Korean Beef Bulgogi
by Chungah
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A super easy recipe for Korean BBQ with the most flavorful marinade! The thin, tender slices of meat cook SO quickly!
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It was always a treat when my mom would whip this up on those busy weeknights – marinating the beef just a few hours while I was at swim practice. And then she’d throw these onto a hot skillet, filling up the house with the best kind of beef aroma – you know, the smell at the Korean BBQ restaurants that gets you so hungry.
The meat cooked in seconds, and she’d serve these with perilla leaves, white rice, and ssamjang (best known as a Korean BBQ dipping sauce). It was just perfection. But with my mom being in Korea, she doesn’t really get a chance to make this for me anymore. So I’ve done my best to “grow up” and whip this up myself. Now to be honest, nothing beats my mom’s cooking but this is a very close second.
what is korean bulgogi
Bulgogi (๋ถ๊ณ ๊ธฐ) 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.
tips and tricks for success
- Freeze the steak for 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.
- 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.
- 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.
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.
more favorited korean recipes
Tools For This Recipe
Cast iron grill pan
Korean Beef Bulgogi: Frequently Asked Questions
We prefer ribeye and top sirloin, but flank steak or skirt steak can also be used for a more budget-friendly option.
Fuji apple is a suitable 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 aย cast iron grill pan, you can also use aย large cast iron skillet.
Bulgogi is commonly served with rice and a side of kimchi, cucumbers, perilla leaves and ssamjang.
Korean Beef Bulgogi
Video
Ingredients
- 1 ยฝ pounds boneless rib eye steak
- ยฝ small pear, peeled and coarsely grated
- ยผ 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
Did you make this recipe?
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One of the best recipes I’ve ever tried!
I cook a 5 course wine pairing dinner once a month at the rural Johnsonville, Wisconsin restaurant that I am the cook at. This recipe was outstanding but I have to give you a tip: if you are making batch upon batch of this in large cast iron frying pans, be sure to wipe them out after every couple batches. I kept on doing batch after batch and the sauce nearly ruined my pants by getting completely stuck on them like shellac! I have since learned that if you put a bit of water and vinegar in the pan and bring to a boil it is easier to remove. The vinegar changes the pH and releases whatever is stuck on.
Iโve made many of your recipes and love them. My biggest question is I can never get my beef meat tender. Iโve tried cutting it against the grain but it still doesnโt come out tender. Iโll take any helpful tips. Thank you.ย
Also I donโt know if you celebrate the catholic Christmas holiday but Iโm wishing you and your family a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year too!!! โ๏ธโ๏ธ
Hey Michelle, if you’re trying to tenderize further you should take a look at “velveting” your meat. It’s a technique very prevalent in Chinese cooking (Im not sure on its Korean authenticity) where you soak your protein in a baking soda slurry for 30mins-1hour prior to marinating and it does wonders for creating a tender final product.
This recipe is SO GOOD!!! My husband and I made it for dinner last night and I’m eating leftovers for lunch today. It was SUPER simple to make and SO FLAVORFUL!!!!! Our local store doesn’t have the best selection, so I got the toasted Sesame Oil delivered from Amazon. Thank you for sharing!!! This recipe is DEFINITELY going to be added to our Go-To dinner list. YUM!!!!
This is the first time i have ever left a recipe reviewโฆ omfg.. this was soooo good. ย We order this from a local restaurant often because we love it and this was just as goodโฆ if not betterโฆ Iโm pretty sure it was betterโฆ. Thank you for the recipe. ย Iโm going to make it for company next time ๐
Perfect…just like my grandma’s recipe.thanks for helping find a family favorite.
I only marinated these steaks about 30 minutes. I also made extra sauce and warmed it in a sauce pan. This was INCREDIBLE. I will definitely make this again. I didnt have pear so I grated some apple up instead.
I am currently in the hospital and upon release cannot have regular food for another week and a half, but when I can, this is what I am going to make and eat!!! I will let you know how it goes but I am certain it will be delicious. Thinking about serving with some crispy Asian potatoes.
I have made this recipe many times and I love it. For a kids version, I leave out the gochujang. I also like to cook some in a soy sauce soup base with glass eye noodles and black pepper. Makes a lovely lunch. I add carrots and onion to the marinade as well. Such a winner
Can I substitute olive oil or avocado oil for the vegetable oil?
Amazing recipe and super easy. Came home late with only frozen ground beef on hand. Sadly no steak. So I sautรฉed that up and added all sauce ingredients. Not the same but in 10 minutes a meal was ready. Thanks so much!
Absolutely delicious!So easy.Thank you.
I don’t eat beef but my niece and nephew sure do. Their favorite thing I’ve ever made hands down. (It’s amazing that burnt pancakes didn’t make the list lol.) Thanks for recipe.
so good, made it for dinner and was amazing. i added onion powder and black pepper and it was really delicious
amazing
I did make this yesterday for a Pot Luck at work. I did a Filipino Korean fusion. I made siopao (steamed buns) with beef bulgogi, onions, green onions and Chayote as the filling. An instant hit. My Filipino mom who is also part ย Korean and Chinese asked me to make it solely for her.
This sound like an amazing fusion! Thanks for your creativity and blending the two cultures.
Will make today . I can tell I will like it, Her recipe is easy to follow and the printed recipe is very, very well done.
I can almost taste it right now. Thank you.
“The key to bulgogi is using paper thin slices of meat.” – Yum! YES!
“Unwrap and slice across the grain into 1/4-inch thick slices.” – Where do you buy your paper? Probably 8 slices per inch is worth freezing.. you can slice raw meat into 1/4 inch slices.
Very good! Made with Korean style short ribs and was delicious!ย
I love this! Made it a few times now and saved it in my phone for future reference. Thanks for this, my favorite Bulgogi recipe!
Delicious!! I followed the recipe pretty much exactly and it came out perfect. I used top sirloin and an apple instead of a pear. It looked fantastic and tasted even better!! Iโm definitely saving this and making again.ย