What is Bulgogi?
Bulgogi, also known as Korean barbecue is one of the most popular Korean dishes in the world. If you have ever been to a KBBQ buffet, then there’s a big chance that you’ve had this dish before.
Bulgogi is typically made with thinly sliced beef, marinated in a sweet, savory, and aromatic sauce for 4+ hours or overnight for that mouth-watering, juicy flavor. Some of the most common ingredients in the seasoning include sesame oil, soy sauce, sugar, garlic, onions, and Korean pear(which acts as a tenderizer and also adds natural sweetness to the beef)
Bulgogi has always been one of my top favorite foods to make because not only does it taste amazing, but also you can make a big batch at once and leave it in the freezer for whenever you feel like it!
fun facts: I was inspired to make this recipe by the Kdrama Our Beloved Summer in episode one where the main character Choi Woong complained about not getting enough sleep emphasizing the importance of it by comparing humans with marinated meats. “even Beef gets at least 8 hours of marination to look good so why am I only getting 3 hours of sleep?” Therefore guys, make sure you get that full 8 hours of marination for the best results!! also, get yourself a lot of rest too for a better day:)
Protein Choices
Although bulgogi is typically made out of thinly sliced beef such as sliced Ribeye, Sirloins, or shabu beef, it can be replaced with really any protein of your preference.
One excellent substitution would be thinly sliced pork bellies, since the fat content is very similar to sliced beef rib eye, the texture, and flavor will also taste very similar as well. You can find them easily at your local Asian grocery markets such as H-Mart!
Some of the Tools You May Need for this Recipe
Preparation Process
First, Start by chopping up all of the aromatics(onions, green onions, garlic), and then put them in a big bowl
after that, add in your thinly sliced beef ribeye along with soy sauce, brown sugar, mirin, sesame oil, honey, and grated pears
it is also optional to add in a little of gochugaru(red chilli flakes for extra color/spice)
mix everything well with the beef and then cover it with saran wrap to marinate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
lastly, Stir fry them on a nonstick pan, add green onions and sesame seeds as a topping, and pair it with your favorite side dishes! you’re all done.
Tips for success!
- If you have time, please make sure you let the meats sit in the marinate for at least 8 hours for that full flavor
- Using fruits like pears or kiwi can highly increase the texture and also add natural sweetness to your bulgogi so please do not skip them!!
- Since bulgogi is typically cooked on a bbq grill with holes in the middle, when you are frying them at home, make sure you don’t overcrowd the pan as there will be more liquids evaporated during the cooking process.
- Serve your bulgogi with Korean side dishes like kimchee!! I promise you it is such a combo made in heaven! the sweetness and savory flavor of bulgogi match perfectly with the sour umami taste of kimchee.
For Storage
If you can’t finish cooking the bulgogi after marinating them, store them in an airtight container or a Ziploc bag, remove as much air as you can, and then place it in the fridge to store for around 1-2 weeks or in the freezer up to months. When you do crave it or want to have it, simply take them out of the Ziploc bag and pan fry them!
Beef Bulgogi
One of my favorite/classic Korean dishes that you can now make at home and might even taste better than the ones you had in KBBQ buffets!
Ingredients
- 1.5 lb beef ribeye cuts
- 1/2cup soy sauce
- 1/4cup brown sugar
- 2tbsp mirin
- 5cloves of minced garlic
- 1/2 sliced onion
- 1 chopped green onions
- 2 tbsp honey
- 1/2cup pear (grated)
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 1tbsp Gochugaru (red chilli flakes) optional for spice
topping
- sesame seeds
- chopped green onions
- kimchee
Instructions
- start by slicing half of the onion, 1 whole green onion. mince 5 cloves of garlic and grate 1/2 of pear
- add them into a big bowl and then add in soy sauce, mirin, brown sugar, sesame oil, honey, and some gochugaru along with the thinly sliced ribeyes
- marinate the beef in the sauce for at least 4 hours in the fridge or overnight
- once the sauce is absorbed, take them out of the fridge and pan fry for 1 or 2 minutes. If you have a BBQ grill at home, please feel free to use that instead!
- top it off with some more chopped green onions and sesame seeds and enjoy with some rice and kimchee!
watch video:
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