Korean Beef Bulgogi (Caramelized BBQ Beef)
Korean beef bulgogi made with thinly sliced beef marinated in soy sauce, garlic, and pear, then cooked hot for a glossy, caramelized finish. Tender, juicy, and full of savory-sweet flavor.
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 skillet very hot over medium-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 cooks very quickly.
- 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 up to 3–4 days in the fridge or freeze up to 3 months. Reheat gently in a skillet or microwave.
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