Bulgogi (Korean BBQ Beef)

One of the most popular Korean recipes, Bulgogi, a Korean Grilled BBQ Beef recipe, comes together easily with a few simple ingredients from the pantry. Made from marinated thin slices of beef then cooked over high heat, this homemade bulgogi recipe will be on repeat! Sweet, salty, and savoury, you won’t be able to stop eating it.

Bulgogi, translated to “fire meat,” is a dish consisting of thin, marinated slices of beef, pork, or chicken that’s grilled on a barbecue or a stove-top griddle. However, when cooking at home, stir-frying over high heat in a cast-iron pan is a popular method of recreating this dish.

 

Why You’ll Love This Bulgogi Recipe

• It is SO tasty. It’s one of my go-to orders whenever we go to a Korean restaurant. It’s savoury, salty, and sweet. Like magic in your mouth. Trust me, you’re going to wish you made double the amount. I know I always do.
• It’s very easy to make. While it’s even easier to make with store-bought marinade, I know not everyone has access to that. The ingredients needed to make bulgogi are super simple that you can make it with pantry staples.
• Korean bbq at home is fun! I have a indoor grill that I like to take out and make this bulgogi along with short ribs, pork belly, and corn cheese. Make a party out of it if you’re looking to have a fun weekend meal.

Ingredients You’ll Need

• soy sauce — I recommend using low sodium soy sauce.
• brown sugar — for added sweetness.
• mirin — mirin is a Japanese sweet rice wine, if you are unable to find it, you can try rice vinegar with extra honey
• Asian pear — this helps tenderizes the meat. The pear also adds sweetness to the beef. My local Costco carries Asian pears now so it’s much easier to find now.
• garlic — you’ll only need two cloves.
• sesame oil — I use pure sesame oil to add a nice nutty flavour to the sauce.
• thinly-sliced beef — you can slice your own or buy it pre-sliced. I usually get it pre-sliced for convenience. Rib eye or top sirloin are great options if you plan on slicing your own beef. To get super thin slices, freeze the steak for around an hour so you’re able to slice it easier.
• sliced onions – just a small yellow onion is all you need.
• green onions — this goes both in the marinade and as garnish.
• sesame seeds — optional garnish.

How to Make Bulgogi

• In a food processor, add the soy sauce, brown sugar, mirin, pear, garlic, and sesame oil.
• Blend until fully combined.

• To a large bowl, add the sliced beef, sliced onions, green onions, and the marinade. I like to used a gloved hand to massage to combine everything. Set aside to marinate for a minimum of 30 minutes.
• In a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat, add just enough meat, onions, and scallions to cover the pan. You do not want to overcrowd the pan or the beef will not get a nice sear. Allow the beef to cook for a few seconds untouched before using a pair of chopsticks to stir-fry the meat. You want to move the meat quickly around the pan as it’s super thin so it’ll cook quickly.
• Cook until the beef is no longer pink and transfer to a plate. Continue with the rest of the beef. Keep the onions in the pan if you want them more caramelized.
• When everything is cooked through, serve with some more scallions sliced on top and a sprinkle of sesame seeds if desired.

Recipe Tips and Notes

• If you cannot find Asian pear, try kiwi or pineapple. However, these work fast so you’ll need to marinate it for less time.
• If you have ground beef and want to make it, consider checking out my ground beef bulgogi instead! With ground beef, you can skip tenderizing with an Asian pear, so it’s perfect if you do not have one on hand.
• If you do not have a food processor, you can use a box grater and grate the pear instead.
• If you want, you can add just a touch of oil to the pan. No more than 1 tsp.
• The beef can be marinated overnight in the fridge. However, do not leave the beef in the marinade for any longer as the tenderizing agents will cause the meat to change in texture.

Make Ahead Tips

• Meal prep: once cooled, store the cooked bulgogi in an airtight container for up to 4 days in the fridge. I like to pack it with some jasmine rice or purple rice along with some spinach.
• Freezer: Korean beef bulgogi can be marinated and frozen (uncooked) in an airtight container or freezer-bag for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before cooking.

More Recipes to Try

• Gochujang Chicken Thighs
• Spicy Pork Stir Fry (Jeyuk Bokkeum)
• Korean Fried Chicken
• Air Fryer Korean Fried Chicken Wings
• Korean Potato Salad (Gamja Salad)
• Korean Cream Cheese Garlic Bread
• Mayak Eggs (Korean Marinated Eggs)
• Korean Glass Noodles (Japchae)
• Silken Tofu
• Galbi Jjim (Korean Short Ribs)

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