Korean BBQ is all about the combination of tender, flavourful meat and seafood with simple marinades and side dishes. The cuts of meat you choose for your table are key to the overall taste experience of your meal, and pork belly is the cut most commonly associated with Korean BBQ. Its multiple layers of fat crisp up nicely while keeping the meat succulent, but if you want to opt for meat or seafood that's a little more adventurous, yet still traditional, check out these recommendations:

Beef Tongue

Beef tongue is richer than other beef cuts and has a taste similar to offal, such as liver. It's a lean cut of meat, so it's served thinly sliced to allow it to cook quickly on the grill without drying out. Enjoy tender slices of beef tongue wrapped in crunchy lettuce leaves with pickled carrots and a spicy sesame dipping sauce.

Marinated Squid

Cooked for just a few seconds on a hot grill, marinated squid is a delicious treat that's slightly chewy yet still tender enough to almost melt in your mouth. The whole squid is served including the tentacles, which absorb the marinade well. The marinade is usually fresh and zesty and includes green onions, red pepper flakes and rice wine vinegar. Enjoy marinated squid served over rice and fresh vegetables.

Pork Jowl

Pork jowl meat is akin to bacon but made from the cheeks of the pig. It's nicely marbled, giving it a rich flavour, and it's grilled with the skin. This gives you juicy pork and a crispy rind all in one bite, and this cut is often served with a mirin and red bean paste marinade, which adds a touch of sweetness to the meat. Enjoy your grilled pork jowl meat with kimchi or a green onion salad.

Beef Intestines

Beef intestines are both popular and traditional in Korean BBQ cooking. They are grilled similarly to sausage, and then thinly sliced before eating. Beef intestines tend to be grilled without a marinade, as they have a strong beefy flavour with buttery undertones due to their high fat content. It's a chewy cut, hence why it's best served in small pieces, and it's often served with a dipping sauce consisting of red wine, garlic, soy sauce and sugar. Enjoy this dish with steamed greens and rice.

These are just a few examples of the wide selection of meat and seafood cuts that are used for Korean BBQ. The key to creating delicious BBQ is combining flavourful cuts of meat with marinades, sauces and sides that complement their fat content. Fatty cuts require acidity to balance the meal, while leaner cuts require a little sweetness to lift the natural flavour of the meat.

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