South Korea • Regional Dish • Main Course

Korean Beef Bulgogi

Korean beef bulgogi is one of the great quick-payoff dinners: thin slices of marinated beef cooked fast and eaten even faster.

Servings4

Prep Time20 min

Cook Time10 min

DifficultyEasy

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Ingredients

US Metric

1 lb beef sirloin, ribeye, or tenderloin, very thinly sliced

1/2 small Asian pear, peeled and grated

1/4 small onion, grated

3 garlic cloves, finely grated or minced

1 tsp fresh ginger, finely grated

3 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp brown sugar

1 tbsp honey

1 tbsp toasted sesame oil

2 green onions, finely chopped

1/4 tsp black pepper

1 tsp neutral oil, if pan-cooking

1 tsp toasted sesame seeds

500 g beef sirloin, ribeye, or tenderloin, very thinly sliced

1/2 small Asian pear, peeled and grated

1/4 small onion, grated

3 garlic cloves, finely grated or minced

1 teaspoon fresh ginger, finely grated

3 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1 tablespoon honey

1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil

2 green onions, finely chopped

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon neutral oil, if pan-cooking

1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds

Instructions

If the beef is not already thinly sliced, freeze it for 20 to 30 minutes until firm, then slice it as thinly as you can across the grain.
Make the marinade. In a bowl, mix the grated pear, grated onion, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, brown sugar, honey, sesame oil, green onions, and black pepper.
Add the beef and toss well so every slice is coated. Cover and marinate in the fridge for 30 minutes to 2 hours.
Heat a large skillet, grill pan, or barbecue over high heat. If you are using a skillet, add the neutral oil.
Cook the beef in batches for 1 to 2 minutes per batch, spreading it out so it sears instead of steams. Transfer to a plate as each batch finishes.
Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve hot.

Cultural Context

Bulgogi literally means “fire meat,” a reference to the dish’s traditional method of cooking marinated beef over heat. Modern home versions are often pan-cooked, but the core idea stays the same: very thin slices of beef marinated in a sweet-savory mixture built around soy sauce, aromatics, sesame, and often pear or onion for tenderness and balance. It is one of Korea’s best-known beef dishes and is commonly served with rice or wrapped in lettuce with condiments and side dishes.

Fun Fact

A pear in bulgogi isn't just there to make the marinade taste good. Traditional Korean recipes often use Asian pear because it adds sweetness and helps tenderize the meat, which is a pretty elegant trick for a fruit with such innocent branding.

Cook’s Tip

Ribeye gives the richest result, but sirloin works well and is easier on the wallet. Asian pear is traditional and helps tenderize the beef. A sweet apple can stand in if needed. Don’t overcrowd the pan, or the meat will steam and sulk rather than brown. A short marinade is enough when the beef is sliced very thin. For a slightly more casual home version, add thinly sliced onion or carrot to the pan during the last minute of cooking. This recipe is best cooked fast over high heat. Bulgogi likes urgency.

Trivia

Because bulgogi is sliced so thin and cooked so fast, it became one of the most approachable Korean barbecue dishes to recreate at home long before most people owned anything remotely resembling a tabletop grill.

About This Recipe

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Korean Beef Bulgogi

Instructions

Cultural Context

Fun Fact

Cook’s Tip

Trivia

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