Bulgogi

Inspired by Miss Korea BBQ - New York, NY

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As mentioned before, I attended college a couple blocks from K-town in Manhattan where much of my journey into culinary exploration began. Years later I continue to enjoy plenty of fun nights of karaoke and the best Korean food New York has to offer. As far as marinated beef goes, Bulgogi is always a good decision. Have it just with rice or serve in a bowl with an egg, pickled vegetables, kimchi, and other toppings for an amazing bibimbap. There are no wrong choices here.

K-Town in Midtown Manhattan has quite a few amazing Korean restaurants that are worth visiting. However, Miss Korea BBQ has stood out as a spot with the best variety and consistent taste that’s so great it’s been featured in the New York Michelin Guide. Bulgogi is a favorite on their menu and while I may not know exactly how they make theirs, I can assure you that this recipe will turn out some of the best meat you’ve ever had.

INGREDIENTS

BULGOGI (serves 4):

  • 1 lb sirloin steak

  • 1 cup Asian pear, chopped (Bosc pear can be used as substitute)

  • ¼ small or medium white onion

  • 4 large garlic cloves, peeled

  • 1 tsp ginger, freshly grated

  • 2 TBS soy sauce

  • 1 TBS roasted sesame oil

  • 1 TBS brown sugar

  • 1 TBS gochujang (optional for heat, sriracha can be used as a substitute)

  • 1 TBS mirin

  • ½ tsp black pepper

  • Green onions, chopped (for topping)

  • Toasted sesame seeds (for topping)

  • Rice (for serving)

GO FOR IT

BULGOGI:

  1. Wrap steak in parchment paper and place in freezer for 1 hour (you don’t want to freeze it solid, but this will firm up the meat, making it easier to slice thinly)

  2. Meanwhile, combine pear, onion, garlic, ginger in a food processor or blender until smooth

  3. In a bowl add blended mixture, soy sauce, sesame oil, brown sugar, gochujang, mirin, and black pepper and stir until well combined

  4. When steak has firmed up in the freezer, slice very thinly against the grain about ⅛ inch

  5. Add beef slices to the bowl and mix in well

  6. Cover bowl and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes or overnight

  7. When ready to cook, heat a cast iron or large skillet on high heat, then add all meat and marinate

  8. Stir frequently and cook until most of the liquid has evaporated and the meat has browned on the sides, the remove from heat

  9. Top with scallions and sesame seeds and serve alongside rice on in a bibimbap bowl

NOTES:

If you want to treat this like true Korean BBQ then you can go ahead and throw this meat on the grill. However, I wouldn’t do that without a grill skillet because of how thin this beef is cut and how much liquid you’ll be pouring on as well. For me, the cast iron on the stove still gets me a nice sear for the same effect but you do you.

I’m also aware that mirin is Japanese, not Korean, and not typically found in Bulgogi recipes. But you know what? I love mirin. I added a small amount here to help round out the sweetness from the fruit and bitter heat from the gochujang in addition to the soy. If you have mirin on hand then give this a try but it’s certainly not necessary so don’t feel like you need to go out of your way to find some just for this dish.