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Bulgogi made with classic Korean recipe served in a bowl.

Classic Bulgogi Recipe (Korean BBQ Beef)

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Cook authentic Korean Bulgogi at home: Follow this step-by-step recipe, choose the best beef cut, marinate, and cook to perfection. Plus, serving & storage tips!
Course Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine Korean
Diet Gluten Free, Low Lactose
Keyword authentic, beef bulgogi, beef sirloin, bulgogi, classic korean beef, korean beef, sliced beef
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Marinating time 4 hours
Total Time 4 hours 20 minutes
Servings 8
Calories 303
Author Holly Ford

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 marinade

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 should cook very quickly.
  • Sprinkle with sesame seeds and green onion to garnish. Serve warm with rice and a vegetable side dish.

Video

Notes

Asian Pear: If not available, substitute with sweet apple
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 1/4 kiwi. If marinating less than 4 hours, use 1/2 kiwi. You can also use pineapple instead of kiwi.

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