Classic Korean Beef Bulgogi
Classic Korean beef bulgogi made with thinly sliced beef in a pear-soy marinade, then cooked over high heat until tender, glossy, and lightly caramelized.
Ingredients
- 2 lb (900 g) beef sirloin or rib eye thinly sliced, about 1/8-inch thick
- 1 Asian leek or 3 green onion sliced
Bulgogi sauce
- 1/2 (about 100 g) large Asian pear peeled and diced. See note for substitution
- 1/4-1/2 (about 35 g) kiwi peeled and diced. See note below
- 1/2 (about 100 g) large onion diced
- 4 cloves garlic
- 5 tbsp (75 ml) soy sauce
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) Korean soup soy sauce (gukganjang)
- 2-3 tbsp (25–40 g) light brown sugar
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) sweet rice wine (mirim)
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) Korean plum extract (maeshil cheong) optional
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) sesame oil
- 2 tsp (6 g) 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 9x13-inch pyrex baking pan (with lid) is perfect for this. Add soy sauce, Koran soup soy sauce, brown sugar, rice wine, Korean plum extract (if using), 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 wide skillet over medium-high heat until very hot. Do not add oil. Add the beef along with the sliced Asian leek or green onion. The beef should sizzle immediately. Cook for 2–3 minutes, tossing occasionally, until the marinade has mostly evaporated and the pan looks nearly dry. The edges of the beef should be glossy and lightly caramelized. Remove from the heat as soon as the beef is cooked through so it stays tender and does not dry out.
- Sprinkle with sesame seeds and green onion to garnish. Serve warm with rice and a vegetable side dish.
Video
Notes
Asian pear: Substitute with a sweet apple if needed.
Kiwi: Use sparingly. For longer marinating (over 4 hours), use 1/4 kiwi. For shorter marinating, use 1/2. Pineapple also works.
Slice tip: Freeze beef for 20–30 minutes to make thin slicing easier.
Cooking tips:
- Use high heat for better caramelization
- Cook in batches to avoid steaming
- Make ahead: Marinate 1–4 hours, or overnight with less kiwi. Freeze marinated beef up to 3 months. Refrigerate cooked leftovers up to 3 days and reheat gently.C$
Nutrition
Calories: 303kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 69mg | Sodium: 850mg | Potassium: 404mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 211IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 33mg | Iron: 3mg