We love lettuce wraps: so tasty and so fun to assemble. The zesty flavors in these Korean-Style Spicy Steak Lettuce Wraps make them an interactive standout—but you have to like a kick to your food, mostly from gochujang.
More and more recipes call for gochujang, the popular Korean chili paste with the spicy and bold miso-like flavor. But as popular as it has become, it can still be tough to track down. The good news is there are many ways to substitute for gochujang. The bad news: none will have the same complexity of flavor. Authentic versions of this Korean chili paste ferment for months to get that sweet and sharp miso bite.
You’re best bet is to check out an Asian Mart, that’s where we find it every time. But if you seriously can’t find any locally, try ordering it over the Internet before trying to replicate your own. In desperation, the grocery store alternatives are Sriracha chili sauce or a Thai chili paste, but neither are truly viable alternatives.
Korean-Style Spicy Steak Lettuce Wraps
Ingredients
- 1-1/2 lb. skirt steak
- 1/4 cup gochujang (Korean red chile-bean sauce)
- 2 Tbs. Asian sesame oil
- 2 Tbs. soy sauce
- 2 medium cloves garlic, minced
- 1 Tbs. rice vinegar
- 4 medium scallions, thinly sliced
- 2 medium carrots, grated
- 1 large head Boston or butter lettuce, leaves separated
- 1-1/4 cups prepared cabbage kimchi, coarsely chopped
- Kosher salt
Directions
- Position a rack 6 inches from the broiler and heat the broiler on high. Line a large heavy-duty rimmed baking sheet or broiler pan with foil and put the steak on it.
- Whisk the gochujang, sesame oil, soy sauce, and garlic in a small bowl.
- Rub 3 Tbs. of the mixture all over the steak and let marinate at room temperature for 10 minutes.
- Whisk the vinegar into the remaining gochujang mixture and set aside in a small serving bowl.
- Arrange the scallions, carrots, and lettuce on a large serving platter in individual mounds. Place the kimchi in a serving bowl.
- Broil the steak, flipping once, until medium rare (125°F), 3 to 4 minutes per side. Let rest for 5 minutes, then slice as thinly as possible against the grain.
- Season to taste with salt and mound on the serving platter. Bring all the components to the table for everyone to assemble their wraps as they like.
Accounting for Taste 
Hello. How are you doing on this fine day. I want to try this wrap,sounds very healthy. I have one question though. Is there something else I can use besides gochujang? Its not sold at any of the stores near by.
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Try to order it online (Amazon.com) because the substitutes, Sriracha chili sauce or a Thai chili paste, don’t work as well. If you’re really energetic, you can make it yourself. I found several recipes online…
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Thank you so much for getting back to me.
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