Beef bulgogi or Korean BBQ beef is one of the most popular Korean beef dishes featuring thinly sliced beef marinated in a sweet and savory sauce. It's super easy to make and takes less than 20 minutes of active cooking time, making it perfect for the weekdays and a crowd pleaser on the weekends! Enjoy it with some white rice or Korean purple rice, Korean rolled egg omelete, and japchae (Korean glass noodle stir fry) to complete the meal!
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What is beef bulgogi?
Korean beef bulgogi is made with thinly sliced beef marinated in a sweet and savory marinade. It's also sometimes known as Korean BBQ beef because "bulgogi" literally translates to "fire meat," simply meaning, the meat is cooked over direct fire, like grills. To make it more home kitchen friendly, beef bulgogi can be cooked in cast iron pans and griddles to get that nice char flavor.
Ingredient Notes
Please scroll down to the recipe card for the ingredient quantities!
For the bulgogi marinade:
- Thinly sliced beef ribeye - You can find this at most Asian grocery stores, either in the fresh or frozen meat aisle labeled for Korean BBQ or hot pot. Thinly sliced beef makes cooking super fast and helps to keep the meat juicy and tender. See our FAQ section if you cannot find thinly sliced beef near you.
- Yellow onion - This is a must for both the marinate and as an additional vegetable for the dish. It makes the marinade more flavorful and adds texture to the whole dish.
- Carrots and green onion - These two vegetables are optional and mostly added for color. Feel free to omit if you want.
- Soy sauce and brown sugar - These two are the base of our bulgogi marinade. The recipe ratio is based on regular soy sauce. So if you're using light sodium soy sauce, you may need to use an additional tablespoon per recipe. We also recommend using brown sugar because it gives the marinade a deeper caramelized flavor.
- Korean pear - This is added as a natural sweetener but more importantly as a natural tenderizer. If you can't find Korean pears near you, you can substitute it for granulated white sugar, about 2 tablespoons with 1 tablespoons of water per recipe.
- Ginger and garlic - These two makes the whole dish more aromatic and the beef more flavorful.
- Toasted sesame oil and black pepper - The remaining ingredients for the marinade that adds an additional subtle layer of flavor.
- Sesame and green onion (optional for garnish)
How to make beef bulgogi at home
Please scroll down to the recipe card for the full recipe and instructions!
1. Make the marinade. In a food processor or blender, add the Korean pear, onion, soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, ginger, garlic, and black pepper. Blend until smooth.
2. Marinate the beef. Place the thinly sliced beef into a bowl along with the sliced onion and green onions. Add the marinate and mix gently until the marinate is evenly distributed.
Cover with a cling film, making sure it touches the top of the beef, and let the beef marinate for at least 30 minutes on your kitchen counter or overnight in the fridge.
🌟 Pro tip: Before marinating the beef, separate each slice and shingle it in your bowl. This is so that you handle the beef as little as possible to prevent it from breaking apart. You can also marinate the beef in a resealable bag if you prefer.
3. Cook. Heat a large cast iron pan or griddle (or just a nonstick pan) over medium heat. Lightly grease the pan with oil and when the pan is hot, add the marinated beef bulgogi into the pan in a single layer, making sure to separate the beef. Sear on both sides until the beef is browned and cooked, about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Cook in batches to prevent overcrowding and steaming the beef.
4. Garnish. Top with sesame seeds and sliced green onions if desired and serve while hot. Enjoy the bulgogi with rice and side dishes or as a wrap with rice, kimchi, and lettuce.
🎆 Bonus: If you want, you can heat up a sizzle platter in the oven or on open flame until hot and transfer the cooked beef bulgogi onto the sizzle right before serving to make the meal even more enticing with the sizzling sound.
Storage
Marinated, uncooked bulgogi is best kept refrigerated for no more than 1 to 2 days. If you need to store it for a longer time, transfer it to an airtight container or freezer bags and keep frozen for up to 1 month. If freezing, make sure to let it defrost before using.
Cooked beef bulgogi can be ket refrigerated for up to 4 to 5 days. Just make sure to allow it to cool completely before covering and storing.
Reheating
Leftover beef bulgogi can be reheated in the microwave or on the stovetop.
Microwave method: Place the bulgogi in a microwave safe container and cover loosely. Microwave until hot.
FAQ
Korean pear is the best choice for bulgogi marinade because it's crisp, sweet, and juicy, unlike regular pears which are much softer and not as juicy, not to mention the difference in flavor. If you cannot find Korean pears, you can substitute it for 2 tablespoons of granulated white sugar and 1 tablespoon of water.
We recommend marinating the beef bulgogi for at least 30 minutes or a couple of hours for best flavor. You can also marinate it overnight for a convenient lunch or dinner the next day. However, we don't recommend marinating for more than 2 days if you are using thinly sliced beef because it could make the beef too tender. Freeze the marinated beef if needed.
If it seems like the there's only just enough marinade, then it's perfect! We want the marinade to be mostly absorbed so that when cooking the bulgogi, so that the beef can cook properly and develop good char and not steam in all the marinade.
If you can't find thinly sliced beef at your grocery store or Asian market, you can cut it by hand. Ribeye, New York strip, flank, and skirt steaks are all good options.
To make slicing easier, freeze the beef for about 30 minutes to an hour. This will firm up the beef and help you cut the beef into more even slices.
Once the beef is chilled and has hardened, sliced the beef against the grain, into ⅙ to ¼ inch. Try to keep it as thin as possible. And because the beef is thicker than the thinly sliced beef, make sure to let it marinate for a least 1 hour or overnight for best flavor and tenderness.
📖 Recipe
Beef Bulgogi (Korean BBQ Beef)
Ingredients
For the dish:
- 1 pound thinly sliced beef ribeye
- ½ small yellow onion thinly sliced
- 2 stalks green onion cut into 1 inch pieces (plus more sliced for garnish)
- Oil as needed for cooking (any neutral oil will do)
For the bulgogi marinade:
- ½ small yellow onion cut into smaller chunks
- ¼ Korean pear peeled, core removed, and cut into smaller chunks *see notes
- 3 tablespoons regular soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar packed
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 2 cloves garlic
- ½ inch ginger peeled and cut into smaller pieces
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- For the bulgogi marinade:In a food processor or blender, add all the ingredients for the bulgogi marinade and blend until smooth. Set aside until needed.
- Marinate the beef:Place the thinly sliced beef ribeye in mixing bowl along with the sliced onion and green onion. Add the marinade and gently mix until the marinade is well distributed. Cover with a cling wrap, making sure it touchings the beef. Let it marinade for at least 30 minutes or in the fridge overnight.You can also do this in a resealable bag. Just try to squeeze out most of the air before sealing.
- Cook:Heat a cast iron pan or griddle (or a nonstick pan) over medium heat. Lightly grease the pan and once it's hot, add the marinated beef (with the onions and all) and sear on both sides until the beef is cooked and browned, about 30 seconds per side. Transfer to serving platter when done.Make sure to keep the beef in a single layer and separate the beef as best as possible. Cook in batches to prevent overcrowding the pan.
- Serve:Garnish the beef bulgogi with sesame seeds and sliced green onions if desired. Serve while hot with with rice and side dishes.You can also serve the bulgogi on a sizzle platter to make it even more enticing. If you wish to do so, simply heat up the sizzle platter in the oven or over direct flame until hot. Transfer the bulgogi onto the dish right before serving.
Notes
- Korean pear - If you cannot find Korean pear near you, you can substitute it with 2 tablespoons of granulated white sugar with 1 tablespoon of water. It's not the perfect substitute, but the flavor will be good.
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