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A delicious recipe for Bulgogi (Korean Beef Barbecue) that anyone can make at home. No need for a trip to a specialty market – our recipe uses commonly-found ingredients.
What is Bulgogi?
It’s a Korean dish made with thinly sliced and marinated meat (typically beef) that is grilled on a barbecue or a stove-top griddle.
The word “bul” means “fire” in Korean, while “goki” or “gogi” translates to “meat” – and “bulgogi” is often referred to as “Korean beef barbecue.”
Bulgogi cooks up tender and caramelized with a delicious savory-sweet flavor thanks to the addition of fresh Asian pear, brown sugar, fresh ginger, and rice syrup in the marinade. That sweetness is perfectly balanced with other savory ingredients plus touch of heat from Gochujang – a thick and spicy fermented chili paste.
Why You’ll Love Bulgogi
- Every bite of this dish has so many wonderful flavors ranging from sweet to savory to spicy. (But it’s not TOO spicy.)
- The beef cooks up to a super tender texture and is luscious.
- You can serve Bulgogi in a variety of ways – over rice and vegetables, in a tortilla, in a lettuce wrap or any other favorite dish.
Key Ingredients & Substitutions
- Beef – You can use pretty much any good cut of beef, trimming as needed, and marinating it. (Tougher cuts of beef should marinate for longer, while more tender cuts only need a quick marinate.) We used strip steak (it was on sale) but you could use ribeye, sirloin, beef tenderloin, filet mignon, or a skirt steak.
- Pear – Asian pear is traditional for Bulgogi. It’s a mild pear that has a lightly sweet and crisp flavor. If you can’t find an Asian pear, it’s perfectly find to use a Bosc pear instead.
- Yellow Onion
- Fresh Garlic
- Fresh Ginger
- Gochujang – This is a fermented, spicy, thick, sweet chili paste. You can find it in most supermarkets in the Asian food aisle.
- Scallions
- Fresh Carrot
- Soy Sauce
- Brown Sugar
- Sesame Oil
- Ground Black Pepper
- Rice Syrup – Also sold in the Asian foods section of the supermarket, but if you can’t find it – use honey, corn syrup, agave, or golden syrup instead. Adding syrup to the marinade gives the finished beef a nice shine after it is cooked.
- Vegetable Oil –For grilling.
- For Serving:
- Leafy Green Lettuce – If served as lettuce wraps.Sticky Rice – Sticky rice is traditionally served with Bulgogi.Kimchi – Traditional fermented cabbage served with Bulgogi. There are plenty of good brands sold in the refrigerated produce section of most supermarkets.
- Garnish – Additional sliced scallions and sesame seeds.
- Optional Sauce for Serving – Miso paste, Gochujang, scallions, honey, sesame oil, and sesame seeds.
Special Tools You’ll Need
- Cutting Board and Sharp Knife
- Various Measuring Cups and Spoons
- Food Processor or Blender – To make the marinade.
- Gallon Zipper Seal – To marinate the beef.
- Long-Handled Tongs
- Paper Towels
- Bowl – To mix the (optional) sauce.
- Pastry Brush
- Colander
- Outdoor Grill and Grill Pan/Basket)
Cooking Methods
- Bulgogi is traditionally grilled on an outside grill (try to avoid grilling in the rain if you can) – ideally a charcoal barbecue, although a gas grill will work as well. Since the strips of beef are so small – to cook without them falling through the grill grates – a perforated grill pan is a must.
- A stovetop ribbed grill pan is another option, but sometimes this method can steam the meat instead of charring and caramelizing it. If you are using a ribbed grill pan, avoid overcrowding the pan with slices of meat. Also make sure the pan is well oiled and very hot before placing the beef slices on. (Fold a paper towel and grip it with long handled tongs. Then dip the paper towel in a small bowl of oil and brush the grill pan ribs well before cooking.)
- A broiler can also be used to cook bulgogi. Keep a constant eye on it while it cooks to avoid overcooking and burning. If broiling, line two sheet trays with foil and racks and brush oil over the racks. Lay out each beef strip and carrots between the two pans without letting the pieces touch each other. Then brush the vegetable oil all over the tops of the beef and carrots and broil for 2-4 minutes on one side until browned and caramelized. No need to flip and cook the second side if broiling. They should be fully cooked in just a few minutes.
How do I make Bulgogi?
- Trim excess fat off the beef. Freeze for 30 minutes, then cut it into strips.
- Puree marinade ingredients and pour into gallon zip lock bag with the sliced beef.
- Cut carrots and scallions and add to the bag to marinate with the beef. (For tougher cuts of beef, marinate overnight. For more tender cuts, marinate as little as 30 minutes.)
- Make the sauce (optional).
- When ready to cook the beef, make the sticky rice.
- Begin heating your grill to high and also pre-heat the perforated grill pan.
- Drain the beef into a colander, then run a little water over to loosen up the thick marinade so it drains. Try to remove as much if the liquid as possible. Pat the beef dry with paper towels.
- Brush the vegetable oil over the preheated perforated grill pan and lay out the beef strips in a single layer with carrots and scallions. Brush the tops with more oil. (Note: You will likely need to cook in batches depending on the size of your grill pan). Cook for 2 minutes on one side until browned and caramelized, flip and cook for a minute or two on the other side.
- Remove to a platter and sprinkle on sliced scallions and sesame seeds.
- Serve with the sauce, sticky rice, and kimchi, or serve in a lettuce wrap with sauce in the wrap and sticky rice and kimchi on the side.
Cooking Tips & Tricks
- Freezing the trimmed steak for 30 minutes before slicing will make it easier to get thin, even slices.
- Blot the beef slices with paper towels to remove as much of the marinade as possible before grilling. This will help the beef brown and caramelize instead of steaming as it cooks.
- The marinating time depends on the beef cut. Tenderloin and ribeye will take 30 minutes to two hours. Skirt steak or even chuck, should marinate overnight.
- Adding rice syrup to the marinade (or honey, agave, corn syrup or golden syrup), gives the finished beef a nice shine.
- Serve the Bulgogi on lettuce wraps or make our delicious Bulgogi Egg Rolls recipe.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Can I make Bulgogi ahead of time? You can make the marinade, cut the beef, and make the rice ahead of time – then just marinate and cook, reheating the rice when ready to serve.
- How do I store leftovers? Store refrigerated in a covered container for up to three days.
- How do I reheat leftovers? The microwave may make the beef tough. It is best to toss the beef in a sauté pan with a little oil to heat through. Avoid overcooking.
- Can I freeze? The cooked beef can be frozen in an airtight bag. Just note that the beef may not be as tender after being frozen and thawed.
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Bulgogi (Korean Beef Barbecue)
A delicious recipe for Bulgogi (Korean Beef Barbecue) that anyone can make at home. No need to make a trip to a specialty market – our recipe uses commonly-found ingredients.
Ingredients
2 1/2 pounds ribeye or strip steak (after trimming, 1 3/4 pounds)
1/2 Asian pear or one full Bosc pear, peeled and cored and coarsely cut up
1/4 cup yellow onion, coarsely chopped
4 medium garlic cloves
1 piece of peeled ginger, about one inch
1 tablespoon Gochujang
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons sesame oil
1 tablespoon rice syrup (or honey, corn syrup, agave, or golden syrup)
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 scallions sliced
1 large carrot, peeled and sliced into quarter inch thick slices on the bias
1/4 cup vegetable oil
For Serving
Additional sesame seeds and sliced scallions, for garnish
Cooked Sticky Rice
Kimchi
Leafy Green Lettuce (if making lettuce wraps)
Sauce
1 tablespoon Gochujang
1/4 cup Miso paste (fermented bean paste)
2 tablespoons honey
2 teaspoons sesame oil
3 scallions sliced
2 teaspoons sesame seeds
Instructions
- Trim the steaks of all visible fat and connecting tissue and then freeze the trimmed steaks for 30 minutes. This will make them easier to slice.
- Remove steaks from the freezer and cut quarter inch thick strips against the grain. Place into a gallon zip lock bag.
- In a food processor, place Asian pear, yellow onion, garlic cloves, ginger, Gochujang, soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, rice syrup, and black pepper and puree to a smooth consistency.
- Pour into the bag with the beef along with scallions and carrots. Seal and marinate per chef tips above based on your beef cut.
- While beef is marinating, if you plan to serve with sticky rice, get that ready.
- Make the (optional) sauce by combining all ingredients.
- Heat the grill to high and preheat a perforated grill pan. (Or turn on broiler and line two sheet trays with foil and racks, or heat a ribbed grill pan).
- Pour the marinated beef into a colander and run a little water to loosen up the marinade so it drains. Move the meat around to try and drain off as much liquid as possible. Take a wad of paper towels and push them into the beef to try and absorb any last liquid.
- Brush the vegetable oil over the preheated perforated grill pan and lay out the beef strips, carrots and scallions and brush the top with more oil. (May need to cook in batches depending on the size of your grill pan). Cook for 2 minutes on one side until browned and caramelized, flip and cook for a minute or two on the other side.
- Or if broiling, line two sheet trays with foil and racks and brush oil over the racks. Lay out beef strips and carrots between the two pans without letting the pieces touch each other. Then brush the vegetable oil all over the tops of the beef and carrots and broil for 2-4 minutes on one side until browned and caramelized. No need to flip and cook the second side if broiling. They should be fully cooked.
- Move all the beef and carrots to a platter and garnish with chopped scallions and sesame seeds.
- You can serve two different ways; By placing the beef, rice and kimchi on a serving plate and topping the beef with some of the sauce or fill a lettuce leaf with the beef and smear on some sauce and serve the rice and kimchi on the side.
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I know beef is the traditional meat used in bulgogi, but can chicken thighs be used with this marinade? Have you tried adding gochujang–how much or is that to taste?
Hi Jean – I suppose you could use this for chicken instead. We haven’t done so – so please let us know how it comes out! Gochujang will add a lot of spiciness and completely change the flavor profile…if you are looking to use that on chicken, I’d suggest Googling a Gochujang Chicken recipe rather than trying to adapt this recipe to that. Hope that helps!
I am not a big beef eater, but your bulgogi sure looks delicious enough for me to give it a try! Thanks for sharing.
Thanks Marigene! I hope you’ll give the recipe a try!
If I leave out the coke, what do I replace it with? Any suggestions?
Hi Deidree – You can add a 1/4 cup of brown sugar for some additional sweetness, or just leave it out completely. Thanks for your question!
Korean beef barbecue is new to me but it looks amazing! Thanks for sharing several ways to make this with substitute ingredients. There’s nothing more vexing than wanting to make something but not being able to because you can’t get the ingredients.
Thanks Tom! Hope you enjoy it!