Korean Beef Bulgogi
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This Korean beef bulgogi dish is an easy recipe for Korean BBQ with the most flavorful marinade! And the thin slices of meat cook so quickly!
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Why you’ll love this korean beef bulgogi
- Korean BBQ right at home. We’re talking marinated, tender meat with big bold flavors, cooked in just seconds and served with perilla leaves, white rice, and ssamjang (best known as a Korean BBQ dipping sauce). Yes, please!
- Dream weeknight dinner. This is one of those convenient, easy recipes you can make ahead of time (ideal for those busy weeknights!), marinating the Korean beef overnight for the most effortless prep ever. When ready to serve, the meat will cook through in just a few short minutes right in a hot cast iron skillet!
- Recipe that never disappoints. Korean bulgogi is a recipe you can keep coming back to week after week, serving over your favorite grains (ex. white rice, brown rice, fried rice, or cauliflower rice) and toppings (broccoli, carrots, corn, spinach, or peas).
what is korean bulgogi?
Bulgogi (불고기) is a Korean dish made of thinly-sliced meat typically marinated in soy sauce, sugar, sesame oil, garlic, ginger, and pear. Bulgogi is most commonly made with beef, but can also be made with chicken or pork.
How to make Korean beef bulgogi
- Slice the beef. Wrap the ribeye steak in plastic wrap and freeze for 30 minutes prior to slicing. This will make the meat firm and stable, allowing you to cut smooth, razor-thin 1/4-inch thick slices.
- Prep the marinade. Whisk together the coarsely grated pear, soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, garlic, ginger, and gochujang.
- Marinate. Combine the thinly sliced steak with the marinade, marinating for at least 2 hours (preferably overnight for maximum flavor).
- Sear the meat. Heat a cast iron grill pan or large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat with a splash of oil. Cook the beef in a single layer until slightly charred, caramelized, and cooked through, about 2-3 minutes. Pro tip: cook the beef in batches to avoid steaming the meat.
- Serve. Sprinkle with green onions and toasted sesame seeds, serving alongside steamed rice.
freezing and storage
Storage
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days.
Reheating
Let the meat sit at room temperature for 10-15 minutes. Reheat over medium high heat, stirring frequently, until heated through.
Freeze before cooking
Transfer the marinated meat to an airtight, resealable freezer bag. Label, date and freeze up to 2 months. To cook, thaw overnight in the fridge and cook as directed, adding a few more minutes of cook time as needed.
Freeze after cooking
Let cool completely. Transfer the meat to an airtight, resealable freezer bag. Label, date and freeze up to 2 months. To reheat, thaw overnight in the fridge, reheating over medium high heat, stirring frequently, until heated through.
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Korean Beef Bulgogi: Frequently Asked Questions
I prefer ribeye and top sirloin, but flank steak or skirt steak can also be used for a more budget-friendly option.
Fuji apple is an excellent substitute for the pear.
Gochujang is a red chili paste, a pantry staple in Korean cooking. It can be found in most grocery stores in a red, rectangular tub.
If you do not have a cast iron grill pan, you can also use a large cast iron skillet.
Bulgogi is commonly served with rice and a side of kimchi, cucumbers, perilla leaves and ssamjang.
Yes! Bulgogi freezes very well both before and after cooking, keeping in the freezer for up to 2 months.
Korean Beef Bulgogi
Video
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds boneless ribeye steak
- ½ small pear, peeled and coarsely grated
- ¼ cup reduced sodium soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
- 1 tablespoon gochujang, Korean red pepper paste
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
- 2 green onions, thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
Instructions
- Wrap steak in plastic wrap, and place in the freezer for 30 minutes. Unwrap and slice across the grain into 1/4-inch thick slices.
- In a medium bowl, combine pear, soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, garlic, ginger and gochujang. In a gallon size Ziploc bag, combine soy sauce mixture and steak; marinate for at least 2 hours to overnight, turning the bag occasionally.
- Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a cast iron grill pan over medium-high heat. Working in batches, add steak to the grill pan in a single layer and cook, flipping once, until charred and cooked through, about 2-3 minutes per side. Repeat with remaining 1 tablespoon vegetable oil and steak.
- Serve immediately, garnished with green onions and sesame seeds, if desired.
Equipment
Notes
- Freeze the steak before slicing. The key to bulgogi is using paper thin slices of meat. Throwing the steak in the freezer for 20-30 minutes will make it easier to slice the meat into very thin, even pieces. Pre-sliced bulgogi beef is also readily available at Korean and Japanese grocery stores.
- Slice against the grain. Always slice the beef perpendicular to the muscle fibers, shortening the fibers to allow for a more tender bite.
- Pear adds maximum flavor. Adding coarsely grated pear will not only add a subtle sweetness to the marinade, but it will also help tenderize the meat. Korean pear or Bosc pear can be used.
- Use reduced sodium soy sauce. Reduced sodium has less sodium and less salt without compromising flavor.
- Watch the marinating time. Marinate the beef for at least 2 hours but no longer than 24 hours as the natural enzymes of the pear will break down the protein too much, resulting in mushy, mealy beef.
- Use a hot cast iron grill pan. A heavy bottom pan, such as a cast iron grill pan, retains heat much better than a nonstick skillet, allowing for even cooking, a better sear and smoky, caramelized flavors.
- Cook in batches. Work in batches to properly sear the meat for maximum caramelization and smoky flavors. An overcrowded pan will unfortunately steam the beef instead.
- Freeze as needed. Marinated bulgogi is very freezer-friendly, great for meal prep and making weeknight meals even easier and quicker.
Did you make this recipe?
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Can you omit the gochujang or only put 1/2 tablespoon if my kids can’t handle spicy?
I made this recipe and it was amazing! I marinated the beef for 24 hours and it came out perfect. The depth of flavor is amazing. I will definitely be making this again. Thank you for posting this delicious recipe.
I just made this yesterday and it was delicious and tasted almost as good as the version at the Korean bbq place in my city. I only marinated it for 3 hours and it was still amazing. Next time I make it I’ll do a 12 hour marinade. Thanks for the amazing recipe!
I used a round steak and subbed dried ginger because I thought I had some fresh but was out when I actually started making the marinade, and it is delicious! Will absolutely be making this again and again!
Can’t find the fucking recipe
Tom, let’s watch the language here and find some kindness. The recipe is located in the recipe box. All you need to do is scroll down the page. Hope you have the best day.
Great recipe, I used the beef for Kimchi Fries.
I had 1 lb of wagyu steak but followed the recipe as written with one exception. I used half a small apple instead of a pear and 4 cloves of garlic. I made the marinade in a bowl before adding the steak and it is amazing. I’m half Korean and have used many recipes, including my mom’s, and used many bottled marinades but I have to say this is perfectly sweet and salty. I will add a sprinkle of black pepper when I fry it tomorrow. Can’t wait to try it.
I had 1 lb of wagyu steak but followed the recipe as written with one exception. I used half a small apple instead of a pear and 4 cloves of garlic. I made the marinade in a bowl before adding the steak and it is amazing. I’m half Korean and have used many recipes, including my mom’s, and used many bottled marinades but I have to say this is perfectly sweet and salty. I will add a sprinkle of black pepper when I fry it tomorrow. Can’t wait to try it.
This was fantastic!! Very tasty and I’m such a fan of the bulgogi flavor profile it hit the spot! And so easy…it’s going on our rotation of easy dish’s to make..
This is my girlfriends favourite food ever after living in korea for 2 years, i want to make it for her birthday and am an accomplished cook, my questioon is re the beef selection, marbling good but edge fat won’t render so should be trimmed? Ribeye can be fairly patchy.
Do you serve your bulgogi with ssamjang and lettuce wraps or simply over steamed rice?
Can you use an outside grill for this? Maybe on tin foil with some holes poked through?
This is one of my families favorite meals! It’s easy to make and has simple ingredients. There is so much flavor in the marinade that make it such a delicious and memorable dinner. I sometimes make this with shaved beef instead of ribeye for a cheaper option and it always turns out so good!
Very salty. I used low sodium soy sauce and it was not the sauce I expected…. Will try again with some alterations.
Gonna make now. I’m a tiny bit confused though. Only 1/4 cup of soy sauce for 1 1/2 half pounds of meat. I’m using 1 pound and even then 1/4 cup seems too little. I have to be missing something. Gonna double the recipe.
Im making this dish for 5 people tonight. I purchased 2 pounds of Rib Eye steaks while your recipe shows the ingredients for 1.5 pounds of steak. My question is for 2 pounds of steak should the amounts listed for the ingredients change if you are making an extra half pound of steak? Also your website does not allow you to change the number of servings.
For 2 pounds of ribeye instead of 1.5 pounds, increase the marinade ingredients by about 33% (multiply by 1.33). That would be approximately:
• 2/3 small pear, peeled and grated
• 1/3 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
• 2 Tbsp + 2 tsp brown sugar
• 2 Tbsp + 2 tsp toasted sesame oil
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 Tbsp + 1 tsp grated ginger
• 1 Tbsp + 1 tsp gochujang
• 2 Tbsp + 2 tsp vegetable oil, divided
• 2–3 green onions, sliced
• 1 1/3 tsp toasted sesame seeds
You don’t have to be perfectly exact—rounding slightly up or down on most of these ingredients will still turn out just fine.
You have probably already had the dinner and hope it turned out great.
If I want to make the marinade ahead of time, how long is it good for? I’m wondering if I should wait to shred and add the pears to make sure they don’t go bad too soon
The marinade contains fresh ingredients ( pear, garlic, ginger and green onions ) that go bad faster than the other ingredients. I wouldn’t keep it more than 3 days. Instead, consider seperating the fresh ingredients from the rest, or freezing the marinade.
Made it for dinner tonight. It was absolutely delicious. Everyone enjoyed the meal. I bought the sliced beef at Hmart (Asian market) making it a very easy meal to prepare. Will definitely be making it again.
Delicious! Made exactly as written and my entire family loved it. I think it would be even better with the beef sliced thinner than the noted 1/4 inch but flavor was spot on.
Delicious! I left to marinade over night. Very simple to make, and very tasty. Will make on a more regular basis.