Mouth-watering, incredibly delicious Korean Beef Bulgogi! BIG Korean BBQ flavor that can be put on the table in 30 minutes. Seriously tasty and so simple to make!
What is Korean Beef Bulgogi?
Korean Beef Bulgogi is a popular Korean meat dish that’s cooked on a grill plate. At Korean restaurants, Bulgogi is cooked over a hot grill pan in the middle of the table. Or, served on a hot plate already cooked.
As a Korean American, I grew up loving and eating this classic dish. The fast marinating and cooking time make Korean Beef Bulgogi an especially easy recipe for weeknight dinners.
To make at home, buy thinly sliced beef from the Asian market. Or, thinly slice any beef cut you like from the regular grocery store — flank steak, rib eye, or beef round. The marinade comes from pantry ingredients: soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic, ginger, and onion. To make it extra special, add pear. Then cook over a hot grill until sizzling hot!
Literally translated in Korean as “fire meat,” the flavor is incredibly delicious with a savory, salty-sweet, garlicky flavor that’s also got smoky char from the barbecue. The caramelized edges are so delicious!
Ingredients:
- Beef. The most frequently used bulgogi meat is thinly sliced rib eye. But thinly sliced flank steak also works well. Look in the refrigerated or freezer section at the Asian market. Defrost frozen rib eye before using.
- Onion. Use 1 large onion — 1/2 is pureed and added to the marinade. 1/2 is sliced and cooked in the pan.
- Asian Pear (optional). If you have it, pureed Asian pear (also called Korean pear) adds a subtle sweetness and wonderful texture. Can be subbed with Fuji apple, or a sweet, ripe pear (like Bartlett or Bosc).
- Soy Sauce. Deep, umami-rich, salty flavor and depth.
- Garlic. For that garlicky flavor. Don’t skimp on it!
- Green onions. Adds essential Korean flavor and more onion flavor.
- Sugar. Adds sweetness. Sub with brown sugar for a deeper flavor.
- Mirin. Sweet Korean/Japanese cooking wine.
- Sesame Oil. For nutty fragrance.
- Black Pepper. Freshly ground black pepper adds an earthy freshness.
Instructions:
- Make onion-pear puree. In a food processor, puree onion, garlic, ginger, and pear. Or, grate onion and mince garlic and ginger.
- Make marinade. In a large bowl, add the ingredients for the marinade.
- Add beef. Mix well to combine. Set aside to marinade for 30 minutes.
- Cook. Add to a hot skillet and cook until juicy and cooked through.
- Serve. Transfer to a plate and serve with rice, kimchi, and lettuce wraps, and enjoy!
PRO Tips:
- Aim for a smoky, charred flavor. Whatever cooking method you choose, try to achieve that smoky flavor by cooking until the meat caramelizes and changes color to a dark, glossy brown.
- Do not skimp on the aromatics! All that onion, green onion, garlic, and ginger is necessary to achieve that essential Korean flavor profile.
What cooking pan should I use?
There are several ways to cook at home. Choose the option that’s easiest and most accessible for you:
- Non-stick skillet. The classic cooking pan. The non-stick coating will make sure the marinade doesn’t stick and burn.
- Wok. Similar to non-stick skillet but it adds a slightly smoky flavor.
- Cast iron skillet. For charred, smoky bits that mimic the Korean BBQ flavor.
- Sheet pan. Broil on high heat on a foil-lined sheet pan. Easy for cooking large portions. Double or triple the recipe and spread out in one even layer. You can also get those little crispy, charred bits with this method.
- KBBQ-style Grill pan. Fit a grill pan over a butane gas burner in the center of the table. If cooking several different kinds of meats, save it for last as the marinade easily burns.
Note: This is not a dry meat dish. As you cook, the meat will release its juices. Save those juices and scrape into your serving platter. There’s nothing so good as bulgogi juice spooned on top of rice!
How to serve:
Korean Beef Bulgogi recipe is a basic that can be eaten on its own. Or, add to a variety of other meal ideas:
- Weeknight Meal. Make it simple with rice and steamed green vegetables.
- Bibimbap Rice Bowl. In a bowl, add steamed white rice. Top with a fried egg and Gochujang sauce.
- Korean BBQ. Add lettuce wraps, kimchi, Purple Rice, and Ssamjang for a Korean BBQ meal.
- Gimbap or Onigirazu. Roll up in rice and large sheets of roasted Nori.
- Jap Chae. A popular addition to Korean Glass Noodles or Jap Chae.
- Bahn Mi. Stuff into a crusty baguette with pickled daikon and carrot.
Serve with these easy Korean side dishes:
- Korean Potato Salad (Gamja Salad)
- Steamed Egg (Gyeran Jjim)
- Romaine Lettuce Salad (Sangchu Geotjeori)
FAQ:
What’s the difference between Bulgogi and Galbi?
They are both Korean BBQ beef dishes with a similar flavor profile. However, they are made with different cuts of meat. Bulgogi refers to thinly sliced meat cooked quickly over a high flame. Galbi refers specifically to short ribs or generally, meat that’s attached to bone. Think BBQ-style LA Galbi or rich, stewed Galbi Jjim.
I don’t have access to thinly sliced rib eye. Is there another cut of beef I can use?
Yes, thinly sliced flank steak or beef brisket also works. Make sure to slice against the grain and as thin as possible so it’s not too tough and chewy! To make slicing easier, freeze for 30-60 minutes first.
More easy Korean recipes :
- Spicy Pork Belly Bulgogi
- Yukhoe (Korean Beef Tartare)
- Ground Beef Bulgogi Bowls
- Osam Bulgogi [Squid + Pork Belly]
- Chicken Bulgogi.
Korean Beef Bulgogi (KBBQ Beef)
Equipment
- Non-stick Skillet
Ingredients
- 1 lb thinly sliced beef rib eye
In the food processor:
- 1/2 onion cut into chunks
- 1/2 Korean pear, peeled, cored, cut into chunks (optional, can be subbed with Bosc pear, bartlett pear, or fuji apple)
- 6 garlic cloves
- 1/2 inch ginger peeled and cut into chunks
In the prep bowl:
- 1/2 onion sliced thinly
- 2 green onions chopped (save some for garnish)
- 1/4 cup soy sauce (not the low sodium kind)
- 2 Tbsp sugar
- 2 Tbsp Mirin or rice wine
- 1 Tbsp sesame seed oil
- 1 Tbsp sesame seeds
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Puree onion-garlic-ginger-pear. In a food processor, combine 1/2 onion cut into chunks, pear chunks, garlic, and ginger. Whizz until pureed. You may have to scrape the bowl down several times during the process. (Or, grate with a box grater until juicy.) Scrape into a large bowl.
- Combine marinade together. In a large bowl, add onion-garlic-ginger-pear puree. Add 1/2 onion (thinly sliced), green onions, soy sauce, sugar, Mirin or rice wine, sesame seed oil, black pepper, and sesame seeds. Mix with a spoon until combined.
- Add thinly sliced beef. Add beef and mix well until it's coated completely with the marinade. Rest at room temperature for 15 minutes.
To cook:
- Non-stick skillet: heat over medium heat. Add 1 Tbsp neutral oil and add the bulgogi in one layer. Spread around with chopsticks and leave undisturbed for that bbq char, about 2-3 minutes. When the edges look cooked and the juices begin to release, mix around with a cooking spoon until the meat is no longer pink and cooked through. Continue cooking until the sauce has reduced somewhat and the meat is dark brown and caramelized.
- Cast iron skillet: heat over medium high heat. When the cast iron is hot, add 1 Tbsp neutral oil and swirl around in the pan. The oil should be smoking. Add bulgogi in one layer. Leave the meat undisturbed, to get that bbq char on one side. When the bulgogi looks brown and crispy on the edges, mix around with a metal spatula and finish cooking. The meat will release a lot of juice. The cooking process should take 5-8 minutes total!
- Wok: heat over high heat. Add 1 Tbsp neutral oil and swirl around. Add the bulgogi in one layer. Spread around with chopsticks and leave undisturbed for that bbq char, about 2-3 minutes. When the edges look cooked and the juices begin to release, mix around with a cooking spoon or metal spatula until the meat is no longer pink and cooked through, tossing as you go. Continue cooking until the sauce has reduced somewhat and the meat is dark brown and caramelized.
- Sheet pan: Adjust the oven rack so the top rack is 5-6 inches from the heat source at the top. Turn the oven to broil function and let it preheat for 10 minutes. Line a sheet pan with foil for easy clean up. Spread out bulgogi in an even layer, making sure it's not too crowded. When the oven has fully preheated, broil until fully cooked with crispy edges, about 6-8 minutes.
To serve:
- Serve. Transfer to a platter, making sure to include all the juices. Garnish with additional green onion and sesame seeds. Serve with lettuce wraps, rice, and kimchi for a complete meal. Ssam sauce is also a nice addition.
Notes
- Weeknight Meal. Make it simple with rice and steamed green vegetables.
- Bibimbap Rice Bowl. In a bowl, add steamed white rice. Top with a fried egg and Gochujang sauce.
- Korean BBQ. Add lettuce wraps, kimchi, Purple Rice, and Ssamjang for a Korean BBQ meal.
- Gimbap or Onigirazu. Roll up in rice and large sheets of roasted Nori.
- Jap Chae. A popular addition to Korean Glass Noodles or Jap Chae.
- Bahn Mi. Stuff into a crusty baguette with pickled daikon and carrot.
How can I make this spicy?
You can add 1-2 Tbsp of Gochujang to the marinade. Enjoy!!
I’ve made this recipe a bunch of times and it’s so tasty! Have you ever prepared it ahead of time and frozen it, either before or after cooking? I would think that you could prep multiple batches worth of the marinade and mix with meat and onions, let it marinate a while first, and then portion it out into freezer bags. That way, you don’t have to lug out (and clean) the food processor on a weeknight, just thaw a portion in the fridge the night before (plus you could buy the meat in bulk). Freezing after you cook it would probably be less ideal, but even more convenient. Do you think it would mess up the flavor or texture of the dish at all?
Yes, this recipe freezes well. I defrost in the fridge overnight and it doesn’t taste frozen at all. This cut of beef freezes very well as does the marinade. I’ve never cooked it from a frozen state though or defrosted in the microwave FYI. Good luck!
Quick easy and delicious! Adding this to my weeknight meal menu rotation!
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I just made this and I need to restrain myself from eating it all! So delicious. The charred bits are so amazing. I love your food, Lis!
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Thanks for sharing! i really appreciate the meat explanation as I never know what meat to buy. Now I know!