In the best examples I've had of beef bulgogi in Korean restaurants, the meat, while tender, still had a little bit of chewiness to it. You can control texture by the thickness or thinness of the slices and how long you marinate them. But this Korean-style BBQ recipe has a fairly fast-acting marinade, so I go with an hour or two.
Ingredients
- ¼ pounds boneless beef short ribs, sliced across the grain in 1/8-inch thick slices: 1 piece
- garlic, finely: 4 clove (crushed)
- yellow onion: 0.25 cup (grated)
- freshly grated gingerroot: 1 Tbsp
- sesame oil: 1 Tbsp (toasted)
- light brown sugar: 1 Tbsp (to taste)
- freshly grated Asian pear: 0.33333 cup
- soy sauce: 0.25 cup
- Korean red pepper flakes (gochugaru): 1 Tbsp
- kosher salt: 0.5 tsp
- vegetable oil, plus more for brushing skillet: 1 Tbsp
- hot steamed rice: 2 cups (or as needed)
- green onion tops: 2 piece (for garnish, sliced)
Metric Conversion
Stages of cooking
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Mix garlic, grated onion, grated ginger, toasted sesame oil, and brown sugar together in a mixing bowl. Stir in grated pear, soy sauce, and red pepper flakes.
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Transfer meat to marinade and toss to coat on all sides. Cover and refrigerate, 1 to 2 hours.
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Season meat with salt and a drizzle of vegetable oil. Toss.
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Brush a cast iron skillet with a little vegetable oil and place over high heat. When the skillet is very hot, add beef in a single layer and cook until meat begins to caramelize around the edges and moisture begins to evaporate, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Serve over hot rice and top with green onion slices. Chef John
