Bulgogi is a Korean cuisine classic! It means "Fire Meat" and it is delicious! There are many different pre-packaged sauces in supermarkets but you don't need that! It is super easy to make and very healthy with fresh crunchy lettuce, or a bowl of steaming rice, and spicy kimchi and other Korean banchan (side dishes). Here is how to make the marinade:
Ingredients
1.5 lb Beef Strips (sirloin or tenderloin)
1 fresh Korean pear or fresh Asian pear diced (red apples work as well)
3 Tsp Brown Sugar
6 Tsp Soy Sauce
2 Tsp Mirin
½ Onion for puree
½ Onion slices
2 Tsp Garlic
1 Tsp Ginger
Salt & Pepper
1 Chili
1 Tsp Sesame
1 long Scallion, cut diagonally 1.5 inch long
Cut The Beef
If you can get your hands on sirloin or tenderloin beef strips then you can skip this step. If you only have sirloin steak or tenderloin, place meat on a tray in the freezer an hour before cooking. We are not trying to freeze the meat, but to harden it a little so it is easier to slice. After an hour, get the meat out and place it on a chopping board. Use a sharp Chef's Knife slicing the meat vertically about ⅛ inch. Set aside.
Instructions
1. In a blender, add diced pear, ½ onion, soy sauce, brown sugar, miring, garlic, ginger, and chili together till smooth.
2. Season with salt and pepper to taste. It should be a little spicy from the chili; a little sweet from the pear and sugar; a little salty from soy sauce and salt. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, add beef strips and sliced half onion. Add the sauce in and mix everything together with hands. Make sure to massage the meat to get the sauce in every piece. Leave in the fridge at least 2 hours or overnight.
One thing I do want to point out that I did not do is not to cook the meat altogether. So here's the thing, if you are cooking bulgogi over the stove like I did there is something you need to know: in order to get that fire meat flavor (aka, smoky), it is best not to cook the meat altogether. If you cook the meat in batches, you will get a smoky taste and flavor as a result, which is wayyyyy better. However, if you are grilling it, then forget what I just said. If you look at the photo, you'll see my bulgogi had a slightly overwhelming amount of juice. It was delicious, don't get me wrong. The juice was perfect with steamy white rice later, but since this is a fire meat dish, you most likely want to get a smoky result instead. So, listen, either grill it or cook in batches over stove.
4. After 2 hours or so, take the meat out of the fridge. In a hot skillet over med-high heat, add enough oil to coat the bottom of the pan. Add ⅓ of the meat and onion slices to the skillet. Use a tong (or chopsticks or spatula) to stir the meat around and cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from skillet and start the next batch.
5. Once all meat is done, sprinkle sesame and some scallions on top.
Comments