Pan-Fried Beef Jeon
- Korean Food Addict
- May 15, 2025
Pan-Fried Beef Jeon
Pan-fried beef jeon is a traditional Korean dish where thin beef slices are coated with flour and egg, then pan-fried until golden brown. The combination of tender beef and savory egg coating makes this a beloved dish for special occasions, holidays, and entertaining guests. With a crispy exterior and tender interior, it's excellent as an appetizer with drinks or as a side dish with rice. Despite its sophisticated taste, it's surprisingly simple to make.
History of Beef Jeon
Beef jeon has been a traditional dish since the Joseon Dynasty, enjoyed as a high-class cuisine in the royal court and noble households. "Jeon" (煎) refers to foods pan-fried in oil, made with various ingredients including meat, fish, and vegetables. Especially during holidays, ancestral rites, and banquets, it was considered an indispensable dish requiring care and effort to prepare. In modern times, it has become accessible for home cooking and remains popular for special occasions and entertaining guests.
Cooking Tips
The key to making delicious beef jeon lies in meat selection and temperature control. Choose tender cuts like striploin, and removing gamey flavors with rice wine is important. When coating with flour, shake off excess thoroughly so the egg coats evenly and the exterior cooks cleanly. Adding a pinch of salt to the egg mixture helps season the beef better. Preheat the pan over medium heat with generous olive oil to prevent burning and ensure even cooking. The crucial point is to flip only once when blood rises to the surface - this keeps the meat tender and juicy. Flipping too often will make the meat tough, so be careful.
Storage and Uses
Beef jeon tastes best when eaten immediately after cooking, but can be refrigerated for 2-3 days. When reheating, warm gently in a pan or microwave. Freezer storage is also possible - freeze completely cooled jeon in ziplock bags for up to one month. After thawing and pan-frying, you can enjoy nearly fresh-made flavor. Beef jeon pairs wonderfully with pickled green onions or radish salad, which cut the richness and add refreshing flavor. Dip in soy-vinegar sauce for even better taste, and it pairs excellently with makgeolli or clear rice wine. It's also perfect for guest tables or lunch box side dishes.
Instructions:
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Prepare and Season the Beef
- Place 300g beef striploin on paper towels to remove excess blood
- Sprinkle 1 tablespoon rice wine to eliminate gamey flavors
- Sprinkle with a pinch of salt
- Season with black pepper
- Prepare and Season the Beef
- Place 300g beef striploin on paper towels to remove excess blood
- Sprinkle 1 tablespoon rice wine to eliminate gamey flavors
- Sprinkle with a pinch of salt
- Season with black pepper
- Coat with Flour
- Coat the seasoned beef evenly with flour
- Sweet rice flour can also be used for extra crispiness
- Prepare Egg Mixture
- Crack 2 eggs into a bowl
- Add a pinch of salt
- Whisk gently until smooth
- Coat with Egg
- Shake off excess flour from the beef
- Dip the beef into the prepared egg mixture, coating thoroughly
- Pan-Fry the Beef Jeon
- Preheat pan over medium heat
- Add generous amount of olive oil
- Place egg-coated beef in the pan and fry
- When blood rises to the surface, flip once
- Flip only once to keep the beef tender
- Remove Excess Oil
- Place cooked jeon on paper towels
- Allow excess oil to drain
- Complete and Serve
- Arrange beautifully on a serving plate
- Serve with pickled green onions
- Provide soy-vinegar dipping sauce
Recipe Notes:
- Sprinkling rice wine eliminates the characteristic gamey flavor of beef.
- Using sweet rice flour instead of all-purpose flour creates a crispier coating.
- Adding a pinch of salt to the egg mixture helps season the beef better.
- Shake off excess flour thoroughly for the egg to coat properly.
- Use generous olive oil and cook over medium heat to prevent burning.
- Flip only once when blood rises to keep the beef tender.
- Flipping too often can make the meat tough.
- Draining on paper towels removes greasiness and keeps it clean.
- Serving with pickled green onions cuts the richness and adds delicious flavor.
Ingredients:
Serving size
Main Ingredients
- 300 g beef striploin
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
Seasonings and Other
- 1 tbsp rice wine (or cooking wine)
- pinch salt
- pinch black pepper
- as needed olive oil
- as needed pickled green onions (for serving)