Strip District Meats on Penn Avenue is one such resource for meat. Manager Justin Hughes says with a day or so lead time, butchers there can slice boneless short ribs, tri tip or Delmonico steak to a suitable thinness for yakiniku. Shaved rib-eye used for Philly cheesesteaks — which the store always has on hand pre-packaged — and skirt steak, known as harami in Japan, are also good options, and easy to find in larger grocery stores and Asian markets such as Sambok Korean Groceries on Penn Ave. in the Strip.
You also could use super-thin slices of chicken or pork, lamb chops or seafood such as shrimp. And of course you need a wide variety of veggies to pair with the protein — think spring onions, mushrooms, thinly sliced eggplant, asparagus and bell peppers. As for the cooking: Once your little grill is hot, add a little spray oil to keep the meat from sticking, and lay just a few pieces out at a time. Cook for around 40 seconds on each side, then “eat it as soon as possible after it comes off the grill,” says Murnane, savoring each bite.
Galbi Marinade
This Korean-style, savory-sweet marinade pairs perfectly with meat for Japanese-style barbecue. For a gluten-free marinade, use tamari instead of soy sauce. By Executive Chef Sorcha Murnane, Cobra.
2 cups brown sugar
3 small skin-on Asian pears, roughly chopped
1/2 cup whole garlic cloves
1/2 cup sesame oil
1 cup tamari or soy sauce
2 cups water
1/2 cup mirin
2 small Spanish onions, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons coarse black pepper flakes
Zest and juice of 2 oranges
Blend everything together with an immersion blender or in a large jug blender. It’s OK if you have to work in batches.
If you want to make bulgogi marinade as well as galbi, split the blended marinade in half and add 11/2 cups of coarse Korean chili flakes, then blend again. The bulgogi should sit for 24 hours before use to allow the chili flakes to soften.