Beef Bulgogi Korean BBQ Recipe
Beef Bulgogi Recipe – A traditional Korean BBQ Recipe with Beef that’s stir-fried in a sweet and savory marinade, and is delicious served over rice with kimchi.
Why We Love This Korean Beef Bulgogi Recipe
When we plan to go out to eat, one of the places my kids frequently ask to visit is a local Korean restaurant known for their beautiful stone bowl dishes and fantastic bulgogi beef recipe.
Their eyes widen as the server sits all the classic Korean side dishes down on our table, followed by steeping bowls of spicy broth, and a sizzling iron pan piled with hot Korean BBQ beef, known as bulgogi.
They pick up their chopsticks and throw caution to the wind, heading straight for the spicy beef pieces, too hot to swallow on the first bite.
If you’ve never tried it, Bulgogi Beef is a real treat.
It is made of pieces of steak that are traditionally sliced paper-thin, marinated in a savory-sweet sauce, then cooked over a Korean grill.
But if you ask me, it’s much easier to handle in a WOK.
This is an Instagram Shot of #TheAftermath. Notice, no Bulgogi left.
Ingredients You Need
- Frozen Steak – Use frozen meat to help you to slice it thin, because the meat stays put as you cut it. I used New York Strips.
- Soy Sauce – You can make this recipe completely Gluten Free by buying Gluten Free soy sauce.
- Brown Sugar – This is where the sweetness comes into the recipe.
- Sesame Oil – For nutty flavor and for cooking.
- Garlic – Such a humble ingredient but it makes such a huge difference in zesty depth of flavor.
- Ginger – Freshly grated ginger to be exact.
- Green Onions – Chop these up and separate the whites and greens.
- Ground Black Pepper – An essential seasoning in any dish.
- Sriracha – Or gochujang Korean chile paste. Gochujang is traditional, but harder to find. It is slightly more spicy than sriracha, with a little more depth.
- Toasted Sesame Seeds – Not only does this finish off the appearance of the dish but it also tastes great!
How To Make Bulgogi Beef Korean Barbecue
While the steak is frozen, trim the fat and slice it paper-thin. Frozen meat is much easier to cut thin than thawed meat.
Place in a large bowl and top with: Soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, garlic, ginger, onion whites, pepper, and sriracha. Toss to coat and allow the steak to thaw and marinate for 45-60 minutes in the fridge. The longer it sits, the more flavor is absorbed.
Cook the marinated steak in the wok: Heat a wok (or large skillet) to medium-high heat or high heat. Use tongs to transfer half of the meat to the hot wok. Spread the steak pieces around the skillet and allow them to sear on one side before using the tongs to move them around and caramelize on all sides. Once the juices have evaporated and the steak has a nice brown color, remove them from the wok.
The sugars caramelize to create a wonderfully crispy texture along the edges, and of course, the high heat intensifies all the vibrant flavors to develop the most amazing aroma imaginable.
Cover the cooked beef to keep warm. Repeat with the remaining meat, and throw out the leftover marinade. Serve warm, sprinkled with the reserved scallions and sesame seeds.
You end up with all the best attributes of Korean BBQ, without needing the BBQ grill.
Spicy, savory, a bit salty and sweet: You are going to love this dish!
Pro Tip: You can put together this easy marinade and prep your steak whenever you have a chance in the morning or night before you plan to cook!
See The Recipe Card Below For How To Make Beef Bulgogi Korean BBQ Recipe. Enjoy!
Serving Suggestions
You can serve Korean BBQ with rice, kimchi and other Korean side dishes (like one of our most popular recipes, Korean Veggie Pancakes). It would be delicious to create a bowl that has white rice as the base, topped with the beef bulgogi, served with the green parts of a scallion, crunchy cucumber slices, and a fried egg on top!
Bulgogi beef is also great to make ridiculously-good Korean-style tacos and low carb lettuce wraps!
Tips & Tricks
- Choose the right cut of beef! Use tender cuts of beef such as ribeye, sirloin, or tenderloin. These cuts absorb the marinade well and cook quickly, resulting in tender, flavorful meat.
- Marinate the meat properly! Marinate the beef for at least 30 minutes, but for the best flavor, marinate it for several hours or overnight in the refrigerator. This allows the meat to fully absorb the flavors of the marinade.
- Cook at a high heat! Bulgogi is typically cooked quickly over high heat. This can be done on a grill, in a cast-iron skillet, or a wok, like I did. High heat helps to sear the meat, locking in the juices and giving it a nice caramelized exterior!
Frequently Asked Questions
How Should I Store Beef Bulgogi Leftovers?
Store leftover Korean bbq in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. You can reheat this on the stovetop over medium-low heat in a skillet.
What Cuts of Beef Can I Use?
You can make this recipe with a variety of beef cuts including, sirloin, thinly cut ribeye, flank or skirt steak, and brisket. You can even use ground beef if you want to make an inexpensive version of this recipe.
Can You Meal Prep Bulgogi Beef?
Yes! You can even slice frozen beef and add marinade, immediately seal in freezer-safe bags and freeze raw until you are ready to cook and serve.
DO NOT defrost meat, marinade, and then refreeze raw.
Once you’ve cooked the Korean bbq, you can freeze it in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
What Does Bulgogi mean?
In Korean the “bul” means fire and the “gogi” is a very general term for meat because this recipe is generally cooked over an open flame.
Looking for More Korean Recipes? Be Sure to Also Try:
- Korean Bibimbap
- Tempura Shishito Peppers with Korean Mayo
- Korean Fried Chicken Recipe
- Pan Fried Korean Pork Chops
- Korean Chicken Skewers
- Pajeaon – Korean Pancakes
- Korean Black Bean Sauce Noodles from My Korean Kitchen
Bulgogi Beef Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds lean steak, frozen (I used New York Strips)
- 1/3 cup soy sauce
- 2 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
- 1 bunch chopped green onions, whites and greens separated
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon Sriracha or gochujang Korean chile paste
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
Instructions
- While the steak is frozen, trim the fat and slice paper-thin. Frozen meat is much easier to cut thin than thawed meat.
- Place the steak strips in a large bowl and top with: Soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, garlic, ginger, chopped onion whites, pepper, and sriracha. Toss to coat and allow the steak to thaw and marinate for 45-60 minutes.
- Heat a wok (or large skillet) to high heat. Use tongs to transfer half of the meat to the hot wok. Spread the steak pieces around the skillet and allow them to sear on one side before using the tongs to move them around and caramelize on all sides. Once the juices have evaporated and the steak has a nice brown color, remove from the wok, 5-8 minutes.
- Cover the cooked steak to keep warm. Repeat with the remaining meat, and throw out the leftover marinade. Serve warm, sprinkled with the reserved green onion tops and sesame seeds.
My favorite of all times the best taste