Maekjeok (맥적)

Maekjeok may be the oldest Korean barbecue dish still eaten today. The name comes from the Maek tribe of the ancient Goguryeo kingdom, which ruled parts of Korea and Manchuria from 37 BC to 668 AD. "Maek" is the tribe, "jeok" is barbecued meat on skewers. Many food historians believe maekjeok is the direct ancestor of modern bulgogi, since both rely on pre-marinating meat before cooking, a technique that distinguishes Korean barbecue from other grilling traditions.

What makes maekjeok historically interesting is what is not in it. There is no gochugaru, no gochujang, no chili of any kind. Chili peppers did not arrive in Korea until the 16th or 17th century via Portuguese and Japanese trade routes. Maekjeok predates that arrival by more than a thousand years. The flavor comes entirely from doenjang, the fermented soybean paste that is one of the oldest seasonings in Korean cooking. Combined with rice syrup, mirim, sesame oil, garlic, ginger, and onion, the doenjang creates a marinade that is salty, funky, faintly sweet, and deeply savory.

The pork marinates for at least thirty minutes, though overnight produces deeper flavor. It grills quickly, about eight minutes total, developing a caramelized crust from the sugars in the rice syrup. The traditional accompaniment is garlic chives seasoned simply with sesame oil and salt, which provides a fresh, pungent contrast to the rich, salty pork.