Flavorful Korean BBQ Spice Mix with Printable Tags

I love that this Korean BBQ spice mix is only mildly hot with a sweet side that works so well with any type of meat, as well as sprinkled on vegetables or rice bowls. It’s made with a few simple ingredients like gochugaru powder, sesame seeds, garlic, and a touch of brown sugar so it’s easy to mix together to have on hand. Or add it to small jars with the printable gift tags for a thoughtful homemade food gift!

I remember a time when I thought spice mixes were a waste of money and time. Just use salt and pepper with maybe some garlic or onion powder and call it good.

But that was before I made my first “all-purpose” spice mix and realized how it changed almost everything I used it on, whether rubbed on the outside of meat, sprinkled on top of vegetables, or included in ground meat for the best flavored patties I’d ever had.

So I started trying different flavor profiles for spice mixes and came to realize fairly quickly that having simple spice mixes on hand could help whatever you were making take on the flavor of the cuisine you wanted. Need a grilled meat to go with chips, salsa and a cumin lime slaw? Tex-Mex spice is perfect. Roasting vegetables to add to pita with chicken and feta? Mediterranean spice is the way to go.

As you can imagine, my spice cupboard now holds lots of spice mixes so I can easily add flavor to any dish. But I’m still always looking for new mixes to add and I have to say that this Korean BBQ spice mix is like a flavor-bomb! It is slightly spiced (the Korean chilies used are typically mild, but with a nice smokey flavor), slightly sweet, and really does have barbecue vibes. And while this makes an excellent rub for grilled and roasted meats, I find myself sprinkling it on so many things – vegetables (both before or after cooking), rice bowls, and maybe my favorite: cottage cheese.

Ingredient Notes

Most of the ingredients for this spice mix can be found in a well-stocked pantry like garlic powder, dry mustard, and brown sugar. The two you may not have are:

1. Gochugaru flakes (or crushed chilies): This might also be called Korean chili powder and is the key ingredient for this spice mix. These Korean chilies have a mild spice level with a smokey flavor that pairs well with traditional BBQ spices like mustard and sugar.
2. Sesame seeds: You can use either white or black sesame seeds for this mix. I typically have white sesame seeds in my pantry for stir fries and my homemade hummus, so that’s what I used here.

Make Korean BBQ Spice Mix

Step 3: Divide the spice mixture into small jars. I like to use 4-ounce (1/2 cup) mason jars for storage or gifting, but you can get creative with the container and use what you have.

Spice Mix Tags for Gifting

If you’d like to gift jars of this yummy spice mix, I created a set of simple tags for you to print (best printed on cardstock). Simply click on the image below:

Supplies Used

• Wooden jar lids
• Paper cutter
• Hole punch
• Parchment colored cardstock
• HP Envy Printer

How to Use Korean BBQ Spice Rub

You can, of course, sprinkle it on anything like you would with any spice, but there are other ways to use this slightly spicy-sweet spice mix, including as a dry rub, marinade, and glaze. The gift tags include using as a dry rub and I’ve included specific directions for more ways to use it in the recipe card below.

I think a box of two or three spice mixes would make a wonderful gift for so many occasions – Christmas, wedding showers, hostess gifts, or Father’s Day. Try this with Tex-Mex Spice Seasoning, Mediterranean Spice Rub Recipe, Thai Spice Rub, or my use-on-everything Amazing Basic Spice Rub & Seasoning.