Asian pears—and some say, apples and kiwis—contain enzymes that dissolve protein and connective tissue and are the secret to every Korean grandma’s outrageously delicious barbecue recipe. In this kalbi recipe given to me by my friend Susan’s grandma, kiwis are peeled and pureed before being mixed into the meat marinade. Popular Korean food blogger Maangchi uses pureed pear in her recipe for beef bulgogi, and I’ve seen recipes using pear juice or shredded apple too.
For the simplest application, mash or slice fruit and spread over thin cuts of meat and leave for a few hours before grilling.
