pop back in and leave a 🌟 star rating! And let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below.
Saucy Korean BBQ Beef Skewers
Equipment
- Metal or bamboo skewers (if bamboo, make sure to soak them as per the directions on the package prior to grilling)
Ingredients
- 1 lb Tri tip or sirloin steak tip
- 3 large scallions, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 6 oz Cremini or baby bella mushrooms (about six large mushrooms, halved or quartered)
Marinade
- 1/3 cup low sodium soy sauce
- 1/4 cup honey
- 2 TBSP hoisin sauce
- 1 TBSP sesame oil
- 1 TBSP freshly grated ginger
- 1 tsp Sriracha
- 4 cloves garlic, grated to a paste or finely minced
Korean BBQ Sauce
- 1/3 cup hoisin sauce
- 1/3 cup ketchup
- 2 TBSP low sodium soy sauce
- 1 TBSP mirin (or rice wine vinegar)
- 2 tsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp Sriracha, more or less depending on your heat tolerance
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together all of the ingredients for the marinade.
- Cut the beef into bite-sized cubes (about 1-inch x 1-inch) and place them in the marinade along with the mushrooms; toss to coat.
- Cover the mixing bowl and place in the fridge to marinate for at least 2 hours, or for the day.
- Before firing up the grill, make the BBQ sauce. Place all of the ingredients into a small saucepan and whisk until combined. Bring to a low simmer and let simmer for about five minutes. Remove from heat and set aside. You want the sauce to at least be warm when you slather it onto the skewers.
- Heat your grill to medium-high heat—about 450º F. Make sure your grill is clean.
- Thread the chunks of beef, scallions, and mushrooms onto skewers, and place onto a baking sheet or large plate.
- Place the skewers onto the hot grill and cook for about 3 minutes. Carefully flip the skewers and cook for another 2-3 minutes or until the beef has an internal temperature of 135º F for medium-rare. Cook a bit longer for medium (internal temperature of 140-145º F).
- Carefully remove the skewers from the grill and place onto a clean plate or serving platter. Brush them with a generous amount of the Korean BBQ sauce—or serve the sauce on the side!
- Garnish with thinly sliced scallions and sesame seeds.
Notes
When cutting your vegetables…
Always be sure to cut your vegetables and meat cubes so they’re as uniform as possible to ensure an even cook on everything. I usually aim for 1-inch x 1-inch, give or take.Recipe Variations & Modifications
- Protein—You can absolutely try these with a different proteins. Chicken or salmon would be great! Just keep in mind that cook times will vary with different proteins.
- Vegetables—I’m really fond of mushrooms and scallions here because they grill nicely and at the same pace as the beef. But you could definitely play around with veggie variations. Just be sure to cut them to be close in size with the beef.
These were absolutely phenomenal!! Back in October for my daughter’s birthday we ate at an authentic Korean restaurant and my son had some bbq dish so when he tasted your delicious recipe he commented to say how it reminded him of the meal he had!! I will definitely be making again.. and again! As always, I truly appreciate the hard work you put into your creations, the testing in the kitchen, the time you spend photographing and creating such a delicious work of art, and then sharing with the world, you are a gem and I seriously treasure your talents, so thank you!!
This comment literally made my day, Brooke. Thank you SO much for the kind words and especially for taking the time to express them. I really appreciate it, and I appreciate you!! Lots of goodies planned for 2024 so I’m thrilled you’ll be here for it!