Korean BBQ Marinade
On September 22, 2025
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With a combination of 8 ingredients including soy sauce, brown sugar, and gochujang, this Korean BBQ Marinade delivers a sweet, tangy, umami punch. It tenderizes all your favorite grilled meats while giving them a beautiful, caramelized exterior.
Korean BBQ Marinade
Forget waiting for a table at that packed Korean BBQ joint. With this easy Korean BBQ Marinade, you can create those same incredible flavors right in your own backyard. With just 8 simple ingredients and 5 minutes of prep, you’ll have a marinade to infuse all your favorite proteins with Korean BBQ flavor.
This marinade gets its punch from salty soy sauce, sweet brown sugar, tangy rice vinegar, and that fiery gochujang kick. Fresh garlic and ginger add aromatic depth, while mirin and sesame oil round it all out for meat that’s tender and layered with flavor. Use it on chicken, beef, or pork, then fire up the grill for juicy, caramelized perfection. Whether it’s for an easy weeknight or a backyard gathering, this marinade brings big flavor without the hassle.
Ingredients for This Recipe
Every ingredient here has a job to do, and they all work together like a well-(sesame)-oiled machine. Here’s what you’ll need on hand so you can create this awesome marinade:
- Soy sauce: The salty base that brings deep umami flavor.
- Dark brown sugar: Adds sweetness while helping the meat caramelize beautifully on the grill.
- Mirin (rice wine): A touch of sweetness and acidity for balance.
- Rice wine vinegar: Brightens the marinade and tenderizes the meat.
- Gochujang paste: Brings heat, tang, and more of that signature Korean BBQ umami.
- Sesame oil: That nutty aroma that screams Korean BBQ.
- Garlic: Sharp, savory depth that cuts through the richness.
- Fresh ginger: Adds brightness and a little zing that cuts through the richness.
If you want a sauce to match, you can turn these same ingredients into an amazing Korean BBQ Sauce. Simmer with water and cornstarch until thickened, then dip, brush, and drizzle for an extra layer of Korean BBQ flavor.
How to Make a Korean BBQ Marinade
You don’t need any special equipment or complicated techniques for this one. These two simple steps are all that stand between you and the best Korean BBQ you’ve ever tasted.
- Make the marinade. Combine all the ingredients for your marinade in a gallon-size zip-top bag or a large glass bowl. Whisk until you have a dark, glossy mixture, and the sugar dissolves completely. When it starts to smell like your favorite Korean spot, your marinade is ready to use.
- Marinate the meat. Your marinade is ready to use right away, and will cover 2-3 pounds of meat. Add your chicken, beef, or pork right into the flavor bath, making sure every surface gets coated. Massage the bag to work the marinade into all the nooks and crannies, then place it in the fridge. 4 hours is your minimum for flavor, but overnight is my recommendation. The meat turns darker as it absorbs all that goodness. Just don’t go past 24 hours or your meat will get mushy.
The Best Meats for Korean BBQ
This Korean BBQ Marinade works great with just about any protein you love. Here are some of my favorite meats to marinate to help get your imagination going:
- Beef: short ribs (flanken or kalbi style), ribeye, sirloin, flank steak, skirt steak, chuck eye steak
- Pork: pork belly, pork shoulder steaks, baby back ribs, pork tenderloin
- Chicken: thighs (bone-in or boneless), drumsticks, wings, breasts
How Long to Marinate Korean BBQ
When it comes to marinating various meats, timing is everything. If you don’t marinate long enough, you’ll short yourself on flavor. Too long and you’ll end up with mushy meat. Here are some guidelines so you can marinate like a pro, no matter what you’re grilling.
How Long to Marinate Beef
Beef is pretty forgiving with this marinade and can handle longer marinating times. Most cuts do best with 8-12 hours in the fridge, which gives the acid time to break down tough fibers while the flavors really penetrate. If you’re in a rush, 4 hours will get you there, but overnight is always better for maximum flavor and tenderness.
How Long to Marinate Chicken
Chicken needs the lightest touch since it’s naturally tender and can get unwanted textures from too much acidity. Dark meat does great with 4-8 hours, developing deep flavor without losing its texture. White meat should stay closer to 4 hours, just enough time to pick up the flavors without turning grainy.
How Long to Marinate Pork
Pork sits right in the sweet spot for this marinade, soaking up flavors beautifully without getting mushy. Aim for 6-8 hours for most cuts, which lets the gochujang and ginger work their way into the meat. Fattier cuts like pork belly can go longer if you want, but even lean tenderloin will stay juicy with this timing.
More Homemade Marinade Recipes
After you experience the depth of flavor and texture upgrade your meats get from this easy marinade, you’ll be hooked. When you’re ready to branch out, I’ve got even more marinades waiting for you. Here are a few of my most popular marinade recipes to help you get started:
You can find all these marinade recipes (and over 700 BBQ recipes) right here on the site in your Recipe Library. With the Hey Grill Hey App, you can also build grocery lists and meal plans with just a few taps.
SImple Korean BBQ Marinade Recipe
With this Korean BBQ Marinade, you’ve got everything you need to make great BBQ without intimidation. Give it a shot this weekend, then come back and drop a 5-star rating and comment to let me know how it turned out.
Make sure to follow my Instagram and Facebook pages for more BBQ tips, tricks, and behind-the-scenes fun. You should also subscribe to my YouTube channel for video tutorials to help you make my most popular recipes like a true Backyard BBQ Hero!
Korean BBQ Marinade
Ingredients
- 1 cup soy sauce
- ½ cup dark brown sugar
- ¼ cup mirin rice wine
- ¼ cup rice wine vinegar
- 2 Tablespoons gochujang paste chili paste
- 1 Tablespoon sesame oil
- 4 cloves garlic finely minced
- 2 teaspoons fresh ginger grated
Instructions
- Make the marinade. Combine all the ingredients for your marinade in a gallon-size zip-top bag or a large glass bowl. Whisk vigorously until everything is incorporated and the sugar dissolves completely.1 cup soy sauce, ½ cup dark brown sugar, ¼ cup mirin, ¼ cup rice wine vinegar, 2 Tablespoons gochujang paste, 1 Tablespoon sesame oil, 4 cloves garlic, 2 teaspoons fresh ginger
- Marinate the meat. Your marinade is ready to use right away, and will cover 2-3 pounds of meat. Use it on chicken, beef, or any other Korean BBQ you love. Add the meat, then seal the bag or cover the bowl and place in the refrigerator. Marinate for at least 4 hours, but I recommend going overnight. Don’t marinate longer than 24 hours or the meat can start to break down.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
