Korean Beef Bulgogi Recipe
This delicious marinated and grilled Korean BBQ beef bulgogi is incredibly flavorful and cooks in minutes.
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.
Notes
Grilling option: If you don’t want to use foil over the grill grates then I highly recommend cooking in a grill basket when using a grill. If you don't, the beef will stick to the grill.
Pan Cooking: When cooking bulgogi 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.
Sound like you’ve made it: The dish is properly pronounced bool-go-gee, and it translates too “fire meat.” This is for the folks who want to impress some guests. Don’t worry I got you.
Similar marinade: This is very similar to a kalbi marinade 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.
Make-Ahead: I definitely recommend eating this right away after cooking so that the meat stays tender, juicy, and moist. However, you could make it up to 30 minutes ahead of time and keep it covered up and warm at very low temperatures in the oven, around 175°, until ready to serve.
How to Store: Place the cooked a plastic container with a lid and keep in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. It will freeze really well cooked and cooled, or raw right in the marinade covered for up to 2 months. Be sure to thaw in the refrigerator for 1 day or until completely thawed before reheating.
How to Reheat: Place the desired amount back onto a foil-lined grill over high heat and cook it for 2-3 minutes or until its 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. For my air-fryer reheat friends, line the air fryer with foil and place in the desired amount in as thin of a layer as possible and air fry at 350° for 4 to 6 minutes.
Nutrition
Calories: 397kcalCarbohydrates: 10gProtein: 31gFat: 26gSaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 92mgSodium: 516mgPotassium: 443mgFiber: 1gSugar: 9gVitamin A: 23IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 18mgIron: 3mg