Lamb Skewers (Yangkkochi)
Grilled Medium

Lamb Skewers (Yangkkochi)

Quick answer

Lamb Skewers, or Yangkkochi, are grilled meat skewers featuring lamb shoulder coated in aromatic spices.

What makes this special

  • Aromatic cumin in Yangkkochi lamb skewers is added at the end of grilling to avoid any bitter notes.
  • Cumin sprinkled at the end activates its oils without burning bitter
  • 2 cm shoulder cubes char the surface while keeping the center pink
Total time
45 min
Level
Medium
Servings
2 servings
Ingredients
8
Calories
450 kcal
Protein
35 g

Key ingredients

Lamb shoulderCumin seedsRed pepper flakesSaltBlack pepper

Core cooking flow

  1. 1 If using wooden skewers, soak them in water for at least 20 minutes.
  2. 2 Finely mince 5 garlic cloves. Add the garlic, 1 tablespoon cooking wine, 0.5...
  3. 3 Let the lamb marinate at room temperature for 20 minutes.

Lamb Skewers, or Yangkkochi, are grilled meat skewers featuring lamb shoulder coated in aromatic spices. The preparation involves cutting the lamb shoulder into two-centimeter cubes and marinating it with cooking wine, minced garlic, salt, and pepper for twenty minutes to tame any gamey smell. Threading the meat pieces onto skewers with small gaps ensures that the heat penetrates the center without burning the exterior. The skewers are grilled on a preheated pan or grill for six to eight minutes while turning them to brown each side. Cumin seeds and red pepper flakes are sprinkled over the meat during the final thirty seconds of grilling. This late addition activates the natural oils of the cumin without burning the spices, avoiding any bitter flavor. Wooden skewers should be soaked in water beforehand to prevent them from burning.

Prep 30min Cook 15min 2 servings

Instructions

Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.

6 steps
  1. 1
    Prep

    If using wooden skewers, soak them in water for at least 20 minutes.

    Cut 400 g lamb shoulder into 2 cm cubes, then press well with paper towels to remove blood and surface moisture.

  2. 2
    Season

    Finely mince 5 garlic cloves.

    Add the garlic, 1 tablespoon cooking wine, 0.5 teaspoon salt, and 0.5 teaspoon black pepper to the lamb, then massage until every piece is lightly coated.

  3. 3
    Finish

    Let the lamb marinate at room temperature for 20 minutes.

    Meanwhile, mix 1 tablespoon cumin seeds with 1 tablespoon red pepper flakes so the finishing spice is ready before the skewers hit the heat.

  4. 4
    Heat

    Thread 5-6 lamb pieces onto each skewer without packing them too tightly.

    Leave small gaps between pieces so heat reaches the center and the outside browns instead of burning before the inside cooks.

  5. 5
    Control

    Preheat a pan or grill over medium-high heat for 2-3 minutes, then brush on 1 tablespoon cooking oil in a thin layer.

    Add the skewers and cook for 6-8 minutes, turning to brown each side.

  6. 6
    Finish

    When the outside is browned and the juices run clear, lower the heat.

    Sprinkle the cumin and red pepper mixture evenly over the skewers, cook for 30 seconds more to release the aroma, and serve right away.

After the steps

Pick a recipe that fits this dish.

Continue with shared ingredients, meal pairings, or a similar method.

Recipes That Go Well With This

More Grilled →

Based on shared ingredients and meal pairing

Diet Konjac Fried Rice
Serve together Rice

Diet Konjac Fried Rice

Diet Konjac Fried Rice is a low-calorie alternative to traditional fried rice, featuring chicken breast, eggs, and vegetables. The key step involves rinsing the konjac rice and dry-frying it in a pan without oil. This technique evaporates excess moisture and transforms the wet grains into a firm, chewy texture. To overcome the bland flavor of konjac, the dish uses a small combination of soy sauce and oyster sauce seasoned along the edges of the pan. Chopped green onions and carrots are sautéed in oil before adding chicken breast. Pushing these ingredients to one side to scramble the eggs separately keeps the eggs tender instead of rubbery. Finishing with a pinch of black pepper completes the savory profile. For longer satiety, cooking the konjac grains mixed with regular rice in a one-to-one ratio is recommended.

Korean Seafood Hot Pot Soup
Serve together Soups

Korean Seafood Hot Pot Soup

Haemul-tang is a Korean seafood hot pot that throws together crab, shrimp, clams, and squid in a fiery, brick-red broth. The liquid starts with gochugaru and plenty of garlic, building a spicy base that the seafood then amplifies with its own briny juices. Radish chunks soften as the pot bubbles, thickening the broth slightly and adding a cool sweetness behind the heat. Green onions and cheongyang peppers go in toward the end for a sharp, vegetal bite. The magic of haemul-tang lies in the convergence of flavors: crab shells release a sweet, crustacean stock; clams open to spill their liquor; shrimp and squid contribute distinct textures from snappy to chewy. The pot is brought to the table still at a rolling boil, and diners pick through the shells and tentacles while the broth continues to concentrate.

Korean Stir-Fried Dried Napa Cabbage Leaves
Serve together Side dishes

Korean Stir-Fried Dried Napa Cabbage Leaves

Dried outer leaves of napa cabbage, known as ugeoji, are rehydrated, boiled, and stir-fried with doenjang and ground perilla seeds to create a deeply savory banchan. These tough outer leaves, too coarse to eat fresh, develop a satisfying chewy texture once dried and reconstituted, offering a bite that ordinary cabbage cannot match. Doenjang introduces its fermented umami during the stir-fry, layering complexity onto the cabbage's otherwise neutral flavor. Ground perilla seeds dissolve into the residual moisture, forming a creamy, pale coating that enriches every strand with a nutty warmth. A small amount of anchovy and kelp stock added mid-cook creates just enough liquid for the seasonings to soak into the fibrous leaves before evaporating. Perilla oil used as the cooking fat establishes a fragrant base from the first moment the pan heats, and minced garlic stirred in partway through adds a sharp accent that cuts through the richness. The finished dish pairs naturally with a bowl of steamed rice and a hot soup.

Korean Beef Skewers (Soy-Glazed Grilled Beef)
Similar recipe Grilled

Korean Beef Skewers (Soy-Glazed Grilled Beef)

Bite-sized beef cubes and chunks of bell pepper and onion are threaded onto wooden skewers in an alternating pattern. The beef marinates for twenty minutes in soy sauce, oligosaccharide syrup, minced garlic, sesame oil, and black pepper before assembly. Grilling over medium-high heat while rotating the skewers lets the marinade reduce into a sticky glaze on the meat, while the vegetables soften and pick up faint char. The result is a hand-held format where each bite delivers soy-seasoned beef alongside lightly smoky, still-crisp vegetables.

Similar recipes

Korean Salt-Grilled Pork (Pork Belly and Neck BBQ)
Grilled Easy

Korean Salt-Grilled Pork (Pork Belly and Neck BBQ)

Doejigogi-gui is Korea's salt-grilled pork, made by seasoning thick-cut pork belly or pork neck with nothing but coarse salt and grilling over charcoal or on a cast iron pan. Because no marinade masks the flavor, the quality of the pork itself determines the outcome, and thick-cut belly requires patient cooking over medium heat so the fat layers render fully before the exterior chars -- rushing over high flame leaves the fat chewy and greasy rather than crisp. Blotting excess rendered fat from the pan with paper towels during cooking keeps the meat grilling rather than deep-frying and preserves the smoky char that defines the dish. Garlic slices cooked on the same pan alongside the pork add a mellow roasted note. The classic accompaniments -- sesame oil and salt for dipping, fresh lettuce or perilla leaves for wrapping, a dab of doenjang, and a sliver of cheongyang chili -- create the complete Korean barbecue experience, where a bite of rich pork, crunchy greens, and pungent condiments come together in one mouthful.

🍺 Bar Snacks ⚡ Quick
Prep 5min Cook 15min 2 servings
Korean Grilled Chicken Skewers
Grilled Easy

Korean Grilled Chicken Skewers

Dak-kkochi-gui is a Korean grilled chicken skewer built on the flavors of street-stall cooking, made by threading bite-sized chicken breast or thigh onto bamboo sticks and painting them with a sauce of gochujang, soy sauce, honey, and minced garlic. Thigh meat is the better choice because its higher fat content keeps each piece juicy over direct heat, while breast will dry out quickly. Applying the glaze in two or three separate coats rather than all at once builds a thick, sticky, caramelized surface. Cutting the chicken into uniform cubes ensures even cooking, and alternating pieces with slices of green onion or bell pepper adds moisture and prevents the meat from tightening up. Turning the skewers frequently over medium heat keeps the sugars in the sauce from scorching while the surface develops an even, deep char. The same result comes out well in an air fryer at 200 degrees Celsius for twelve to fourteen minutes. Gochujang's fermented heat against the sweetness of honey and the smell of searing meat is the unmistakable signature of Korean pojangmacha.

🍺 Bar Snacks 🏠 Everyday
Prep 20min Cook 15min 2 servings
Salt-Grilled Pork Dwitgogi
Grilled Easy

Salt-Grilled Pork Dwitgogi

This dish features pork dwitgogi, a selection of assorted pork cuts valued for a springy and chewy texture compared to standard pork belly. The meat is prepared by applying soju to eliminate gamey odors and patting it dry to ensure a clean sear. The cooking process starts by searing the pork in a preheated heavy pan on high heat to seal in the juices. Once the meat is partially cooked, sea salt and crushed black pepper are added to distribute the seasoning evenly. Garlic cloves and green onions are then cooked directly in the rendered pork fat, infusing the meat with their aromas. Grilling continues until the pork is golden brown and springy. The completed dish is traditionally served hot alongside boiled meljeot, a salted anchovy sauce that provides a deep, savory element to the roasted pork.

🔥 Trending Now ⚡ Quick
Prep 10min Cook 20min 4 servings
Korean Sausage Skewers
Street food Easy

Korean Sausage Skewers

Sosiji kkochi are Korean sausage skewers made by scoring Vienna sausages deeply along their length and threading two or three onto wooden sticks, then pan-frying them until golden brown all over. The score marks serve a functional purpose: as the sausages heat, the cuts open up, allowing heat to penetrate to the center more evenly and creating edges that caramelize slightly and turn crisp. A thin film of oil in a medium-heat pan and steady rotation ensures even color across the entire surface, producing a skin that snaps on the outside while the inside stays juicy and springy. Ketchup and mustard are the classic accompaniments, with the tomato sweetness and the sharp, pungent bite of the mustard complementing the salt and fat of the sausage. Threading rice cakes between the sausage pieces transforms the skewer into a sotteok-sotteok style, a widely popular Korean street food variation. The dish comes together in under fifteen minutes and requires no special equipment beyond a pan and wooden skewers, making it a practical choice for a quick snack, a children's side dish, or a lunchbox item that holds up well at room temperature.

🧒 Kid-Friendly 🌙 Late Night
Prep 5min Cook 10min 2 servings
Korean Grilled Chicken Heart Skewers
Street food Medium

Korean Grilled Chicken Heart Skewers

Dak-yeomtong-kkochi starts by soaking trimmed chicken hearts in milk for fifteen minutes to remove any off-flavors, then threading them onto skewers for direct grilling. A glaze of soy sauce, gochujang, sugar, garlic, and cooking wine is applied in stages during grilling, building up a salty-sweet coating with gentle heat. Unlike regular chicken meat, hearts have a firm, springy chew that deepens in nuttiness the more you bite into them. The milk soak combined with garlic and cooking wine in the glaze cleanly removes any organ taste, so the finished skewers carry only the char from the grill and the layered seasoning. A common sight at street stalls and pojangmacha tents, these skewers work equally well as a quick snack eaten on the spot or as drinking food alongside a cold beer.

🍺 Bar Snacks 🏠 Everyday
Prep 30min Cook 15min 2 servings

Tips

If the lamb scent is too strong, try mixing in a little curry powder.
If using wooden skewers, soak them in water beforehand to prevent burning.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories
450
kcal
Protein
35
g
Carbs
5
g
Fat
32
g