Bulgogi is a traditional
Korean preparation for thinly sliced marinated beef. While it can be made with pork or chicken, bulgogi is usually made with beef. Extremely popular at Western Korean BBQ joints, bulgogi is deeply delicious thanks to its signature marinade, which both tenderizes the meat and infuses each bite with complex flavor. This dish isn’t difficult to make, but does take some time: make it for an extra-special weeknight dinner with friends, served with all your favorite toppings and sides. Here’s everything you need to know:
The best cut of beef for bulgogi:
The best cut of meat to use for bulgogi is rib-eye because it has a good ratio of fat to muscle. Sirloin also works well because of its tenderness. Super thin slices of meat are key for great bulgogi. Though you can buy thinly sliced meat at an Asian supermarket, you can easily slice the meat yourself. For the thinnest slices, freeze the meat for at least 2 1/2 hours beforehand.
How to make tender beef bulgogi:
The classic beef bulgogi marinade not only adds in the signature sweet flavor to the beef, but helps to tenderize it to perfection. The marinade typically includes onion, apple, kiwi, garlic, soy sauce, brown sugar, mirin, and sesame oil.
Kiwi speeds up the tenderization process, so be careful not to marinate for more than 2 1/2 hours or the structure of the meat will start to get mushy. If you want to marinate the bulgogi for longer than 2 hours, then reduce the amount of kiwi used to 1 tablespoon for up to 4 hours or use no kiwi at all to marinate for up to 6 hours.
How to serve bulgogi:
We prefer to serve our sizzling hot bulgogi on top of white rice with a side of kimchi, topped with toasted white sesame seeds and scallions.
Made this recipe? Let us know how it went in the comments below!