In the bustling heart of Seoul, where tradition intertwines with modernity, the story of Korean Beef Bulgogi begins. This beloved dish, with its tender marinated slices of beef and a symphony of flavours, holds a cherished place in Korean cuisine.
The secret to Bulgogi lies in its marinade, a blend of finely grated Asian pear, soy sauce, sugar, sesame oil, ginger, onion, and garlic. This mixture not only imparts a rich depth of flavour but also tenderises the beef, making it melt in your mouth. Traditionalists insist on using the best cuts of beef, such as ribeye or sirloin, to ensure the highest quality and taste.
It is essential to slice the meat as thin as possible. Storing the steak in the freezer for 20-30 minutes helps with this process tremendously. That way, the thin cuts of meat can soak up the most delicious marinade in just a few hours.
Here’s a step-by-step guide to follow:
- Choose Your Cut of Meat: For best results, use cuts like flank steak, sirloin, or tenderloin, which are tender and slice well.
- Partially Freeze the Steak:
- Place the steak in the freezer for 20-30 minutes until it firms up but isn’t completely frozen. This will make it easier to handle and slice thinly.
- Slice the Meat:
- Using a sharp knife, cut the steak against the grain into thin slices. Cutting against the grain helps to break down the muscle fibers, making the meat more tender.
- Prepare the Marinade:
- Mix your marinade ingredients in a bowl. Common ingredients include soy sauce, garlic, ginger, brown sugar, sesame oil, and other seasonings depending on your recipe.
- Marinate the Meat:
- Place the thin slices of meat into the marinade, ensuring they are fully submerged. Let the meat marinate for a few hours in the refrigerator to soak up the flavors.
- Cook or Use as Desired:
- After marinating, the meat is ready to be cooked in your preferred method, such as grilling, stir-frying, or roasting.
By following these steps, you’ll be able to enhance the flavour and tenderness of your steak, making it perfect for a variety of dishes.
Once the marinating process is complete, the difficult part is over. Cook the meat on a very hot cast iron skillet or grill pan to achieve smoky, sweet-savory charred bits that are incredibly delicious.
Serve it with rice and perhaps a side of kimchi, and here I also served it with sautéed sprouts for a complete meal. Alternatively, I also love to enjoy it with butter lettuce, they pair wonderfully as well.
Korean Beef Bulgogi
Equipment
- 1 Cast Iron Grill Pan or wok pan (I used wok pan because my cast iron pan was a bit small for 1kg beef :D)
- 1 Large Bowl
- 1 Blender
Ingredients
- 1 kg Boneless Ribeye Steak Thinly sliced
For the Marinade Sauce
- 1 pcs Asian Pear Peeled and cut into blocks
- 350 ml Soy Sauce
- 3 tbsp Brown Sugar
- 4 tbsp Sesame Oil
- 3 cm Ginger Cut it into cubes
- 1 pcs Onion Large size and Cut into blocks
- 10 cloves Garlic
- 1 tbsp White or Black Pepper
Sliced Ingredients to add into the marinade
- 1 pcs Onion Sliced
- 3 pcs Green Onion Slice length wise roughly about 3cm each
Toppings and Side dishes
- 1 tsp Toasted Sesame seeds
- 2 pcs Green Onion Thinly sliced for toppings
- Warm cooked rice
- Kimchi
- Sprouts Sautéed with garlic, salt and pepper
Instructions
For the steak
- Wrap steak in plastic wrap, and place in the freezer for 30 minutes. Unwrap and slice across the grain into thin slices.
Marinade
- Peel and cut into chunks: pear, onion, ginger.
- Add in all the marinade ingredients above into a blender, and blend until the sauce formed.
- In a large bowl, add in the thinly sliced steak and pour in the marinade sauce.
- Add in sliced onion and sliced green onion into the marinated beef.
- Cover the large bowl with plastic wrap and let it sit in the fridge for at least 2 hours to overnight. You may stir it occasionally.
Cooking and Serving
- Place the cast iron/wok over a medium-hight heat.
- Pour in the marinated beef into the pan. Flip and fold once the beef charred and cooked through. Repeat until the sauce absorbed into the beef and the color turned into darker brown.
- Serve the Beef Bulgogi with warm rice and side dishes you like.
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