Bulgogi (Korean Grilled Beef)
What is Bulgogi?
Bulgogi (불고기) is one of classic Korean dishes where thinly shaved meat is marinated in a sweet and savory sauce made of soy sauce, sugar, and Korean pear juice, and grilled on a barbecue or on a stove-top griddle. Literally meaning “fire” and “meat,” this well-known Korean dish has been in existence for nearly over a thousand years. It was even considered a fashionably high class cuisine during the Joseon Dynasty.
Thanks to the rise of Korean food scene in Japan, Bulgogi (プルコギ) is gaining such a popularity that a lot of housewives are making the dish at home. When cooked with vegetables like I did in this recipe, bulgogi makes a wholesome one-skillet dinner for the family. It’s a simple dish that will satisfy even the pickiest eaters.
5 Tips to Make Delicious Bulgogi
- Grated Korean/ Asian Pear
I think one of the most important ingredients in the bulgogi marinade is grated Korean/Asian pear. Ever since I learned from my Korean friends about adding grated pear in the marinade, I almost always include this secret ingredient.
The Korean/Asian pear is round in shape and it resembles an apple. Some call it apple pear. Unlike other varieties of pears, the texture of the Korean pear is rather firm like an apple, but it contains more moisture and juice. It’s sweet and really delicious.
They appear in the grocery stores in fall and winter months. It’s a lot easier to find them in Asian (Chinese, Korean, Japanese) grocery stores but even my local Costco carries them during the season. In Japan, we call these pears “Nashi” (梨).
Korean/Asian pear may not be available in all seasons, but it’s totally worth hunting down when you make bulgogi at home. I didn’t expect that I could get hold of a Korean pear in May at my local American grocery store. You never know until you look for it!
Now, if you couldn’t find them, you can use an apple, like Fuji apple as substitute.
- Korean Soy Sauce
You probably think I’m crazy to highlight such a trivial matter. But I am as guilty as charge when it comes to using Japanese soy sauce to make Korean dishes.
Everything changed when my friend Seonkyoung brought a bottle of Korean soy sauce for me to try. You may think Korean soy sauce and Japanese soy sauce (or Chinese soy sauce) are similar. They are not. Don’t take shortcut (like I did) and substitute with the soy sauce you have. Using Korean soy sauce to make Korean dishes such as bulgogi makes a difference!
- Marinate Overnight
Although I stated minimum 30 minutes of marinating in the recipe below, I highly recommend marinating the meat overnight so that all the flavors are soaked in the beef. The flavors will come through much stronger and the meat tenderer if you allow it to marinade longer.
- Leave the Marinade Liquid Behind
If you want to give a nice char to the beef, you need to use a pair of tongs to pick up the meat from the marinade, leaving the marinade liquid behind. You need to place just the meat on the hot skillet, no liquid goes onto the skillet. You would end up steaming the meat with liquid in the pan. Make sure you coat each piece of sliced beef well with your hands covered with plastic and let them absorb the flavors while marinading.
- Cook on Hot Skillet
Whether you use an outdoor barbecue grill or cook over stove top, you will need to place the meat on a hot skillet. You don’t want to overcook the meat by putting the meat on the cold skillet which resulting a longer cook time. You want to give nice hot char to the thinly sliced beef as they cook really fast.
If you want to cook on an outdoor barbecue grill, make sure to cook the meat on a skillet so small pieces of meat won’t fall between the grill grates. I like to use a cast iron skillet to cook.
For a quick and easy weeknight family meal, I often served Bulgogi with steamed rice and kimchi on the side. If you are hosting a BBQ for a crowd, this Korean grilled meat also makes a fabulous finger food when served on lettuce wraps. And on these hot days of summer, enjoy it with some icy cold beer or lemonade.