It’s a delicious Korean dish that you can make at home.
Sue Neal shares the many uses for Bulgogi.
Bulgogi
3 lb chuck roast, shaved thinly 1/8″ (freeze your meat for at least 12 hours to be able to slice it thinly, or ask your butcher and he’ll do it!) Typically, Koreans use Rib eye, sirloin or tenderloin. I just like using chuck.
1 Asian Pear, finely grated (could use a Bosc pear if you can’t find Asian Pear)
1 large onion, cut in half, then sliced very thinly
Thumb sized ginger, finely grated.
half a bulb of garlic, chopped
2 tsp freshly ground pepper
4 Tbsp Soy Sauce
4 Tbsp Toasted Sesame Oil
6 Tbsp Brown sugar
Mix marinade ingredients together, then pour over meat and gently mix. Refrigerate overnight or at least 6 hours. At this point, you can also divide your raw Bulgogi into smaller portions and freeze some of it.
Heat a cast iron pan VERY hot. Drizzle a few rounds of Olive oil. Carefully spread out and lay your Bulgogi meat over the pan. It cooks very quickly because it’s so thin. Turn when browned on one side. Do not overcrowd. As you get to the bottom of the bowl, where there is more marinate, try to shake as much off as possible and put fewer pieces in the pan so it doesn’t steam.
It’ll take several times in the pan to cook all the Bulgogi. Keep putting it in a bowl until it’s all done. Eat hot or refrigerate for a meal later on.
Bulgogi is Korean BBQ Beef. But really, it is SO much more!
First of all, you do not need to grill it or Barbeque it. You can, if you want to, but I love using my heavy cast iron pan to cook it. Get it scorching hot and listen to that sizzle! Then that heavenly smoky, sweet aroma hits and you know you have a winner!
Takes a minute to cook and you’re ready to eat. On its own (it’s so tasty, it might not even make it to the plate), or in lots of easy applications, like Salad, Bibimbap (rice bowl), lettuce wraps and tacos!
{I make a large amount, then freeze into Quart Freezer Ziplock bags for future use}
Now you’ve made a LOT of Bulgogi…how to serve it? The following are just a few ideas, enjoy!
Bulgogi Noodle Salad
Bulgogi (prepared. see recipe above)
1/2 of a small green cabbage, sliced thinly
1 red, yellow & orange sweet pepper, sliced thinly
1 bunch green onions, sliced thinly on the diagonal (reserve some for top)
several handfuls of snow or snap peas (edible pods), sliced on the diagonal
1/2 a bunch of cilantro, chopped
1 pkg of noodles, cooked and cooled (any Asian kind will do, but I used Thai rice noodles, because I had them on hand)
1 pkg of frozen edamame, thawed and lightly salted.
Toasted sesame seeds
This makes a big bowl, reduce amounts for a smaller salad.
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl, toss with dressing (add a little at a time and taste).
Place in a bowl and top with Bulgogi (it can be freshly cooked, or cooled). Top with Green onions and sesame seeds.
Gochujang Salad Dressing (or sauce)
2 Tbsp Gochujang (Korean Sweet & Spicy Red chili paste. Add less/more depending on your heat tolerance.)
4 Tbsp Rice Vinegar
4 Tbsp Cooking Sake
4 Tbsp Soy Sauce
4 Tbsp Brown sugar or Honey (or more is you like it a bit sweeter)
2 Tbsp Roasted Sesame Oil
Mix well and drizzle over.
Option: Thicken with heat & a slurry of cornstarch for a dipping sauce or drizzle over lettuce wraps
Bulgogi Lettuce Wraps
Bulgogi (prepared…see recipe above)
Carrot (matchsticks)
cucumber (matchsticks)
Rice Vinegar
Salt & Pepper
tsp sugar
1 bunch green onions, sliced thinly on the diagonal (reserve some for top)
Toasted sesame seeds
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl, toss with dressing (add a little at a time and taste).
Place in a bowl and top with Bulgogi (it can be freshly cooked, or cooled). Top with Green onions and sesame seeds. Drizzle with straight of the bottle Gochujang (Korean Sweet & Spicy Red chili paste.) or thicken the Gochujang Salad sauce.
Korean Banh Mi with Bulgogi
Bulgogi (prepared…see recipe above)
French Baguette (slice lengthwise & then diagonally for 3-4 sandwiches, depending how long your baguette is.)
Carrot & Daikon radish (shredded and tossed with a little rice vinegar, Salt, Pepper and sugar)
Green onions, sliced thinly
cucumber (Sliced thinly & tossed with a little rice vinegar, Salt, Pepper and sugar)
Mayonaise
Sriracha (or Sriracha Mayo if it’s too hot on it’s own)
Cilantro, chopped
Option: Thinly slice Japapeno if you like it really hot.
Combine carrots, diakon and green onions with pickling ingredients.
Combine thinly slice cucumbers with pickling ingredients.
Lightly toast insides of baguette. Schmear insides of bread with mayonaise.
Layer veggies first, then bulgogi.
Top with cilantro and green onions.
Drizzle with Sriracha or sriracha mayo.
Top with bread and enjoy!
Bulgogi Bibimbap (rice bowl)
Bulgogi (prepared…see recipe above)
Rice (any rice will do, but Koreans use a medium grain rice, similar to sushi rice)
1 egg per bowl
Toasted Sesame Seeds
Vegetables: This is where you can customize your rice bowl. Koreans will often use up leftover vegetable sides, so really, anything that makes you happy goes. But here are a few suggestions:
Sauteed spinach
Carrots, shredded or ribbons (cooked or raw)
Bean sprouts
Baby Corn
Red or green onion
Mushrooms
Zucchini
Kim Chee
Cucumbers
Cabbage
{Bibimbap is like ramen, except with rice and no broth. super comfort food!}
Keeping it simple, just place rice in a bowl and top with ingredients, except for egg, which goes on top, as well as the Toasted sesame seeds. Drizzle with Gochujang (Korean Sweet & Spicy Red chili paste. )
Bibimbap is typically arranged around the bowl, keeping ingredients separate. Once served, you can mix it as you like.
However, true Bibimbap is serve in a hot stone bowl, which then creates a crispy bottom texture on the rice. To duplicate this texture, you can place your rice in a hot fry pan (with a little oil) and cook it until it gets that same crispy texture…then place in the bowl.
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