Korean · main

Korean BBQ Meatballs

Korean BBQ Meatballs reads umami 8.1, richness 5.7 and salinity 4.9 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Korean main, about 24 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

The measured notes (of 18)

Umami 8.1 · Richness 5.7 · Salinity 4.9 · Sweetness 4.3 · Nutty 4.0 · Allium 3.2 · Funk & Ferment 3.1 · Heat 3.0 · Sourness 2.8 · Warm Spice 2.3 · Herbaceous 2.0 · Earthy 1.4 · Floral 1.1 · Bitterness 0.9

What's in it (16)

Time & effort: about 24 min · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 123.7 kcal, 11.8 g protein, 4.5 g fat, 9.3 g carbs

Dietary: Contains meat · Contains egg — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (8 steps)

  1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and coat lightly with oil.
  2. In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, panko, egg, scallion whites, 2 of the minced garlic cloves, 2 teaspoons of the ginger, 1 tablespoon of the soy sauce, sesame oil, salt, and pepper. Mix gently with your hands just until combined — overworking makes tough meatballs.
  3. Shape the mixture into 20 meatballs, about 1 1/2 inches each, and arrange them on the prepared sheet with space between them.
  4. Bake until browned and cooked through, an instant-read thermometer reads 165°F at the center, 16-18 minutes.
  5. While the meatballs bake, whisk the gochujang, brown sugar, remaining garlic, remaining ginger, remaining soy sauce, rice vinegar, vegetable oil, and water in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook, stirring often, until glossy and thick enough to coat a spoon, 4-5 minutes; remove from heat.
  6. Transfer the baked meatballs to a large bowl, pour the glaze over them, and toss gently to coat every meatball.
  7. Return the glazed meatballs to a large skillet and warm over low heat on the stovetop, turning once, until the glaze clings and turns sticky, 1-2 minutes.
  8. Plate the meatballs and scatter with the scallion greens and toasted sesame seeds.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

Keep reading: what umami, richness, salinity mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

See how this dish fits your palate — take the short taste test →

Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.