Korean Bulgogi (불고기)

About This Recipe

Bulgogi (literally 'fire meat') is Korea's most-loved beef dish — paper-thin slices of sirloin or rib-eye marinated in a sweet-savory bath of soy sauce, pureed Asian pear (the natural meat tenderizer), sesame oil, garlic, ginger, and rice wine, then grilled on a high heat or pan-seared in batches. The marinade does double duty: the pear enzymes tenderize the beef, while the sugars caramelize on contact with high heat. Served wrapped in lettuce leaves (ssam) with rice, gochujang, sliced garlic, and a few aromatic herbs — assembled bite by bite at the table. A favorite of both Korean home cooks and the world's Korean BBQ restaurants, bulgogi was originally a royal court dish during the Goryeo dynasty (10th century), then democratized in the 20th.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 700 gbeef sirloin or rib-eye, thinly sliced (2-3 mm)
• 1 smallAsian pear (or 1 small apple), grated
• 1/2 smallyellow onion, grated
• 80 mlsoy sauce
• 3 tbspbrown sugar
• 2 tbsptoasted sesame oil
• 2 tbsprice wine (mirin or Shaoxing)
• 8 clovesgarlic, minced
• 1 thumbginger, grated
• 1 tbsptoasted sesame seeds
• 1 tspfreshly ground black pepper
• 1 tbspneutral oil for cooking
• 3scallions, sliced (garnish)
• 1 tsptoasted sesame seeds (garnish)
• lettuce leaves, sliced raw garlic, ssamjang, hot rice to serve

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the marinade

   Whisk grated pear, grated onion, soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, rice wine, garlic, ginger, sesame seeds, and black pepper in a wide bowl.

2. 2

   Marinate the beef

   Add the sliced beef. Mix gently to coat each slice. Marinate refrigerated for at least 4 hours, ideally overnight. The pear enzymes tenderize the beef gradually.

3. 3

   Heat the pan very hot

   Heat a wide cast-iron skillet, carbon steel pan, or grill pan over high heat for 3 minutes. Brush with a little oil.

4. 4

   Sear in single layer

   Lift beef slices from the marinade (shake off excess) and lay in a single layer in the screaming-hot pan. Do not crowd. Sear 60-90 seconds per side until the edges char and the surface lacquers. Lift onto a plate.

5. 5

   Continue in batches

   Cook remaining beef in 2-3 more batches. Each batch should leave a thin layer of caramelized marinade on the pan — don't scrape it off; it adds flavor to the next batch.

6. 6

   Optional pan sauce reduction

   After the last batch, pour the remaining marinade into the hot pan. Boil hard 2 minutes until reduced to a glossy sauce. Pour over the cooked beef.

7. 7

   Plate and garnish

   Pile the bulgogi onto a wide platter. Top with scallions and sesame seeds.

8. 8

   Serve as ssam

   Bring the platter to the table with lettuce leaves, sliced raw garlic, ssamjang (Korean spicy soybean paste), hot steamed rice, and kimchi. Each diner builds wraps: lettuce, rice, beef, garlic slice, dab of ssamjang, fold and eat in one bite.

Variations

• •

  Spicy bulgogi (dwaeji bulgogi): use pork shoulder + gochujang in the marinade.

• •

  Bulgogi jeongol: stewed bulgogi in a pot with vegetables, mushrooms, and glass noodles — table-side hot pot.

• •

  Chicken bulgogi (dak bulgogi): swap beef for chicken thighs.

Storage

Marinade keeps with raw beef 24 hours. Cooked bulgogi refrigerates 3 days; reheat in a hot pan with a splash of water.

Frequently Asked Questions