Korean Beef Bulgogi Recipe

Korean Beef Bulgogi Recipe

Rich and savory Korean beef bulgogi made with thin slices of tender meat marinated in a sweet and salty sauce then grilled or stir-fried in a pan. Perfectly paired with steamed rice and kimchi as a side dish for a full meal, or serve with lettuce as a wrap.

If you’re in love with Korean food and barbecue, you’ll definitely love this Korean beef bulgogi recipe. It has the right saltiness and sweetness that makes you come back for more. Plus it is not really complicated to prepare at home.

The thin slices of beef that are marinated in a soy-based sauce seep into the meat that makes it so tasty. As it is also thin, it is great for grilling or stir-frying in a pan.

Great as a meal paired with rice and kimchi or a as low carb lettuce wraps.


What is bulgogi

The word bulgogi literally means “fire meat”. A traditional Korean barbecue dish made with tender parts of beef, pork, or chicken. But in general terms, unless specified, bulgogi is made with beef.

The meat is cut into very thin slices and marinated in a sweet-savory soy sauce with spices. It should be marinated for at least an hour or overnight is recommended to let the flavor soak deep into the meat.

Undoubtedly, bulgogi is one of the most well-known Korean traditional foods and has been around for years. The usual way of cooking bulgogi is by grilling on a barbecue or stove-top griddle. Naturally, the method of cooking this dish evolved through the years and stir-frying is now a common method being used in modern home cooking.

What cut of beef is perfect for bulgogi

The ideal part to use is a well-marbled tender cut of meat. The most commonly used cut is ribeye, sirloin, and tenderloin.

The ribeye has a rich flavor and is juicy due to the high amount of fat in the meat. Sirloin has leaner meat and but not as flavorful as the ribeye. The tenderloin, just like the sirloin, doesn’t have a lot of fat but an extremely tender cut with a milder flavor that makes it the most expensive cut of beef.

Great tips for making beef bulgogi

Freeze the beef before cutting. This is a good technique to easily cut the meat into thin slices. You can wrap each fillet individually with cling wrap and let the meat partially freeze for about 2 to 2 1/2 hours. The meat is ready if your knife goes through smoothly and you’re not having problems in thinly slicing it. If you do, you should put the meat back into the freezer and freeze it a bit longer. Slice the meat thinly, ideally in 2mm to 3mm (1/8 inch) thickness.

Add Asian pear to your marinade. Asian pears are good as meat tenderizers and also adds a sweet flavor to the marinade. Try to include them to make your meat tender.

Cook in a smaller batch. When you pan-fry the meat, it naturally releases juices. This would turn into steam if there is enough space to do so. To prevent this, do not overcrowd the pan. Leave some space between the meats for the juice to evaporate quickly. Cooking without any vegetables will also help not to create too much juice.

Cooking in a hot skillet. Another great tip is heating up the skillet high before you add the meat. So that when it touches the pan, it will start sizzling, searing, and caramelizing.  The thin meat will cook faster without drying out and will give it a nice char and smokey flavor.

What to serve with bulgogi

Serve bulgogi with steamed rice and other Korean side dishes such as kimchi.

You can also use some lettuce leaves to wrap the bulgogi. I love it to be paired with gochujang and some kimchi, sprinkled with more sesame seeds.

How to keep leftovers

Store cooked bulgogi in the fridge in an air-tight container for a few days. Left-over marinated bulgogi can be stored in the fridge for 3-4 days or in the freezer for a few weeks.

Try this ridiculously good Korean beef Bulgogi beef in your next meal which can also easily converted as a low-carb lettuce wrap! Happy tummy!

Other Korean recipes you might like:

Bibimbap – Korean Mixed Rice

Jjamppong – Korean Spicy Seafood Noodle Soup

Korean Cream Cheese Garlic Bread

Easy Kimchi Recipe

Kimchi Pancakes (Kimchijeon) with Dipping Sauce

beef bulgogi

Korean Beef Bulgogi Recipe

Julie
Rich and savory Korean beef bulgogi made with thin slices of tender meat marinated in a sweet and salty sauce then grilled or stir-fried in a pan. Perfectly paired with steamed rice and kimchi as side dish for a full meal, or serve with lettuce as wrap
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine Korean
Servings 4 persons

Equipment

  • Mixing bowls
  • Skillet/ wok & tong/ wooden spoon
  • Cling wrap
  • Measuring spoons and cups

Ingredients
  

Marinade:

  • 500 grams beef, sliced thinly (about ⅛ cm)
  • cup soy sauce
  • 2 and ½ tablespoons brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons sesame oil
  • 3 cloves garlic, grated
  • 1 tablespoon ginger, grated
  • 2 stalks green/ spring onions, chopped (white part)
  • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 2 teaspoons Korean chili paste (gochujang)
  • 1 small Asian pear, grated

Cooking/ Garnishing:

  • 2-3 tablespoons sesame oil, if needed
  • 1 medium carrots, julienned
  • 1-2 tablespoons sesame seeds
  • green/ spring onions, chopped (green part)

Instructions
 

  • In a mixing bowl, combine all the marinade ingredients except the beef. Mix thoroughly until sugar is completely dissolved and ingredients are incorporated.
  • Pour the marinating sauce over the beef slices and mix until every meat is fully covered.
  • Cover the bowl with plastic or cling wrap and let it marinate for 60 minutes or preferably overnight.
  • Place skillet or wok over medium heat. Using a tong, put a small batch of marinated beef in the skillet. Let the beef sear on each side until cooked through and have a nice brown color. Be careful not to overcook the meat so it stays tender.
  • Remove from skillet using tongs and do the same on the remaining meat. Set aside.
  • In the same skillet, add sesame oil. Add the carrots and stir fry for a few seconds until tender-crisp.
  • Add back the cooked meat to the skillet, sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds and green onions. Stir a couple of times until fully mixed. Transfer into a serving dish and sprinkle with another batch of sesame seeds and green onions.
  • Serve with steamed rice and a side of Kimchi for a full meal. Or serve with a lettuce and gochugang to make a wrap.
  • Share and enjoy!

Video

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