Bulgogi – Marinated Beef from the Pan Recipe
Bulgogi is thinly sliced beef in a sweet-salty marinade, quickly stir-fried in a very hot pan. In Korea it’s often eaten at the table, where everyone wraps the meat in lettuce leaves and adds their favorite toppings. The flavor is a bit like a delicate steak with teriyaki sauce, but with a distinct sesame-garlic note.
This bulgogi brings classic Korean barbecue flavors into a simple pan-fried dish you can make at home without a grill. The pear in the marinade tenderizes the meat and adds a subtle sweetness, while sesame oil and garlic give it a deep, aromatic character.
Chef's tips
Slice the beef as thinly as you can – this is the key to quick cooking and a tender result. If you have time, marinate the meat overnight for maximum flavor. Toast the sesame seeds briefly in a dry pan to bring out their nutty aroma before sprinkling over the finished dish.
How to serve
Serve bulgogi family-style in the middle of the table with bowls of hot rice, a big plate of lettuce leaves and small dishes of kimchi, pickled radish or cucumber. Add extra sesame seeds, sliced chili and more soy sauce or gochujang on the side so everyone can customize their wraps.
Ingredients
- beef - 600 g
- onion - 1 piece
- pear - 0.5 piece
- garlic - 4 cloves
- soy sauce - 80 ml
- sugar - 2 tablespoon
- sesame oil - 2 tablespoon
- vegetable oil - 1 tablespoon
- sugar - 1 teaspoon
- pepper freshly ground black - 0.5 teaspoon
- chives finely chopped - 3 tablespoon
- sesame seeds toasted - 1 tablespoon
- rice - 300 g
- lettuce - 1 head
Preparation
- Rinse the rice thoroughly in cold water until the water is almost clear, then cook according to the package instructions so it’s tender but not mushy.
- Slice the beef into very thin strips, preferably against the grain; if the meat is too soft to slice, place it in the freezer for 20 minutes to firm up slightly.
- Grate the pear on a fine grater. Halve the onion, grate one half and slice the other half into thin slivers.
- Finely chop the garlic or press it through a garlic press.
- In a large bowl, mix the soy sauce, brown sugar, white sugar, sesame oil, grated pear, grated onion, garlic and pepper until the sugar dissolves.
- Add the sliced beef and the onion slivers to the marinade and mix thoroughly with your hand or a spoon so every piece is coated in sauce. Cover and set aside for at least 15 minutes (ideally 1–2 hours in the fridge).
- Wash the lettuce, dry it and tear into larger leaves so you can wrap the meat in them.
- Heat a large pan or wok over high heat, add the vegetable oil and wait until it’s very hot (it should just start to smoke).
- Place some of the meat in the pan in a single layer and fry for 2–3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the meat turns brown and the sauce thickens slightly. Don’t overcrowd the pan; cook the bulgogi in batches.
- Transfer the cooked meat to a bowl and sprinkle with chopped chives and toasted sesame seeds.
- Serve the hot bulgogi with a bowl of rice and lettuce leaves. Everyone can put some rice and meat on a lettuce leaf, roll it up like a small wrap and eat with their hands.
Storage
Usmażone bulgogi przechowuj w szczelnym pojemniku w lodówce i podgrzewaj krótko na patelni z odrobiną wody. Możesz też zamrozić surowe mięso w marynacie do 2 miesięcy i smażyć bez rozmrażania, wydłużając czas o kilka minut.
