Spicy yet delicate. Juicy thanks to the marinade. And full of umami. In Korean, “bulgogi” means fiery meat. Tossed into a pan or onto the grill, bulgogi beef is exactly that—spicy and delicious. And although the name sounds exotic, the recipe is incredibly simple.
In Korean homes and restaurants, this dish is as commonplace as schabowy is in Polish homes. And just as our recipes for the perfect breaded cutlet differ slightly, every Korean mother, grandmother or cook has their own bulgogi recipe. They are all delicious, however.
You can find bulgogi on every corner and in every home in Korea. For centuries, the aristocracy and wealthy people enjoyed it. The reason was simple—meat was expensive. And the cuts used to prepare bulgogi were very expensive.
The recipe, which has a long and complicated history, became popular when beef became more readily available. It almost immediately became Korea’s national dish. Then, with Korean emigrants, it crossed the ocean, and Americans quickly fell in love with bulgogi beef.
The secrets of the Korean delicacy
The key to success is… the marinade. All it takes is a few ingredients, including ones familiar from Chinese and Thai cuisine. Soy sauce gives bulgogi beef its salty flavor, while garlic and ginger provide the spicy notes. And pepper. Quite a lot of pepper. Brown sugar balances the spicy and salty flavors. And there is one more ingredient without which there is no bulgogi—Asian pear.
You will not find it at our market stalls, however, and searching the internet is a waste of time. Nashi pear can be replaced with European pears. An apple will also work. Those who enjoy culinary experiments can also try kiwi or pineapple. Although then it will no longer be quite the same—the pronounced aroma of pineapple may overpower the beef. Adding pear makes the beef tender and gives it extra flavor.
Bulgogi beef requires good-quality beef. In this case, good does not mean only tenderloin. I have made bulgogi with sirloin, rump, ribeye and even flank steak. It was delicious in every version. Before placing the meat in the marinade, remove the membranes and slice it thinly across the grain. There is a simple way to do this—place the piece of beef in the freezer for 2–2.5 hours. Frozen meat is much easier to cut into very thin slices.
Four hours in the marinade is the absolute minimum. The best bulgogi beef spends the entire night in the marinade. Then it goes into the pan or onto the grill. And it is served with Korean accompaniments—rice and kimchi.
If you like Asian flavors, be sure to try salmon with miso paste glaze.
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Enjoy!
Recipe
BULGOGI BEEF
serves 4
preparation 10 minutes
marinating 12 hours
frying 10 minutes.
Ingredients
- 600 g beef sirloin, rump, tenderloin, ribeye
- 130 g onion optional
- 50 g carrot optional
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
- 3 tablespoons rapeseed oil.
MARINADE
- 6 tablespoons soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons mirin
- 150 g pear peeled
- 80 g onion
- 1 tablespoon garlic chopped
- 1 teaspoon ginger chopped
- 1 teaspoon black pepper freshly ground
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil.
Method
- Remove the membranes from the beef. Wrap it in cling film and place it in the freezer for at least 2 hours. Cut the frozen meat across the grain into 3-millimeter slices.
- Blend the marinade ingredients, except for the sesame oil, into a smooth sauce.
- Pour the marinade over the beef. Mix the meat thoroughly with the sauce, preferably by hand, so that every piece is well coated with marinade. Pour in the sesame oil and mix again.
- Cover the dish with the beef with cling film and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.
- *optional: cut the onion into wedges and the carrot into sticks.
- Heat the rapeseed oil in a cast-iron pan over medium heat. Add the vegetables and beef. Fry for 5–8 minutes. Toward the end of frying, add the sesame seeds and stir quickly.