Beef Bulgogi Recipe (Korean BBQ Beef)
Bulgogi is a classic Korean BBQ beef that everyone loves. This authentic beef bulgogi recipe uses thin slices of beef with a flavorful marinade. It cooks fast and your meat will be so tender and juicy. Treat yourself to one of Korea’s most popular dishes with this easy recipe. It’s a best!
“This was divine…..I think your special sauce and not adding the veggies right away helped make this one of the most beautiful bulgogi ever!”
michel
As a native Korean, I have eaten beef bulgogi all my life. When the thinly sliced beef marinated in a flavorful bulgogi sauce hits a very hot skillet or griddle on an open flame, it reminds you the smell of your favorite Korean BBQ restaurant.
I have never met anyone who would not like Korean beef. Who can refuse the tender flavorful beef in a savory sauce? It is a killer dish to serve with rice.
Whether you serve it as a signature main dish or as a simple Korean beef bowl, it’s all Korean heaven!
What is Bulgogi?
bul = fire or flame
gogi = meat
It literally translates into fire meat, which means meat cooked over fire – the title, Korean barbecue, comes from that.
In ancient days, Koreans cooked their meat directly over the flame in their outdoor kitchen. They grilled the meat by putting a layer of thinly sliced meat between two mesh screens and holding it over the fire. Grilling this way incorporates the smoky flavor from the BBQ and yields a super delicious result.
However, in modern-day Korean home cooking, people have adapted to cooking bulgogi in a skillet instead of barbecuing outdoors (not every household has an outdoor kitchen).
There are many types of Korean bulgogi recipes with different meat choices in Korean cuisine. Chicken bulgogi and pork bulgogi are two other famous dishes. It is the beef, however, that is the pinnacle of all Korean bulgogi recipes. It is a classic that you should not miss.
Varieties of Beef Bulgogi
Not all Korean bulgogi are created the same. The cooking method of bulgogi varies one region to another in Korea.
1. Classic Bulgogi:
Thinly sliced beef is marinated in a flavorful sauce. Traditionally, bulgogi requires a few hours of marinating time to tenderize the beef and to allow the beef to soak up all the flavor from the marinade. Some like to add mushrooms and vegetables – such as carrot or pepper – along with the beef. I am not a huge fan of that. I like my bulgogi to be truly beef only (with a little bit of green onion or leek for the flavor).
2. Seoul-style bulgogi:
Unlike the Korean beef that most people know, Seoul-style bulgogi uses broth made with sea kelp stock in the marinade. The beef is cooked on a special dome-shaped pan with holes and a flat bottom. The dome shape allows the meat drippings and broth to flow down. The broth is so tasty to drizzle over rice. People often cook Korean noodles (dangmyun), mushroom, and vegetables together with this Seoul style Korean beef. I shared my recipe in my cookbook, Korean Cooking Favorites, so check it out!
3. Crispy Bulgogi:
Unlike Seoul-style, crispy bulgogi doesn’t yield any juicy broth. It has a crispy texture on the outside. This cooking method is common in South Korea’s Jeolla Province. Check my Crispy Korean Beef to get the recipe.
Although it is not part of traditional Korean bulgogi category, bulgogi made with ground beef is a popular recipe to make a quick Korean beef bowl.
What cut of beef is used for Korean BBQ
Korean barbecue commonly use thin slices of tender beef cut. Rib-eye or sirloin are the best cuts to use for this bulgogi recipe. You can purchase it any Korean store or well stocked Asian grocery store.
Korean-cut frozen beef slices: You can find them easily on the frozen section of Korean grocery stores. Make sure to thaw it ahead of time. It might take a full day in the refrigerator if it is frozen solid.
Alternatively, if you can’t find pre-sliced beef, freeze a chunk of beef sirloin for 20 minutes to slightly firm it up. Then slice it very thinly against the meat grain.
Homemade Bulgogi Sauce
Korean beef bulgogi is all about the marinade and you will need the best bulgogi sauce to maximize the result. Homemade bulgogi sauce tastes so much better than the store-bought kind.
It is easy to make homemade bulgogi marinade, but you’ve got to plan ahead so that you will have enough time to marinate the beef – at least 4 hours to overnight.
You’ll need the following marinade ingredients:
- Asian pear (preferably Korean pear) – It adds a pear flavor to the sauce and tenderizes the meat.
- kiwi – This highly acidic fruit tenderizes the beef very fast, so use a small amount. If you intend to marinate the beef longer than 4 hours, use half the amount in the recipe (so 1/4 kiwi). Instead of kiwi, the same amount of pineapple pieces also tenderize the meat.
- onion and garlic – savory addition
- soy sauce – It seasons and flavors the meat
- Korean tuna sauce or Korean soup soy sauce – It adds umami flavor to the beef and deepens the taste. You can leave it out but I highly recommend adding it. You will love the outcome.
- rice wine – Optional, but it using, try sweet rice wine (mirim).
- brown sugar – adds sweetness with a hint of caramel flavor
- pepper – Use plenty. Trust me, it tastes better.
- sesame oil – provides fragrance to the overall dish.
How to make Beef Bulgogi
Step 1. Make Korean beef bulgogi sauce (marinade)
- Put diced pear, kiwi, onion and garlic in a blender and process until very smooth.
- Pour the onion/fruit puree into a large shallow pan – a 9×13-inch Pyrex baking pan (with a lid) is perfect for this.
- Add soy sauce, tuna sauce (or soup soy sauce), rice wine, Korean plum extract (if using), brown sugar, pepper and sesame oil; mix well.
- You can make this marinade sauce ahead of time and keep it in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Step 2. Prep the beef (optional but recommended).
- Dab the beef with a paper towel to remove the extra red myoglobin from the surface. It helps get rid of unpleasant gamy smell if the beef was frozen too long.
Step 3. Marinate the beef.
- Separate the beef slices and add them to the marinade sauce. Toss gently by hand to combine everything with a slight massaging motion. Cover and marinate for at least 1 hour or up to overnight.
Step 4. Cook marinated beef in a very hot skillet
- Heat a skillet very hot over high heat. Do Not Add any vegetable oil! Add the beef.
- You can add sliced Asian leek on top as I did, or onion or green onion. You can also add thinly sliced carrot, or pepper if you want it to be more wholesome, but then, it won’t be a classic bulgogi.
Step 5. Cook beef in its own marinade sauce.
- The beef should sizzle as soon as it touches the hot skillet. Let the meat cook in its own juice. Toss the meat around to cook evenly and thoroughly, about 2-3 minutes. It should cook very quickly.
- Sprinkle with sesame seeds and green onion to garnish.
What to serve with Beef Bulgogi?
If you like it as a simple one bowl meal, as a Korean beef bulgogi bowl, top it on the white rice and kimchi (or other vegetable side dish) on the side all together in a bowl.
Want to fancy things up? Try it with lettuce leaves and ssamjang to make wraps. Doenjang jjigae on the side will make the whole meal very authentically Korean.
Don’t forget to serve a few simple Korean side dishes alongside. Here are my suggestions:
- How To Make Best Cucumber Kimchi (Oi-sobagi)
- Broccoli Rabe Salad with Soybean Paste
- Korean Spicy Cucumber Salad (Oi Muchim)
- Korean Spinach Side Dish (Sigeumchi Namul)
- Bean sprout salad
Beef Bulgogi (Korean BBQ Beef)
Ingredients
- 2 lb beef sirloin or rib eye , thinly sliced, about 1/8-inch thick
- 1 Asian leek or 3 green onion, sliced
Bulgogi marinade
- 1/2 large Asian pear , peeled and diced
- 1/4-1/2 kiwi, peeled and diced. See note below
- 1/2 large onion , diced
- 4 cloves garlic
- 5 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp Korean soup soy sauce (gukganjang)
- 2 tbsp Korean plum extract (maeshil cheong), optional
- 2 tbsp light brown sugar
- 2 tbsp sweet rice wine (mirim)
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 2 tsp toasted sesame seeds
Instructions
To marinate beef
- To make bulgogi marinade, put pear, kiwi, onion, and garlic in a blender and process until very smooth.
- Pour the onion/fruit puree into a large shallow pan – a 9×13-inch pyrex baking pan (with lid) is perfect for this. Add soy sauce, Koran soup soy sauce, Korean plum extract (if using), brown sugar, rice wine, pepper and sesame oil; mix well. You can make this marinade sauce ahead of time and keep it in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
- Dab the beef with a paper towel to wipe out extra liquid on the package if there's any. Separate the beef slices and add them to the marinade sauce. Toss gently by hand to combine everything with a slight massaging motion. Cover and marinate for at least 1 hour or up to overnight.
To cook bulgogi
- Heat a skillet very hot over high heat. Do not add any oil! Add the beef. You can add sliced Asian leek or green onion on top. The beef should sizzle as soon as it touches the hot skillet. Let the meat cook in its own juice. Toss the meat around to cook evenly and thoroughly, about 2-3 minutes. It should cook very quickly.
- Sprinkle with sesame seeds and green onion to garnish. Serve warm with rice and a vegetable side dish.
Notes
This recipe was originally posted in November 2010. I’ve updated the recipe with minor changes, new photos, and more information.
I had my first taste of beef bulgogi this past summer, and it has become my favorite way to eat beef sirloin! Now I’m out camping, and introducing new friends to authentic Korean dishes!
I had a craving for bulgogi and this hot the spot!! The flavors were incredible, you’d never know there was pear and kiwi, it all worked so well!
Hi Annie
I’m glad that this bulgogi satisfied your craving. Yes, the pear and the kiwi does the wonder to make the beef more flavorful. Thanks for the comment!
Fabulous recipe! Thank you for this. It tasted just like I remember from living in South Korea as a kid.
I absolutely love Korean culture. Especially the food. It’s so yummy. 🙂
I haven’t tried this dish yet, but I’ve made japchae 3 or 4 times for my family. I am getting pretty good at it. I am so excited to learn more about the cuisine.
Are there any specific recipes that you suggest for a beginner cook? (I am still a teenager, ehehe)
Thank you so much!!
Hi Emily
You impressed me. I am so happy to know that you are getting good at Korean cooking. Here are a few recipes that I suggest you to try.
Spicy Pork bulgogi: https://www.beyondkimchee.com/spicy-korean-pork/
Chicken Bulgogi: https://www.beyondkimchee.com/chicken-bulgogi-korean-chicken-bbq/
Tteokbokki (spicy rice cakes): https://www.beyondkimchee.com/spicy-korean-rice-cakes/
Korean Army Stew: https://www.beyondkimchee.com/korean-army-stew-budae-jjigae/
Ramen Stir-Fry with Vegetables: https://www.beyondkimchee.com/10-minute-ramen-stir-fry-vegetables/
Korean Honey Garlic Chicken Wings: https://www.beyondkimchee.com/korean-honey-garlic-chicken-wings/
Kimchi Fried Rice: https://www.beyondkimchee.com/kimchi-bacon-fried-rice/
Pan-Fried Tofu: https://www.beyondkimchee.com/pan-fried-tofu/
Easy Kimchi Recipe: https://www.beyondkimchee.com/easy-cabbage-kimchi/
Keep up the good work! Don’t hesitate asking any question if you have.
Oh this looks terrific! I love Korean BBQ and Bulgogi, so thank you for sharing the recipe adopted to a pan!
My hubby loves bulgogi — such a delicious and flavourful meat! I wish I can have some right now!
Terrific post! I’m lucky in that my local supermarket sells thinly sliced beef that’s appropriate for this dish — so less work for me to do. 🙂 Haven’t made this dish in what seems like forever, and now you have me craving it. 🙂 Really good stuff — thanks.
Thanks so much for the recipe. I only have regular soy sauce so for the marinade I am sure I need less. Any suggestion how many tablespoon needed and do I need to add water maybe to make it 7 tbsp?
The love story you want is Sleepless in Seattle. The recipe is awesome. Can you now please give me your ssamjang recipe?
This looks absolutely deelish and I’m going to make it soon! I love the taste of ginger, would adding a little hurt anything?
Adding a just little bit of ginger will enhance bulgogi nicely. Go for it.
Gawd that sounds delicious… bulgogi at a Korean BBQ place is still the most delicious meat memory I’ve ever put in my mouth… yours looks divine. When I can eat again I will be trying this recipe for sure.
This was divine…..I think your special sauce and not adding the veggies right away helped make this one of the most beautiful bulgogi ever!
thank you again
Michel
Hi,
I made your bulgogi recipe for a party I hosted this weekend. It was soooo delicious, and a big hit with my guests!
My husband can’t wait for me to make it again. Thank you!
Jenny
Your blog, all of it, is food porn to me. <3
Thank you!
Yes.
Just went to a Korean shop today looking for dried sea kelp but found a dried sea tangle….are these two the same?
this looks yummy..I'll try to cook this next time 🙂
This is the best Bulgogi I've ever had. Thanks for sharing.
Please let me know how he thinks. Hope he likes it.
It looks absolutely delicious! I will make it tonight and let's see what my Korean husband has to say about it 🙂
Thanks sweetie. They were mighty tasty.
I would never tire of bulgogi and yours look yummylicious!!!