Finding the ingredients
You can open unfamiliar ingredients directly from the list. Many Korean pantry basics are easiest to find in Asian grocery stores or online, while fresh ingredients can often be handled more flexibly.
Onion Marinade Sauce for Meat (Chamsauce Style, 참소스 스타일)
Category: Authentic Korean Dishes🕒 30 mins🍽️ 4 servings
From my kitchen
How I cook this at home
I keep this recipe practical for everyday cooking: clear steps, linked ingredients, and small notes from my kitchen so you can make it realistically in Germany too.
My notes for this recipe
Today, for those who love BBQ culture in Korea, I will introduce the onion marinade sauce, following the ssamjang. Actually, in Germany, there are a few places where you can buy ‘Chamsauce’. This sauce is simple to use, but since it’s hard to find, I make it myself.
Why do we need this sauce? Well, like in Germany, we grill meat in Korea as well, and personally, I think the reason I can enjoy eating meat is because of these various side dishes. We eat it with bean sprouts, kimchi, and vegetable wraps with ssamjang. Especially, eating ‘samgyeopsal’ (pork belly) with this soy sauce onion marinade tastes amazing. My family tends to eat it a lot! 😂
The recipe is simple.
Quick tips
- Read the ingredients and steps once before you start.
- Prepare the sauce, vegetables, and toppings first so cooking feels calmer.
- Adjust the final flavor gently with soy sauce, salt, sugar, or sesame oil.
How I cook it
Slice the onions. If you like a crunchy texture, slice them thickly; if you prefer them fully pickled, slice them thinly with a mandolin.
If the onions are too strong in flavor, soak them in cold water for about 20-30 minutes to reduce the sharpness.
Strain the onions.
While the onions are soaking, simply mix the other ingredients.
Before serving, pour the sauce over the sliced onions, or if you’ve cut them thickly, prepare the sauce in advance.
Small notes
Slice the onions. If you like a crunchy texture, slice them thickly; if you prefer them fully pickled, slice them thinly with a mandolin.
If the onions are too strong in flavor, soak them in cold water for about 20-30 minutes to reduce the sharpness.
Strain the onions.
While the onions are soaking, simply mix the other ingredients.
Before serving, pour the sauce over the sliced onions, or if you’ve cut them thickly, prepare the sauce in advance.
Either way, it’s delicious. You might end up eating too much meat! 🍽️
Ingredients you can open and learn about
Small questions that often come up
Can beginners make this recipe?
Yes. Read through the steps once and prepare the ingredients first. That makes the recipe much easier to follow.
Where can I find Korean ingredients?
Asian grocery stores, Korean online shops, and larger supermarkets with an Asian section are usually the easiest places to start.