Korean Beef Bulgogi with Sweet-Savory Pear Marinade
By Mason Brooks
Prep
5 min
Cook
15 min
Total
140 min
Servings
3
Level
Easy
Korean beef bulgogi, served over rice or in lettuce wraps, is a quick dinner choice. Thinly sliced ribeye steak is transformed into sweet, caramelized bulgogi beef with a marinade of Asian pear, ginger, garlic, brown sugar, honey, mirin, sesame oil, and soy sauce.
Pear, onion, garlic, and ginger are blended with soy sauce, sesame oil, brown sugar, honey, mirin, and black pepper to create a marinade for beef. Thinly sliced ribeye and onion are combined and marinated in the mixture for at least two hours. Toasted sesame seeds and green onions are recommended toppings for cooked beef.
Cook beef in batches in a hot skillet to prevent steaming. Beefsteak strips will be browned around the edges and lose their pink color in three to four minutes. The main concern when cooking thin slices of rib steak is too much meat in the pan at once, which prevents browning. Overcooked rib steak will be tough and dry.
Serve the beef and rice family-style at the table. Offer lettuce and perilla leaves for making wraps with kimchi and ssamjang. Reheat leftovers kept in a sealed container or freezer using the stovetop or microwave in a covered dish. Sprinkle green onion and sesame seeds on food just before serving for optimal texture.
Why you'll love this recipe
- Rice and lettuce wraps are popular among small families, A sweet and savory beef dish lets family members make plates with their preferred ingredients.
- Busy weeknights work well for this recipe because the total preparation time for the ribeye is around 15 minutes, with additional time required for marinating.
- Picky eaters can enjoy white rice and beef with additional toppings such as kimchi, lettuce, sesame seeds, and chopped green onions, among others, to taste.
- The marinade made from pear, onion, ginger, and garlic is well combined and evenly applied to thin slices of beef, These added flavors taste sweet, savory, and spicy.
- Cooking several portions of meat at once will give the meat a desirable caramelized taste and texture instead of a steamed taste and texture, similar to a Korean barbecue.
- Leftover bulgogi can be repurposed for other dishes, including rice bowls and wraps, by saving and refrigerating or freezing bulgogi, then reheating for service.
Ingredients
- •1 ½ lb boneless ribeye (very thinly sliced)
- •1 small yellow onion (5 oz, thinly sliced)
- •½ cup soy sauce
- •1 tbsp sesame oil
- •2 tbsp light brown sugar (packed)
- •1 tbsp honey
- •2 tbsp mirin
- •¼ tsp black pepper
- •1 small Asian pear (6 oz, peeled, cored, and chopped)
- •½ small yellow onion (quartered)
- •5 cloves garlic (roughly chopped, about 2 tbsp)
- •1 ½ tsp ginger (peeled and roughly chopped)
- •1 tbsp cooking oil
- •1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds (for garnish)
- •2 stalks green onion (chopped, for garnish)
- •rice (for serving)
Instructions
- 1
In a large mixing bowl, combine the thinly sliced beef and sliced yellow onion.
- 2
Add the soy sauce, sesame oil, brown sugar, honey, mirin, black pepper, Asian pear, quartered yellow onion, garlic, and ginger to a food processor or blender.
- 3
Process the marinade until smooth.
- 4
Pour the marinade over the beef and toss to coat evenly.
- 5
Cover with plastic wrap and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or preferably overnight.
- 6
Heat the cooking oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until hot.
- 7
Add the beef in portions and cook for 3-4 minutes, until cooked on both sides, without overcrowding the pan.
- 8
Transfer the cooked beef to a serving plate and continue with the remaining beef.
- 9
Top with green onion and toasted sesame seeds, then serve with rice.
FAQ
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
682
Protein
52g
Fat
38g
Carbs
36g
Reviews
Pin this recipe
Tap an image to save it to Pinterest.
