Bulgogi is a classic korean dish consisting of thinly sliced beef marinated in a sweet and savory sauce before being grilled or stir-fried.
The marinade typically includes a mixture of soy sauce, sugar or honey, sesame oil, garlic and often other ingredients like ginger, scallions and black pepper. Bulgogi can be served on its own as a main dish, often accompanied by steamed rice and various side dishes like kimchi and pickled vegetables. It can also be used as a filling in dishes like bibimbap or served wrapped in lettuce leaves with rice and ssamjang (spicy dipping sauce), a style known as bulgogi ssam. It’s beloved dish in Korean cuisine, enjoyed both at home and in restaurants worldwide.
Ingredients
1 pound of beef tenderloin, cut into thin slices ½ inch x 2 inches and ⅛ inch thick
Marinade (for 1 pound of beef):
½ cup of crushed Korean pear (Asian pear)
¼ cup onion puree
4 cloves of minced garlic
1 teaspoon minced ginger
1 chopped green onion 2 tbs soy sauce
2 tbs brown sugar (or 1 tbs of brown sugar and 1½ tbs rice syrup)
a pinch of ground black pepper
1 tbs toasted toasted sesame oil
several thin slices of carrot
Instructions
For beef marination
Mix all the marinade ingredients in a bowl. Add the sliced beef and mix well.
Vegetarian option: Use the same marinade above and replace beef with mushrooms. You’ll need 10-12 large dried shiitake mushrooms. Add a few white mushrooms if you like them. Soak the dried shiitake mushrooms in warm water for several hours until they’re soft.
Squeeze out any excess water and slice each mushroom thinly.
Slice some white mushrooms, carrot, and onion. Mix all of it together in the marinade.
Grill and serve You can grill, pan-fry, or BBQ right after marinating, but it’s best to keep it in the fridge and let it marinate for at least 30 minutes, or overnight for a tougher cut of beef.
Grill over medium-high heat. Best is over an open flame on a grill or cast iron grill pan or skillet, but stir-frying will work as well.
Serve with Korean side dishes like kimchi, lettuce, and garlic cloves to make lettuce wraps. Just put some meat on a lettuce leaf with some ssamjang and a clove of garlic, wrap it up and eat it in one bite. Enjoy!
