Beef Bulgogi

Korea’s tender, succulent strips of thin-sliced beef aren’t just a special occasion restaurant order—bulgogi comes together quickly with a blender marinade.

By Courtney HillAugust 9, 2023

Makes
4 servings
Cook Time
1¼ hours
Active time plus cooling
35 minutes active, plus marinating
Rating
14

Salty, sweet and garlicky, with rich meatiness and an ultra-tender texture, beef bulgogi is a Korean standard. The name translates as “fire meat,” and though bulgogi sometimes is charred over flames or cooked on a dome-shaped tabletop grill, when prepared at home, it is simply sautéed or stir-fried on the stovetop. Ryan Phillips, a Korean American chef living in Seoul, taught us his recipe for home-style bulgogi. The soy-based marinade comes together easily and quickly in a blender. It includes Asian pear, which adds subtle sweetness and fruitiness as well as enzymes that help tenderize the meat. Asian pears are seasonal and can sometimes be pricey; if you prefer, a regular ripe pear of any variety is a good stand-in. As for the meat, we tried various cuts and favored rib-eye and strip steak; top sirloin also is a good, more economical cut. Whichever you use, the beef needs to be thinly sliced on the bias to help make the meat more tender. Serve with steamed rice and tangy, spicy kimchi.

Tip

Don’t forget to turn up the heat to high after adding the beef and don’t stir too often as the meat cooks. The aim is to get caramelization quickly so the beef spends only a few minutes in the pan and remains tender.

Ingredients

1 ¼
pounds rib-eye, strip or top sirloin steak, preferably about 1 inch thick, trimmed of exterior fat and silver skin
8
ounces Asian pear (see headnote), peeled, cored and roughly chopped
5
medium garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
1
1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and cut into 4 or 5 pieces
¼
cup soy sauce
3
tablespoons honey
2
tablespoons mirin
2
tablespoons toasted sesame oil
2
scallions, white and green parts separated but kept whole
Kosher salt and ground black pepper
2
tablespoons grapeseed or other neutral oil
2
teaspoons sesame seeds, toasted

Step 1

Place the beef on a plate and freeze, uncovered, until the surface is firm, about 20 minutes. In a blender, combine the pear, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, honey, mirin, sesame oil, scallion whites, ½ teaspoon salt and ¾ teaspoon pepper. Blend, scraping the jar as needed, until smooth, about 1 minute. Pour into a medium bowl.

Step 2

Transfer the partially frozen meat to a cutting board. Using a sharp knife, slice the beef diagonally as thinly as possible. Add the meat to the marinade and mix until evenly coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, stirring once or twice, or up to 24 hours, stirring a few times.

Step 3

About 30 minutes before cooking, remove the beef from the refrigerator and let stand at room temperature; this makes the marinade more fluid so more will drain off. When ready to cook, set a colander in a medium bowl. Drain the beef mixture in the colander, tossing so as much marinade as possible drains off; reserve the marinade. Thinly slice the scallion greens on the diagonal; set aside.

Step 4

In a 12-inch skillet over medium-high, heat the neutral oil until barely smoking. Add the beef in an even layer, then immediately increase to high. Cook without stirring until the pieces at the edges of the pan are well caramelized, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir and cook, stirring only once or twice, until the meat is spottily browned and only 1 to 2 tablespoons liquid remains in the pan, another 4 to 6 minutes.

Step 5