Korean Grilled Patty Skewers
Quick answer
- Total time
- 40 min
- Level
- Medium
- Servings
- 4 servings
- Ingredients
- 11
About this dish
Tteokgalbi-kkochi are skewered patties made from a thoroughly kneaded mixture of ground beef, ground pork, soy sauce, sugar, garlic, and sesame oil, shaped into ovals and threaded onto wooden skewers before grilling.
Read more
A small amount of starch mixed into the meat and at least three full minutes of kneading are what give the mixture enough tackiness to stay firmly anchored to the skewer throughout cooking; skip either step and the patties slide or crack apart on the grill. Moistening your hands with water while shaping prevents the mixture from sticking and helps produce smooth, even ovals. Grilling over medium heat first develops a golden Maillard crust on both sides, then lowering the heat and continuing to cook allows the interior to reach the center without the outside drying out, concentrating the meaty flavor at the core. A thin brushing of soy-and-corn-syrup glaze applied just before flipping and again right before removing from the heat builds a glossy, sweet-salty lacquer on the exterior. Served alongside tteokbokki sauce or ketchup, the skewers carry the unmistakable energy of Korean street food stalls.
Ingredients
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Instructions
Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.
- 1Step
Finely mince 80 g onion and 40 g green onion, then press them with paper towels until they feel damp but not wet.
Soak 8 wooden skewers in water for 10 minutes, then drain them before shaping.
- 2Season
Put 250 g ground beef, 200 g ground pork, and the minced vegetables in a bowl.
Add 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon sugar, garlic, sesame oil, black pepper, and starch, spreading the seasonings evenly before kneading.
- 3Prep
Knead the mixture in one direction for at least 3 minutes with your hand or a spatula.
Stop when it turns glossy, tacky, and clings to the side of the bowl, then divide it into 8 equal portions.
- 4Heat
Wet your hands and press each portion around a skewer, shaping it into an even oval patty.
Keep the thickness consistent from center to edges so the outside does not burn before the center cooks.
- 5Control
Preheat a pan or grill over medium heat, then place the skewers on it and cook for 3-4 minutes per side.
Flip only when the surface is browned and the edges feel set, not soft.
- 6Finish
Lower the heat and cook for 2 more minutes.
Check that the center of the thickest skewer is cooked through, then serve immediately.
Practical Cooking Checks
The cues that matter most while cooking.
- Key technique
- Kneaded beef and pork patties shaped into ovals and grilled on skewers: Tteokgalbi-kkochi.
- Finish cue
- Check that the center of the thickest skewer is cooked through, then serve immediately.
- Avoid this
- Soak skewers in water for 10 minutes to reduce burning.
Cooking decision evidence
Calculated Charim data and applicable official cooking and food safety guidance.
This recipe
40min, 11 ingredients
Category median
30min, 8 ingredients
Based on 109 recipes
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