Read other stories from the "These stories were not AI-generated" special edition here.
I’ve set out to answer the question we’ve all wondered about: Can AI be trustworthy when it comes to cooking? Or will you find out the horror stories of glue as pizza sauce are true?
I made a Honey Garlic Korean BBQ Shrimp recipe because it’s a quick and easy crowd-pleaser. These shrimp have a diversified profile with acidity, sweetness and spice to please all palates. I chose to compare a recipe from the Half-Baked Harvest human source with one generated by AI.
After doing some research, I decided Grok would provide the best representation of an AI recipe. I wanted to do something that takes some skill while being easy enough for AI to handle.
1. Grok
My prompt was simple: “Create a recipe for me and a grocery list for Honey Garlic Korean BBQ Grilled Shrimp.”
This is what it spit out:
Here's a delicious Honey Garlic Korean BBQ Grilled Shrimp recipe. It's sweet, savory, garlicky, and has that signature Korean BBQ kick from gochujang (fermented chili paste). The shrimp grill up quickly with a sticky, caramelized glaze—perfect for skewers or straight on the grill.
Honey Garlic Korean BBQ Grilled Shrimp
Servings: 4 (as a main) or 6 (as an appetizer)
Prep Time: 15 minutes (+ 30-60 minutes marinating)
Cook Time: 6-8 minutes
Total Time: ~25 minutes active
Ingredients
For the marinade/glaze:
- ¼ cup low-sodium soy sauce (or tamari for gluten-free)
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 4 cloves garlic, minced or grated
- 2 tablespoons gochujang (Korean chili paste) — adjust to 1 tbsp for milder heat
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice (or lime juice)
- Optional: 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger for extra zing
For the shrimp:
- 2 pounds large or jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails on (fresh or thawed frozen)
- Neutral oil (like avocado or vegetable) for brushing the grill
For serving/garnish:
- 2-3 green onions (scallions), thinly sliced
- 1-2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
- Fresh cilantro or chopped Fresno/red chili pepper (optional, for color and heat)
- Lemon wedges
Instructions:
1. Make the marinade: In a large zip-top bag or bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, honey, minced garlic, gochujang, sesame oil, and lemon juice until smooth and the honey is fully dissolved.
2. Marinate the shrimp: Add the shrimp to the bag/bowl and toss gently to coat evenly. Seal and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes (up to 24 hours for deeper flavor). If marinating longer than 1 hour, stir or flip halfway.
3. Prep for grilling: If using wooden/bamboo skewers, soak them in water for 30 minutes to prevent burning. Preheat your grill (gas or charcoal) to medium-high heat (about 400°F). Lightly oil the grates to prevent sticking.
4. Grill the shrimp: Remove shrimp from the marinade (reserve the leftover marinade for basting). Thread 4-5 shrimp per skewer, or place them directly on the grill if not using skewers. Grill for 2-3 minutes per side, until the shrimp turn pink, opaque, and slightly charred. Baste with reserved marinade during the last minute for extra sticky glaze (bring the marinade to a quick boil first if desired for safety, or use a fresh batch).
5. Finish and serve: Remove from the grill and immediately sprinkle with sliced green onions, sesame seeds, and optional cilantro or chili slices. Squeeze fresh lemon over the top. Serve hot with rice, kimchi, grilled veggies, or in lettuce wraps.
Tips:
- Don't overcook—the shrimp cook fast and become tough if left on too long.
- For indoor cooking: Use a grill pan or broil on high for 2-3 minutes per side.
- Spice level: Gochujang provides the Korean BBQ flavor; start low and add more next time if you like it hotter.
- Make it a meal: Pair with steamed rice, cucumber salad, or Korean-style slaw.
Grocery List
(Quantities based on the recipe above; scale as needed. Assumes you may have basics like oil or garlic at home.)
Produce:
- Fresh garlic (1 bulb or 4+ cloves)
- 1 lemon (or lime)
- Fresh ginger (optional, 1-inch piece)
- Green onions (1 bunch)
- Fresh cilantro (optional, 1 small bunch)
- Fresno or red chili pepper (optional, 1)
Seafood:
- 2 lbs large/jumbo raw shrimp, peeled & deveined, tails on (fresh or frozen)
Pantry/Condiments:
- Low-sodium soy sauce (or tamari) — 1 bottle if needed
- Honey — 1 small jar
- Gochujang (Korean chili paste) — 1 tub (essential for authentic flavor; find in Asian aisle)
- Toasted sesame oil — 1 small bottle
- Sesame seeds (toasted if possible) — 1 small jar
Other:
- Wooden skewers (if using) — 1 package
- Neutral grilling oil (avocado, vegetable, or canola)
This should make for a quick, flavorful weeknight dinner or weekend BBQ hit. Enjoy! If you want variations (like spicier, sweeter, or air-fryer versions), just let me know.
I chose “Half Baked Harvest” because it is one of my favorite blogs to get recipes from. Its creator, Tieghan Gerard, is a New York Times bestselling author and has garnered millions of social media followers.
Gerard has a background in food styling, so the recipe photos are always stunning. Her cooking credibility has been verified by being featured on major platforms such as Food Network.
This is her recipe:
Servings: 6
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Ingredients:
- 2 pounds shrimp, shell off, tail off
- 1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 4 cloves garlic, minced or grated
- 2 tablespoons gochujang
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- juice of half a lemon
Citrus Butter:
- 2 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
- 1/3 cup fresh orange juice
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
- 1 fresno pepper, sliced
Instructions:
1. In a large ziplock bag, combine the soy sauce, honey, garlic, gochujang, sesame oil, and lemon juice. Add the shrimp, seal the bag and toss to coat. If desired, you can marinate the shrimp for up to 24 hours, but it's not imperative.
2. To make the citrus butter. In a small sauce pan, combine the butter, orange juice, and lemon juice and cook over medium heat until the sauce is melted and smooth. Remove from the heat and stir in the cilantro and chiles.
3. Preheat an outdoor grill or grill pan to high.
4. Thread the 4-5 shrimp on skewers and grill each skewer for 2 minutes per side or until the shrimp is cooked through.
5. Arrange the skewers on a platter or plate and serve drizzled with the citrus butter and top with sesame seeds and cilantro. Enjoy!
My Final Verdict:
Honestly, I loved the AI recipe. The detailed description pleasantly surprised me.
Additionally, it added grated ginger, which created a burst of flavor with the salty soy sauce and sweet honey. Giving instructions to soak the skewers and describing how the shrimp should look was helpful.
Both recipes used similar ingredients. Grok suggested green onions, lemon wedges and cilantro, while Half Baked Harvest included a drizzle of citrus butter for a finisher.
I love the ability to tell AI to give me a grocery list that I can easily follow. The food blog, Half Baked Harvest, didn’t include that kind of detail.
Which recipe is better depends on your taste. I liked the spice of the Grok recipe, while the citrus butter of the blog recipe added a richness to the crunch of the shrimp.
The AI recipe’s added ginger kick with lemon juice created a pungent flavor, while the Half Baked Harvest was more subtle.
If you like strong Asian flavors or spicy food, you would like the first one. However, I think Half Baked Harvest added a creamy touch to complement the cilantro and lemon juice. To me, a drizzle of butter adds extra flavor, but it’s important not to overdo it.
Both recipes utilized sesame seeds and cilantro, which I think added necessary crunch, pepper and nuttiness.
Half Baked Harvest had a “Cook Mode” to keep the screen from going dark, which was helpful. It also automatically included a calorie estimate. Grok requires another prompt but can break down the calories and macros.
Maybe it’s the cynic in me, but I am wary of trusting AI’s calculations.
While Grok generated a delicious recipe, nothing can ever replace the satisfaction of knowing a human intentionally crafted a recipe.
The fun blog description of how the chef came up with the recipe and other commentary makes the experience feel more personal.
Cooking is culture. Cooking is connection.
Although AI can be a helpful tool, human culinary ingenuity will always hold my heart.
Contact Summer Johnston at sjohnston@alligator.org. Follow her on X @summerajohnston.
