Beef
Korean Grilled Brisket

Other Recipes from Planet Barbecue Episode 113 – Obsessed with Brisket
Meet the Korean Grilled Brisket, a culinary adventure that brings vibrant flavors to your table with minimal fuss. Ideal for serving 6 to 8 hungry guests, this recipe is a fusion of simplicity and tantalizing taste. The magic begins with a 2-pound brisket, generously trimmed to maintain a 1/2-inch layer of fat for a juicy, grilled finish. The brisket undergoes a unique preparation step—freezing—whether using an electric meat slicer or a food processor fitted with a slicing disk. Sliced paper-thin, these brisket curls are a sight to behold on the platter and promise a mouthwatering experience. Before grilling, the brisket slices return to the freezer for a convenient and efficient cook. As the grill heats up, the aroma of grilling brisket fills the air, creating anticipation for the culinary delight to come. The condiment selection is as diverse as it is customizable, featuring options like coarse sea salt, toasted sesame oil, Wasabi Soy Dipping Sauce, Chile Jam, and Korean Cucumber Salad. Each guest becomes a grill master, as the brisket slices meet the fiery grates for a quick 30-second sear on each side. The result? A flavorful, tender brisket that becomes the star of the show when paired with fresh lettuce leaves and a choice of delectable condiments. Whether enjoyed as a communal grilling experience or individually savored, this Korean Grilled Brisket stands as one of the most remarkable brisket dishes, offering a burst of flavor and excitement on Planet Barbecue.
Korean Grilled Brisket
Korean Grilled Brisket
Recipe Notes
- Advance Prep: 15 minutes, plus several hours or overnight to freeze the brisket
- Yield: Serves 6 to 8
- Method: Direct grilling
Ingredients
- 2 pounds brisket point or cross section of point and flat together
- 1 head green leaf lettuce, such as butter lettuce or romaine, separated into leaves, washed, and spun dry
CONDIMENTS (ANY OR ALL OF THE FOLLOWING)
- Coarse sea salt
- Toasted (dark) sesame oil
- Wasabi Soy Dipping Sauce
- Chile Jam or gochujang
- Korean Cucumber Salad
YOU’LL ALSO NEED:
- An electric meat slicer or food processor fitted with a slicing disk (this works best on a processor with a fixed-blade slicing disk); small tongs (full-size tongs would be cumbersome to handle such small, thin slices of meat); chopsticks
Recipe Steps
1: Using a sharp knife, trim the brisket, leaving a layer of fat at least 1/2 inch thick; you’ll need more fat than usual here because you’ll be direct grilling the brisket and you want to keep it moist. Save a few pieces of that fat in the refrigerator for greasing the grill grate.
2: If you have an electric meat slicer, wrap the whole brisket point in plastic wrap and place it in the freezer. If you plan to use a food processor, cut the brisket point along the grain into chunks just narrow enough to fit in the processor feed tube. (Take note of which way the grain of the meat—the meat fibers—runs: When it comes time for slicing, it’s very important to cut it across the grain.) Wrap the chunks in plastic wrap and freeze until solid, several hours or overnight.
3: If you have an electric meat slicer, unwrap the brisket and use the slicer to cut the frozen brisket across the grain into paper-thin slices. As they come off the slicer, they’ll naturally curl. Arrange the slices on a platter. If using a food processor, install the thin slicing blade. Place the unwrapped, frozen brisket chunks in the feed tube (the grain of the meat should run vertical and parallel to the feed tube). Turn on the processor and slice the meat. (The slices won’t be quite as pretty as those made on a meat slicer, but you will get the requisite thinness.) Arrange the slices on a platter.
4: Transfer the sliced brisket on its platter to the freezer and keep it there until ready to grill. (The brisket can be sliced and frozen several hours ahead.)
5: Just prior to grilling, heat your grill to high. Brush or scrape the grill grate clean.
Grease the grate with reserved chunks of brisket fat. Place the sea salt in a small bowl and the sesame oil in another. (Or if you like sesame sea salt, place the salt in a small bowl and gently pour the sesame oil over it so the salt remains in a pile in the center.) Set out the remaining condiments in bowls.
6: When the grill is hot, arrange the brisket slices on the grate and grill until browned on both sides, 30 seconds per side, or until cooked to taste. For even more fun, place the hibachi in the center of the table (outdoors only) and have each guest grill his or her own meat.
7: Enjoy immediately, using chopsticks to dip a grilled brisket slice in salt, sesame oil, or Wasabi Soy Dipping Sauce, then place it on a lettuce leaf (spread with Chile Jam for even more flavor, if you like). Add some cucumber salad. From there, just roll it up and pop it into your mouth. It’s simply one of the most amazing brisket dishes on Planet Barbecue.
Recipe Tips
Our thanks to the sponsors of Planet Barbecue Season 1:
Steven Raichlen’s Planet Barbecue is a production of Barbacoa, Inc., and Resolution Pictures. © 2023 Barbacoa, Inc. Photos by Chris Bierlein
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