Vietnamese BBQ Marinade For Grilled Meats | CookOS

Vietnamese BBQ Marinade For Grilled Meats

Name: Vietnamese BBQ Marinade For Grilled Meats
Prep time: 5 min
Total time: 5 min
Yield: 12 servings
Cuisine: Vietnamese
Ingredients: 58 oz Korean BBQ sauce for ribs; 14 oz char siu sauce; 1/2 cup lite soy sauce; 1/2 cup fish sauce; 1 cup water; 1/2 cup cooking oil; 3/4 cup minced lemongrass; 3 tbsp white sesame seeds; 1 tbsp ground black pepper

This Vietnamese BBQ marinade combines Korean BBQ sauce, char siu, and fish sauce with lemongrass and sesame for a savory, umami-rich coating that works on pork, beef, chicken, and lamb. It's ideal for batch marinating and delivers authentic Southeast Asian flavor to any grilled meat.

🌍Vietnamese 🏷️Marinade 🏷️Grilling 🏷️Asian 🏷️All-purpose Meal-prep

About·Privacy·Terms

🏷️

0:00

-0:00

Disabled

Auto

0.25x

0.5x

0.75x

Normal

1.25x

1.5x

1.75x

TikTok

Total

5 min

Servings

Difficulty

Easy

Est. Cost

$19–$31

Recipe Source

View original recipe

From TikTok

0:00

-0:00

Disabled

Auto

0.25x

0.5x

0.75x

Normal

1.25x

1.5x

1.75x

TikTok

Ingredients

58 oz Korean BBQ sauce for ribs
14 oz char siu sauce
1/2 cup lite soy sauce
1/2 cup fish sauce
1 cup water
1/2 cup cooking oil
3/4 cup minced lemongrass
3 tbsp white sesame seeds
1 tbsp ground black pepper

9 Ingredients

Delivery in as fast as one hour.^*

Prices vary by store

^*Service fees apply. Instacart^® and the Instacart logo are registered trademarks of Maplebear Inc. d/b/a Instacart.

Instructions

1
In a large mixing bowl, combine the Korean BBQ sauce and char siu sauce.
2
Add the lite soy sauce, fish sauce, water, and cooking oil to the bowl.
3
Add the minced lemongrass, white sesame seeds, and ground black pepper.
4
Stir with a spoon or whisk until all ingredients are thoroughly combined.
5
The marinade is now ready. Use it to marinate your choice of meat, such as pork, beef, or chicken, before grilling or cooking.

Was this recipe helpful?

Tips & Notes

Pro tips

Let marinated meat sit at room temperature for 15–20 minutes before grilling to ensure even cooking and better caramelization.
Reserve a small portion of marinade before adding raw meat to use as a finishing sauce or glaze on cooked meat.
The sesame seeds add texture when toasted lightly before mixing; bloom them in a dry pan for 1–2 minutes to enhance nuttiness.
Char siu and Korean BBQ sauce vary in saltiness—taste the combined marinade and adjust soy sauce and fish sauce to avoid oversalting.

Substitutions

Korean BBQ sauce → hoisin sauce mixed with ketchup (slightly sweeter, less depth)
Char siu sauce → oyster sauce mixed with honey (milder and less caramelized)
Lemongrass → lime zest + 1 tbsp ginger paste (brighter, less herbaceous)
Fish sauce → soy sauce (reduces umami but remains savory)

Storage & make-ahead

Store the marinade in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Marinated meat keeps 2–3 days refrigerated; freeze for up to 1 month.

Equipment

grill or grill pan · large mixing bowl · food processor or mincer (for lemongrass)

Common Questions

How long should I marinate meat in this Vietnamese BBQ sauce?

Marinate for at least 2–4 hours for light flavor, or 8–12 hours for deeper penetration. Overnight marinating is ideal for tougher cuts like beef.

Can I use this marinade for meal prep?

Yes. Combine meat and marinade in a container or zip-lock bag and refrigerate up to 3 days. This makes it excellent for batch cooking throughout the week.

What meats work best with this marinade?

Pork ribs, pork shoulder, beef short ribs, chicken thighs, and lamb chops all absorb the flavors well. Fattier cuts benefit most from the umami-rich sauce.