Korean Beef Bulgogi Recipe
Published June 10, 2024. This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
This delicious marinated and grilled beef bulgogi is incredibly easy to make and is one of the most flavorful steak recipes. You will be blown away by the incredible taste of this beef.
I’m a huge meat eater, and we almost always have some protein at dinner. If you’re like us, check out my chopped steak or pizzaiola.
Bulgogi
Bulgogi is a classic Korean dish pronounced bool-go-gee, meaning “fire meat.” This dish is comprised of thinly sliced marinated meat that is most commonly cooked on the grill but can absolutely be cooked in a pan as well. When cooked over the open flame, the meat gets this perfect char around the outside edges, bringing about so much extra flavor. It’s very easy to make this recipe no matter how you decide to cook it.
The marinade for bulgogi is similar to that for kalbi but with fewer ingredients. I prefer to throw all the ingredients in a blender, as this helps to quickly infuse flavors so that they can penetrate the meat while marinating.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Apple – Sweeter apples such as Fuji. gala, pink lady, or honey crisp are best to use.
- Garlic – Plain garlic cloves are used in the marinade.
- Soy – A light soy sauce works perfectly. You could use a lower-sodium soy if you’d like.
- Sugar – I used a combination of light brown and granulated sugar, but you could use either sugar alone.
- Water – Plain tap water is used to thin out the marinade.
- Oil – Sesame oil is the best to use. However, you could use any neutral-flavored oil.
- Onion – You can use a red, white, yellow, or sweet onion.
- Steak – The best cuts of beef to use are top round, bottom round, ribeye, sirloin, strip steak, or tenderloin.
How to Make Bulgogi
- Add an apple, garlic, soy, brown sugar, white sugar, water, plum extract, and sesame oil to a blender and puree until smooth.
- Slice onions and beef very thin and add them to a plastic zip bag or container with a lid.
- Pour the marinade over the beef and onions completely submerging them.
- Move the meat and onions around to ensure the marinade is spread throughout. Refrigerate for at least 4-6 hours or, for best results, overnight.
- Drain the marinade from the meat and onions and discard the marinade.
- Spread the meat on a very hot grill between 450° and 550° and cook until lightly charred, about 2-3 minutes per side. Serve.
Make-Ahead and Storage
Make-Ahead: This recipe is meant to be eaten right away after cooking so that the meat stays tender. You could make it up to one hour ahead of time and keep it warm at very low temperatures in the oven, around 175°, until ready to serve.
How to Store: Place in a plastic container with a lid and keep in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. It will freeze covered for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator for 1 day before reheating.
How to Reheat: Place the desired amount back onto a foil-lined grill over high heat and cook for 2-3 minutes or until hot. You can also place the desired amount into a hot sauté pan and cook over medium-high heat for 2-3 minutes or until hot.
chef notes + tips
- I highly recommend cooking the bulgogi on foil over the grill grates or in a grill basket when using a grill. If you don’t, the beef will stick to the grill.
- The plum extract I used can be found in local Asian or Korean markets.
- If you want to cook this in a pan, heat the pan over medium-high heat and add 1-2 tablespoons of sesame oil. Spread the drained marinated beef around the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes per side, like on the grill.
- I like to serve bulgogi with a side of rice and stir-fried vegetables.
More Amazing Beef Recipes
Video
Korean Beef Bulgogi Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cored and peeled fuji apple
- 4 garlic cloves
- ½ cup soy sauce
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 cups water
- ¼ cup sesame oil
- 3 tablespoons plum extract, optional
- ½ peeled and thinly sliced yellow onion
- 2 pounds thinly sliced ribeye steak
Instructions
- Add the apple, garlic, sugars, water, sesame oil, and plum extract to a blender and blend at high speed until smooth. Set it aside.
- Next, add the onions and steak to a plastic zip bag or plastic container and pour in the blended marinade to completely submerge everything.
- Move the meat and onions around to make sure the marinade gets into every crack and crevice of the bag.
- Marinade the meat in the refrigerator for 4-6 hours or recommended overnight.
- Drain the meat and discard the marinade. Place the beef and onions spread out on a hot foil-lined grill at 450° to 550° for 2-3 minutes per side or until a light char has formed on the steak. See note for other ways to cook.
- Serve with optional sesame seeds and sliced green onions.
Had bulgogi on a recent vacation so I had to attempt to recreate the dish. Chef Billy did not disappoint! Absolutely delicious recipe. It’s a must make dish. Added a fried egg and sriracha for a little something extra.
Excellent!
Loved this recipe. Thank you.
My pleasure!
I have not yet tried this recipe. Broccoli Beef is as close as I have been to this recipe. But dang if it don’t sound delicious to me. I have to give this one a try.
Thank you CHEF for another great recipe.
I have made this several times and it is delicious!
I’ve made this recipe several times. It never disappoints my family.
How interesting that the best Bulgogi recipe I’ve tried comes from an Italian chef! Delicious! Thanks, Billy!
My pleasure, thank you for trying this!
I love beef bulgogi and have tried countless store bought sauces, even from specialty markets, trying to recreate it at home and I am always let down. THIS is just like a restaurant dish. Billy is right, better ingredients makes for better food. You just can’t beat homemade. Thanks SO much for this recipe!
my pleasure
Thank youChef Billy 👋😁
Thank you!
Made this and it was amazing! Better than Korean restaurants here in Hi
Glad you enjoyed this!