Korean Beef Bulgogi
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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 (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.
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 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.
Korean Beef Bulgogi
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds boneless rib eye 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
Equipment
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.
Video
Notes
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I absolutely LOVE this recipe ( have tried many others) BUT…I wonder how to get the meat crispy as it should be cooked. The sauce is so thick (but very delicious) that there is no way the beef gets crispy; it is more like it is steaming in the sauce.I have also tried other frying pans in addition to the cast iron, but result still the same. It seems almost like I need to wipe the sauce off the meat before frying, but that would be time consuming, messy and a hassle. Any suggestions??? I even thought of perhaps doubling the marinade recipe, the grilling meat on charcoal grill and adding back to sauce.
Bulgogi is never crispy, always saucy
Hi Dale, I was having the same issue and finally this last time I made it (cast iron), I didnt cut the steak as thin (still thin but a little thicker) and it was less mushy/saucy. Still not “crispy” though.
Followed recipe exactly, but used chicken tenders and skinless/boneless thigh (all I had in the fridge). Cooked on gas grill and charred with a Searzall. Wrapped it up in red lettuce leaf
with mung bean sprouts and sweet eel sauce. Delish!
Will try w/ beef next time. Thanks!
I added thinly sliced bell pepper, onion, and mushroom. After marinating the beef, (I used thinly slices ‘Hot Pot’ beef). I fried the beef almost to the point that the fat was starting to char. Then added the rest of the ingredients. Served over white rice, with a side of kimchi. Great recipe. Thank you, Chungah
I regularly use your recipe for venison backstrap and it turns out great every time. The only substitutions I make are an apple in place of the pear and liquid aminos instead of soy sauce. I made it last night with venison that I cut into much smaller pieces, and it was the best version yet. It allowed the marinade/sauce to coat more of the meat, leading to a more flavorful and moister final product. That’s particularly important with venison since it has not fat. I paired this with kimchi, rice, and sauteed swiss chard (sautee stems for 5 min, add minced garlic, crushed red pepper, and leaves, sprinkle with liquid aminos, a dash of rice vinegar and goguchan to taste). An awesome diner! Thank you!
Fabulous flavor – thank you! The first time I made this I used flank steak and “not” low sodium soy “too salty” for my taste and the meat was a little dry. Really good… but not quite what I expected. The second time I made it, I used deboned beef short ribs cut very thin, low sodium soy and I added the rest of the marinade at 80% cooked (didn’t do that the first time). I also completely masticated the pear and added the pear juice in the marinade. It marinated for 6 hours. Don’t skip toasting the sesame seeds. This is an amazing recipe. I will try ribeye next time as the next experiment. Short ribs were pretty amazing though. This dish needs some fat in the beef.
Hi,
Noticed that this recipe is similar to Korean chicken kabobs except that this one uses pear and the other one uses rice wine. Can we sub rice wine for pear in this recipe? No pear in my fridge at the moment. Thanks
Silvia I often use apple of applesauce if I dont have the pear.
I have subbed a can of pineapple chunks or pineapple tidbits and it’s just as delicious.
I just made this last night and it was delicious! I’m now scouring your recipes for tonight’s dinner. My family thanks you!
I made this when I was pressed for time and energy, intending to use a jar that caught my eye at the supermarket, until I read the label and the first six ingredients were all variations on MSG and HFCS. Almost as quick and undoubtedly tastier and healthier. My wife’s stir fry vegies and some bought kimchi went beautifully with it. Thanks.
Simple, Easy, DELICIOUS! I used red leaf lettuce. My kids added some rice to theirs Everyone raved.
I think this meal was amazing!
Hello! If I don’t have a cast iron grill or skillet can I use a wok? Thanks!
Amazing! I made lettuce wraps with these – I used iceberg lettuce and red shiso leaf. SO tasty. My dinner guests were amazed 🙂
Yea
This sounds amazing. I prefer dishes not spicy. Would it be ok to omit the gochujang? If so any adjustments to other ingredients based on omission?
This sauce is amazing. My son said it was better than the stuff that came with Hello Fresh. Very yummy. Definitely a keeper.
Was this dish very spicy if you used the 고추장 (gochujang) or was it not that spicy?
You can find non spicy gochujang sauce in the supermarket. They usually sell 3 types – sweet, spicy or sweet and spicy.
Very flavorful
This sauce was amazing! I only had stew meat and needed a quick weeknight dinner, so I changed this up a little. I put the 3 lbs of stew meat and double the sauce in the crockpot and let it cook while I was gone all day. I made rice bowls with the meat, shredded cabbage, shredded carrots, onions, red peppers and avocado. The family wants to know when I will make it again.
Great idea!
Delicious, just a little too much ginger. Going to try again with less ginger. Also I doubled the sauce and cooked the meat in the sauce instead of oil to get that glazed finish.
Just tried Farmboy’s bulgogi, and it has the equivalent of 5 tablespoons of sugar for 500 grams. Made it with onions, and tasted pretty good though not quite as good as sushi restaurant and nothing hot in it whatsoever. That’s why your recipe is such a find. But I think I’ll substitute that paste for grinded crushed red pepper flakes; a few pinches thereof.
You absolutely should not substitute the gochujang. It is 100% necessary and red pepper flakes are a very poor imitation.
I didn’t have the pear or fresh ginger and used flank steak…. but this was still AMAZING!!!! Would HIGHLY recommend and my family is already asking to have it again! I let it marinate for 2-4 hours and I used Instant Pot to saute all the meat and then pressure cooked for 10 minutes. Perfect!! Easy recipe that tastes like you spent HOURS on. =)
i substituted apple juice instead and it turned out amazing!
So good! This recipe checked all of the boxes I was craving. I will definitely be making this again and again. Thank you for sharing!