Ping Gai Chicken - Laotian "Grilled Chicken Chicken"

While less popular than beef and pork, lamb was the original barbecued meat (Google barbacoa for details), and may be the best suited for cooking over smoky coals. That’s especially true when paired with this very simple Korean-inspired marinade. This really did taste every bit as good as it looked, and that’s saying something.

Lamb has a slight, subtly sweet gaminess, which works perfectly with the funky goodness of our gochujang chili paste, and if you let it soak overnight, you’ll be rewarded with a juicy interior as well. I love using rack for this, since it’s more tender, and easier to work with than leg, and a little more user friendly than chops.

You should find gochujang at any grocery store where the cool kids shop, but if not, it’s available online. Here is the one I used, just in case that matters. If you do happen to splurge for a jar, trust me, you’ll use it all by the end of summer.

By the way, the ingredient amounts below will only allow for a few tablespoons of sauce, once reduced. If you want more, just double the amounts, and save half to add to your reduction. A little more sauce probably isn’t a bad idea, especially if there’s going to be rice around. Either way, I really do hope you give this a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 4 Portions:

2 trimmed racks of lamb (about 1 pound each)

2 tablespoons gochujang chili paste

6 cloves crushed garlic

1/4 cup finely minced green onions

2 tablespoons brown sugar

3 tablespoons rice vinegar

1 tablespoon sesame oil

1/4 cup soy sauce

1 teaspoon kosher salt