Preheat broiler to high. In a bowl, combine ground beef (1 lb), crushed Ritz crackers (15 crackers), egg, garlic (3 cloves), ginger, and a pinch of salt. Mix gently with your fingertips—do not squeeze or compress the meat. Stop as soon as everything is combined. Loose packing is key to tender meatballs.

If you compress the meat, you make hockey pucks. Loose pack only. • Meat mixture holds together but looks loose, not dense • Smell of garlic and ginger

Form mixture into 12-16 meatballs (about 1.5 inches each). Roll gently—don't pack tightly. Arrange on a rimmed baking sheet lined with foil or parchment, spacing them 1 inch apart.

Wet your hands to prevent sticking • Golf ball-sized meatballs on baking sheet

Broil meatballs on high (about 6 inches from heat) for 10 minutes until browned and cooked through. They should be caramelized on top but still juicy inside.

Watch closely—broilers vary. If burning, move rack lower. • Dark brown tops, sizzling fat • Smell of browning meat

While meatballs cook, make the glaze. In a small saucepan, combine soy sauce (¼ cups), brown sugar (¼ cups), sesame oil (1 tbsp), gochujang (1 tbsp), and 2 tbsp water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Simmer until thick and bubbly, about 5 minutes. The glaze should foam and reduce by half—it will look like lacquer.

Sugar burns fast. Watch the reduction—it goes from syrup to carbon in 30 seconds. • Dark, glossy syrup that coats the back of a spoon • Sweet, savory caramel smell

Transfer cooked meatballs to a large bowl. Pour glaze over and toss gently to coat every surface. The glaze should cling like lacquer, not run off.

If glaze runs off, return it to the pan and reduce more • Shiny, dark brown meatballs

Transfer to a serving plate. Sprinkle with sesame seeds (1 tbsp) and scallions (2 whole). Serve immediately with rice or as an appetizer.

Glaze sets as it cools—serve hot • Glossy meatballs topped with white sesame and green scallions