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This bulgogi recipe for Korean barbeque beef yields unbelievably tender, juicy, and flavorful caramelized meat. The magic is in the marinade, which is a perfect blend of sweet, salty, and umami flavors to help tenderize the thinly-sliced meat!
When I lived in the DC area, my favorite place to head to for amazing Korean food was in Annandale, Virginia. If you’re familiar with the area, you’re probably aware that it’s known for fabulous, authentic Korean food!
I became a regular at one Korean BBQ restaurant, and I must have asked them at least 10 times what their secret is to the best, most tender bulgogi. They shared the secret with me! And I’m going to let you in on it.
The trick to getting out-of-this-world tender, flavor-packed beef bulgogi is two-fold: 1) use a gorgeously marbled steak like ribeye, and 2) add a grated Asian pear to the marinade. It’s as easy as that!
Ribeye was the obvious part of that equation, but the Asian pear was new to me. The acid in the fruit helps to tenderize the meat as it marinades. Absolutely brilliant, right?
You can frequently find Asian pears in the produce section of a regular supermarket. If not, you could head to a local Asian grocery store to look for them. However, if you can’t find Asian pears, Bosc pears make a good substitute.
With this recipe, you can make restaurant-quality Korean beef bulgogi right in your own kitchen!
In This Article
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Melt-in-your-mouth tender meat. Splurge on a good cut of meat here. Ribeye is my personal favorite because of the marbling, but top sirloin also works well.
- Flavorful marinade. The magic really is in the marinade with Korean beef bulgogi.
- Leftovers reheat well. Because the meat is so thinly sliced, it reheats really quickly too!
The Best Beef Bulgogi Recipe
Ingredients
Bulgogi Marinade:
- Soy sauce
- Brown sugar
- Rice wine (mirin)
- Toasted sesame oil
- Gochujang (Korean red chili paste) or crushed red pepper flakes if you can't find gochujang
- Garlic
- Ginger
- Black pepper
- Onion
- Bosc pear
Other:
- Ribeye or top sirloin
- Avocado oil or vegetable oil
- Onion
- Carrot
- Scallion
- Sesame seeds
Step-by-Step Instructions
How to Thinly Slice Steak for Bulgogi:
- To be able to slice the steak as thin as we need to, it helps to partially freeze it first. Freeze the steak until it’s firm, but not fully frozen, about 1 hour to 1 ½ hours. Very thinly slice the steak across the grain.
- Around 2mm-thick slices is perfect. Check out the gorgeous marbling - that will help keep the meat juicy!
Pro Tip: Look for a beautifully marbled ribeye or top sirloin steak for the best flavor and tender, juicy meat.
How to Make Beef Bulgogi:
- Peel and mince the garlic and ginger.
- Grate the pear and onion.
- Mix together all of the marinade ingredients in a large bowl. Add the steak and stir gently to coat.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 4 hours, or up to 8 hours. This is how the meat looks after marinating for 4 hours; notice how its color changes.
- Remove the steak from the marinade and lay it out in a single layer on paper towels to absorb excess moisture. Remove any larger pieces of pear, onion, garlic, or ginger that are on the steak.
- Preheat a large cast-iron or other heavy skillet over high heat. When the pan is scorching hot, add ½ tablespoon of oil. Add ¼ of the meat in an even layer, making sure not to crowd the pan.
- Cook for 2 to 3 minutes on the first side, and then flip the meat and cook for an additional 2 to 3 minutes. The meat should be caramelized but still tender when it’s done. Transfer the cooked meat to a plate, and cook the remaining meat the same way in 3 more batches. (Note that if you have an exceptionally large pan, you may be able to cook the meat in just 2 batches instead of 4.)
- Once all the meat is cooked, turn the heat down to medium. Add the onion, carrot, and half of the scallion.
- Cook until the vegetables are caramelized and starting to soften, about 1 minute, flipping them constantly.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the cooked beef. Top with scallion and sesame seeds, and serve!
How to Store and Reheat Korean Barbeque Beef
Once it’s cooked, you can store the meat in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
To reheat bulgogi, it’s best to use high heat for a very short period. Let the meat sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes first. Then you can briefly reheat it in a very hot oven (around 500F) or a very hot skillet (on high heat) until warm. Additionally, bulgogi reheats well in an air fryer; it takes about 2 minutes at 400F.
Tips
- Start with a great cut of meat. Look for a beautifully marbled ribeye, or alternatively top sirloin.
- Very thinly slice the meat. The trick here is to partially freeze the steak so you can thinly slice it easily.
- Look for an Asian pear to grate into the marinade. Or use a Bosc pear if you can’t find an Asian pear (also called a Korean pear).
- If you have a grill, use it! A cast-iron skillet works great, but the traditional way to cook bulgogi is over fire. (Its name literally translates as “fire meat”.) Make sure your grill is very hot so the meat caramelizes nicely. And be careful not to overcook it; bulgogi is thinly sliced and cooks fast!
- Make a bulgogi bowl. Serve the cooked beef on top of steamed rice with kimchi and other sliced veggies for a delicious, fun, and beautiful meal!
Beef Bulgogi FAQs
Why is Bulgogi so Good?
It will blow your mind how tender and delicious this meat is, and its sweet, salty, savory flavor profile takes it over the top!
There are a few reasons for this:
- It uses a good cut of meat with marbling, commonly ribeye, which is tender and juicy to begin with.
- The meat is sliced super thin, which helps it stay tender.
- It’s marinated in a savory, sweet, and salty marinade that not only helps to flavor the meat, but you guessed it – it tenderizes the meat even more.
- The caramelization factor. Because of the sugar in the marinade, the meat not only takes on a gorgeous char, but it also caramelizes as it cooks.
What Does Bulgogi Taste Like?
All in all, bulgogi pretty much tastes like bliss.
It is tender enough to melt in your mouth, no knife required! Korean bulgogi has a great balance of sweet, savory, and salty flavors with a touch of spice, not unlike teriyaki in Japanese cuisine.
Is Teriyaki the Same as Bulgogi?
They're similar, but no, they are not the same.
Japanese teriyaki and Korean bulgogi both contain soy sauce and sugar so they have a similar flavor.
Both may contain garlic, ginger, and/or sesame oil. However, teriyaki contains a bit more mirin than bulgogi.
Additionally, teriyaki frequently has sake. On the other hand, gochujang (Korean red chili paste) and Asian pear are commonly found in bulgogi but not teriyaki.
What Cut of Meat is Best for Bulgogi?
Ribeye or top sirloin with nice marbling works well for Korean barbeque beef.
Can You Marinate Bulgogi too Long?
Yes! As meat marinates, the reason it becomes tender is because it’s actually breaking down. It’s possible to break down the meat too much by marinating it too long.
I like to marinade beef bulgogi for 4 hours, but up to 8 hours is fine.
What do You Eat with Beef Bulgogi?
Any time I’ve had bulgogi it was served with steamed rice, lettuce leaves, and kimchi. Sometimes other pickled vegetables, steamed eggs, and/or Korean potato salad were included.
How Can I Make a Beef Bulgogi Bowl?
Serve the meat on top of steamed rice. Add a bit of kimchi, sliced vegetables (such as cucumber, carrot, or cabbage), and sprinkle on a little scallion and sesame seeds. Voilà – you have a bulgogi bowl!
More Asian Recipes to Make
- Tom Kha Gai
- Japanese Fried Rice
- Thai Noodles Recipe with Vegetables and Chicken
Beef Bulgogi Recipe (Korean Barbeque Beef)
By: Faith Gorsky
This bulgogi recipe for Korean barbeque beef yields unbelievably tender, juicy, and flavorful caramelized meat. The magic is in the marinade, which is a perfect blend of sweet, salty, and umami flavors to help tenderize the thinly-sliced meat!
5 from 1 vote
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes mins
Cook Time 20 minutes mins
Course Main Course
Cuisine Korean
Servings 6 servings
Calories 418 kcal
Ingredients
Marinade:
- 5 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari sauce or coconut aminos
- 4 tablespoons brown sugar lightly packed
- 2 tablespoons rice wine mirin
- 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon gochujang or 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (adjust to taste)
- 5 large cloves garlic peeled and minced
- 2- inch piece fresh ginger peeled and minced
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 small onion peeled and grated
- 1 Bosc pear grated (except the core)
Other:
- 1 ½ pounds boneless ribeye or top sirloin
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil or vegetable oil
- 1 onion peeled and thinly sliced
- 1 carrot peeled and thinly sliced
- 2 scallions green and white parts, thinly sliced, divided
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
Serving Suggestions:
- Prepared rice
- Kimchi
- Sliced fresh vegetables such as carrot, cucumber, cabbage, etc.
Instructions
Prep the Steak:
In order to be able to slice the steak as thin as we need to, it helps to partially freeze it first.
Freeze the steak until it’s firm, but not fully frozen, about 1 hour to 1 ½ hours.
Very thinly slice the steak across the grain. Around 2mm-thick slices is perfect.
For the Marinade:
Stir together all of the marinade ingredients in a large bowl.
Add the steak and stir gently to coat.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 4 hours, or up to 8 hours.
To Cook the Steak:
Remove the steak from the marinade and lay it out in a single layer on paper towels to absorb excess moisture. Remove any larger pieces of pear, onion, garlic, or ginger that are on the steak.
Preheat a large cast-iron or other heavy skillet over high heat. When the pan is scorching hot, add ½ tablespoon of oil. Add ¼ of the meat in an even layer, making sure not to crowd the pan. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes on the first side, and then flip the meat and cook for an additional 2 to 3 minutes. The meat should be caramelized but still tender when it’s done. Transfer the cooked meat to a plate, and cook the remaining meat the same way in 3 more batches. (Note that if you have an exceptionally large pan, you may be able to cook the meat in just 2 batches instead of 4.)
Once all the meat is cooked, turn the heat down to medium. Add the onion, carrot, and half of the scallion. Cook until the vegetables are caramelized and starting to soften, about 1 minute, flipping them constantly.
Remove from the heat and stir in the cooked beef.
To Serve:
Sprinkle the remaining scallion and the sesame seeds on top.
Serve.
Faith's Tips
- Nutritional Information: Information for this recipe was calculated without the serving suggestions.
- To Reduce the Carbs: Use keto brown sugar instead of regular brown sugar. This will lower the carbohydrates to 11g per serving (13g total carbs minus 2g fiber).
- Gluten Free Version: Use tamari sauce or coconut aminos instead of soy sauce.
- Grill It:A cast-iron skillet works great, but the traditional way to cook bulgogi is over fire. (Its name literally translates as “fire meat”.) Make sure your grill is very hot so the meat caramelizes nicely. And be careful not to overcook it; bulgogi is thinly sliced and cooks fast!
- Make a Bulgogi Bowl:Serve the cooked beef on top of steamed rice with kimchi and other sliced veggies for a delicious, fun, and beautiful meal!
- To Store Bulgogi: Once it’s cooked, you can store the meat in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- To Reheat Bulgogi: It's best to use high heat for a very short period to reheat bulgogi. Let the meat sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes first. Then you can briefly reheat it in a very hot oven (around 500F) or a very hot skillet (on high heat) until warm. Additionally, bulgogi reheats well in an air fryer; it takes about 2 minutes at 400F.
Nutrition
Nutrition Facts
Beef Bulgogi Recipe (Korean Barbeque Beef)
Amount Per Serving
Calories 418Calories from Fat 234
% Daily Value*
Fat 26g40%
Saturated Fat 8g50%
Polyunsaturated Fat 4g
Monounsaturated Fat 13g
Cholesterol 69mg23%
Sodium 913mg40%
Potassium 519mg15%
Carbohydrates 21g7%
Fiber 2g8%
Sugar 13g14%
Protein 26g52%
Vitamin A 1819IU36%
Vitamin C 7mg8%
Calcium 55mg6%
Iron 3mg17%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Keyword Beef Bulgogi, Beef Bulgogi Bowl, Beef Bulgogi Recipe, Bulgogi, Bulgogi Bowl, Bulgogi Recipe, Korean Beef Bulgogi
Tried this recipe?Let me know how it was!
This post was first published on An Edible Mosaic on September 25, 2015. It was updated with more information on March 23, 2022.
