Korean Beef Bulgogi
- Korean Food Addict
- May 22, 2025
Korean Beef Bulgogi
Korean beef bulgogi is one of Korea's most beloved dishes, featuring tender beef marinated in a sweet and savory soy-based sauce and stir-fried with crisp vegetables. The harmony of tender meat and crunchy vegetables makes it perfect served over rice.
The Charm of Bulgogi
Bulgogi is one of the most internationally recognized Korean dishes. The sweet soy-based marinade deeply penetrates the meat, creating rich umami flavors, while pear or apple juice naturally tenderizes the beef.
Cooking Tips
The most important aspects of making bulgogi are using thinly sliced meat and allowing sufficient marinating time. The marinade must penetrate deep into the meat to achieve authentic bulgogi flavor. Also, avoid cooking over high heat as it can make the meat tough - medium heat works best for tender results.
Serving Suggestions
Bulgogi is delicious on its own, but it's even better when wrapped in lettuce or perilla leaves as a ssam (wrap). You can also use leftover bulgogi to make bulgogi rice bowls or bulgogi fried rice for a quick and tasty meal.
Instructions:
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Prepare the Vegetables
- Slice the onion into thin strips
- Diagonally slice the green onions
- Julienne the carrot into thin strips
- Remove stems from shiitake mushrooms and slice thinly
- Prepare the Vegetables
- Slice the onion into thin strips
- Diagonally slice the green onions
- Julienne the carrot into thin strips
- Remove stems from shiitake mushrooms and slice thinly
- Make the Marinade
- Mix together dark soy sauce, sugar, minced garlic, mirin, and sesame oil
- Add pear or apple juice for extra tenderness
- Season with a pinch of black pepper for aroma
- Marinate the Beef
- Coat the beef bulgogi slices thoroughly with the marinade
- Add the sliced onion, green onion, and carrot
- Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow flavors to develop
- Stir-Fry the Bulgogi
- Heat a pan over medium heat
- Add the marinated beef and vegetables
- Stir-fry until the beef is cooked through
- Add shiitake mushrooms and continue cooking
- Final Touches
- Cook until the beef is fully done and has a nice glaze
- Sprinkle with sesame seeds for nutty flavor
- Top with additional green onions
- Serve
- Transfer to a warm serving plate
- Enjoy with steamed rice or wrapped in lettuce leaves
- Serve alongside kimchi for an authentic Korean meal
Recipe Notes:
- Choose the thinnest sliced beef available for bulgogi. Thinner slices are more tender and absorb the marinade better.
- Pear or apple juice acts as a natural meat tenderizer. While optional, it significantly enhances the taste and texture.
- Minimum marinating time is 30 minutes, but 1-2 hours allows the flavors to penetrate deeper into the meat.
- Cook over medium heat rather than high heat to prevent the beef from becoming tough and chewy.
- Bulgogi tastes even better when wrapped in lettuce or perilla leaves with rice and ssamjang.
- Leftover bulgogi can be refrigerated and enjoyed the next day, or used to make bulgogi fried rice or rice bowls.
Ingredients:
Serving size
Main Ingredients
- 300 g beef bulgogi cut (thinly sliced)
- 1/2 onion
- 1 stalk green onion
- 1/4 carrot
- 2 shiitake mushrooms
Marinade
- 3 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 1.5 tbsp sugar
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
- 2 tbsp mirin
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 2 tbsp pear or apple juice
- a pinch black pepper
Garnish
- 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
- to taste chopped green onions