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Per serving
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- 1
Slice the beef thin
Pop the ribeye in the freezer for about 30 minutes until it firms up but isn't frozen solid. This is the trick to paper-thin slices. Slice it as thinly as you can against the grain, about 1/8 inch. Thin is what lets the marinade grab hold and the beef caramelize in seconds.
- 2
Build the marinade
Grate the Asian pear and the half onion on the fine side of a box grater right into a big bowl, juice and all. The pear is doing double duty here: it tenderizes the beef with natural enzymes and adds a soft sweetness you can't fake. Add the soy sauce, brown sugar, toasted sesame oil, mirin, minced garlic, grated ginger, sesame seeds, gochugaru, and black pepper. Whisk until the sugar dissolves.
- 3
Marinate
Add the sliced beef and the chopped green onions to the bowl and toss with your hands until every piece is coated. Cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes, or up to 4 hours if you have the time. Longer means deeper flavor, but don't push past 4 hours or the pear can start to make the texture mushy.
- 4
Sear it hot
Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet or cast iron pan over high heat until it's just about smoking. Working in batches so you don't crowd the pan, lay the beef out in a single layer and let it sear undisturbed for a minute before stirring. You want caramelized, slightly charred edges, not steamed gray meat. Each batch takes only 2 to 3 minutes.
- 5
Serve
Pile the bulgogi onto a platter and scatter with a few extra sesame seeds. Serve over hot short-grain rice, or do it the classic way: tuck a spoonful into a crisp lettuce leaf with a dab of ssamjang and a sliver of raw garlic, wrap, and eat in one bite.
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Beef Bulgogi (Korean BBQ Beef)
Created by: SpiceRouteCooks
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lb ribeye steak
- 1/2 Asian pear
- 1/2 yellow onion
- 5 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 2 tbsp toasted sesame oil
- 1 tbsp mirin
- 4 garlic
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger
- 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
- 1 tsp gochugaru
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 3 green onions
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
Instructions
- Slice the beef thinPop the ribeye in the freezer for about 30 minutes until it firms up but isn't frozen solid. This is the trick to paper-thin slices. Slice it as thinly as you can against the grain, about 1/8 inch. Thin is what lets the marinade grab hold and the beef caramelize in seconds.
- Build the marinadeGrate the Asian pear and the half onion on the fine side of a box grater right into a big bowl, juice and all. The pear is doing double duty here: it tenderizes the beef with natural enzymes and adds a soft sweetness you can't fake. Add the soy sauce, brown sugar, toasted sesame oil, mirin, minced garlic, grated ginger, sesame seeds, gochugaru, and black pepper. Whisk until the sugar dissolves.
- MarinateAdd the sliced beef and the chopped green onions to the bowl and toss with your hands until every piece is coated. Cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes, or up to 4 hours if you have the time. Longer means deeper flavor, but don't push past 4 hours or the pear can start to make the texture mushy.
- Sear it hotHeat the vegetable oil in a large skillet or cast iron pan over high heat until it's just about smoking. Working in batches so you don't crowd the pan, lay the beef out in a single layer and let it sear undisturbed for a minute before stirring. You want caramelized, slightly charred edges, not steamed gray meat. Each batch takes only 2 to 3 minutes.
- ServePile the bulgogi onto a platter and scatter with a few extra sesame seeds. Serve over hot short-grain rice, or do it the classic way: tuck a spoonful into a crisp lettuce leaf with a dab of ssamjang and a sliver of raw garlic, wrap, and eat in one bite.