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    Home > Blog > Dinner > Korean Beef Bulgogi

    Korean Beef Bulgogi

    by Jenny Park · Published: Apr 22, 2024

    Jump to Recipe
    This Korean Beef Bulgogi recipe is a version of my mom's recipe I enjoyed so much growing up (and still enjoy today!). It's so simple to make at home and the beef is tender, packed with tons of classic Korean bbq flavor! It's the best homemade version you'll find!
    Beef bulgogi recipe on a plate with rice.

    Korean Beef Bulgogi is something my mom made for dinner frequently while I was growing up. My mom’s bulgogi is a family favorite and I still look forward to it whenever we get together. Since my parents live in Chicago and I live in LA, I decided I needed to learn to make it myself, so I could enjoy it whenever I wanted.

    I love that this dish can be enjoyed in so many ways. You can simply serve it with a side of steamed rice, in tacos and burritos, as a filling ingredient for kimbap, in nachos, tossed together with noodles, diced and cooked into a fried rice, the options are really endless!

    What is Bulgogi and What Does it Taste Like?

    Bulgogi is a popular Korean BBQ dish (literally translating to “fire meat”) made of thinly sliced marinated beef ribeye or sirloin. The beef is marinated in a blend of soy sauce, sesame oil, onion, garlic, ginger, sugar, asian pear, and black pepper. It’s marinated for several hours which flavors and tenderizes the meat.

    The flavor of bulgogi is savory, salty and sweet. Our recipe has a mildly sweet and salty flavor – more mild than other recipes or what you may have tasted from a Korean bbq restaurant. If you want to up the sweetness or the saltiness or both, just add a couple more teaspoons of brown sugar and soy sauce (or a couple extra pinches of salt) to the marinade. Also, always taste the marinade before combining it with the beef to ensure the flavor is to your liking.

    How to Make Our Korean Beef Bulgogi

    Ingredients

    Beef bulgogi ingredients on a kitchen counter.

    Process

    1. Place all marinade ingredients into a blender.
    2. Blend until smooth.
    Korean bulgogi marinade in a blender about to be blended.
    Korean beef bulgogi marinade in a blender.
    1. Place beef and thinly sliced onion into a mixing bowl and toss together.
    2. Pour marinade over beef and onion mixture.
    Thinly sliced beef ribeye in a bowl with onion.
    Thinly sliced beef ribeye in a bowl with bulgogi marinade.
    1. Mix together until all beef is well and evenly coated.
    2. Cover beef and refrigerate for at least 6 hours and up to 24 hours.
    Beef mixed together in a bowl with marinade to make Korean bulgogi.
    Beef marinating in a bowl with plastic wrap for Korean Beef Bulgogi.
    1. Remove from refrigerator, uncover and allow mixture to sit for about 10 minutes.
    2. Place a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once skillet is hot add half vegetable oil and swirl to coat. Add half beef and onion mixture and cook, stirring beef as needed until cooked through. Transfer beef to a plate. Add remaining oil to skillet followed by remaining beef and onion and repeat until beef has just cooked through and sliced onions just begin to soften. Remove from heat and combine with rest of the cooked bulgogi.
    Marinated beef bulgogi in a bowl.
    Cooked beef bulgogi in a skillet.

    Best Cuts of Beef to Use for Bulgogi

    Boneless ribeye steak is our cut of choice for this recipe and the most popular because it is tender and flavorful with nice marbling. Sirloin is also commonly used to make bulgogi and is slightly leaner that ribeye. You can also use flank steak in a pinch with good results, but the texture won’t be quite as tender.

    Where to Find Pre-Shaved Beef for Bulgogi

    Shaved (or very thinly sliced) beef can be found at practically all Korean, Chinese and Japanese markets and most other asian markets. Some Trader Joes locations also sell shaved ribeye!

    If you’re unable to find pre-shaved or thinly sliced beef, you can buy a boneless steak and slice it yourself. If you do decide to slice it yourself make sure to partially freezing the beef first in your freezer (about 15 to 30 minutes) before attempting to slice it. Partially freezing the beef makes it way easier to slice very thin and even pieces.

    Korean beef bulgogi with rice on the side  and sesame seeds.

    Grilling vs Pan Searing

    Bulgogi can be cooked on both a grill or in a pan/skillet. If using a pan or skillet natural juices will release and gather in the pan, which is often enjoyed with the cooked beef. If using a grill, there will be a distinct ‘char-grilled’ flavor. The flavors will be ever so slightly different depending on how the beef is cooked, but equally delicious!

    Can Bulgogi be Frozen?

    Yes, our Korean Beef Bulgogi recipe can be marinated and frozen (uncooked) ahead of time for up to 2 months.

    Freezing Instructions

    Marinate beef for at least 6 hours. Transfer mixture to a freezer-proof ziploc bag, removing all the air, and seal. Freeze for up to 2 months. When ready to use, thaw beef in the refrigerator overnight. Drain off any excess liquid from the bag. Cook bulgogi in skillet with oil over high heat for 4 to 6 minutes, flipping halfway through, and serve.

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    Korean beef bulgogi recipe on two place.

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    Beef bulgogi recipe on a plate.

    Korean Beef Bulgogi

    5 from 17 votes
    PRINT RECIPE Pin Recipe
    This Korean Beef Bulgogi recipe is a version of my mom's recipe I enjoyed so much growing up (and still enjoy today!). It's so simple to make at home and the beef is tender, packed with tons of classic Korean bbq flavor! It's the best homemade version you'll find!
    RECIPE BY Teri & Jenny
    Prep Time: 10 minutes mins
    Cook Time: 12 minutes mins
    Marinade time: 6 hours hrs
    Total Time: 6 hours hrs 22 minutes mins
    Servings: 4 people

      INGREDIENTS  

    beef

    • 1½ pounds boneless ribeye shaved or very thinly sliced
    • ½ small yellow onion thinly sliced
    • 2 tbsp vegetable oil

    beef marinade

    • 1/2 cup soy sauce
    • 3 tbsp brown sugar
    • 2 tbsp mirin (rice wine)
    • 1 tbsp sesame oil
    • ¼ tsp cracked black pepper
    • 1 small Asian pear (about 6 ounces) peeled cored and chopped (or 1 sweet apple such as gala)
    • ½ small yellow onion chopped
    • 2 garlic cloves
    • 1 tsp minced ginger

    garnish

    • 1 green onion thinly sliced
    • 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds

      INSTRUCTIONS  

    beef

    • Place beef and thinly sliced onion into a mixing bowl and toss together.

    marinade

    • Place all marinade ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth.
    • Pour marinade over beef and onion mixture and mix together until all beef is well and evenly coated.
    • Cover beef and refrigerate for at least 6 hours and up to 24 hours.
    • Place a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once skillet is hot add half vegetable oil and swirl to coat. Add half beef and onion mixture and cook for 4 to 6 minutes, stirring beef as needed until cooked through. Transfer beef to a plate. Add remaining oil to skillet followed by remaining beef and onion and repeat until beef has just cooked through and sliced onions just begin to soften. Remove from heat and combine with rest of the cooked bulgogi.
    • Top bulgogi with remaining green onion and sesame seeds and serve with rice.

      NOTES  

    Best Cuts of Beef to Use for Bulgogi

    Boneless ribeye steak is our cut of choice for this recipe and the most popular because it is tender and flavorful with nice marbling. Sirloin is also commonly used to make bulgogi and is slightly leaner that ribeye. You can also use flank steak in a pinch with good results, but the texture won’t be quite as tender.

    Where to Find Pre-Shaved Beef for Bulgogi

    Shaved (or very thinly sliced) beef can be found at practically all Korean, Chinese and Japanese markets and most other asian markets. Some Trader Joes locations also sell shaved ribeye.

    If you’re unable to find pre-shaved or thinly sliced beef, you can buy a boneless steak and slice it yourself. If you do decide to slice it yourself make sure to partially freezing the beef first in your freezer (about 15 to 30 minutes) before attempting to slice it. Partially freezing the beef makes it way easier to slice very thin and even pieces.
    Freezing Instructions
    Marinate beef for at least 6 hours. Transfer mixture to a freezer-proof ziploc bag, removing all the air, and seal. Freeze for up to 2 months. When ready to use, thaw beef in the refrigerator overnight. Drain off any excess liquid from the bag. Cook bulgogi in skillet with oil over high heat for 4 to 6 minutes, flipping halfway through, and serve.
    Grilling vs Pan Searing
    Bulgogi can be cooked on both a grill or in a pan/skillet. If using a pan or skillet natural juices will release and gather in the pan, which is often enjoyed with the cooked beef. If using a grill, there will be a distinct ‘char-grilled’ flavor. The flavors will be ever so slightly different depending on how the beef is cooked, but equally delicious!
     
    Calories: 338kcal Carbohydrates: 55g Protein: 7g Fat: 11g Saturated Fat: 6g Sodium: 1580mg Potassium: 204mg Fiber: 2g Sugar: 14g Vitamin A: 114IU Vitamin C: 6mg Calcium: 43mg Iron: 1mg
    CUISINE: korean
    KEYWORD: Beef, korean bbq, korean marinated meat
    COURSE: dinner, lunch

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    April 22, 2024 / 11 Comments

    About Jenny Park

    Jenny Park is half of Spoon Fork Bacon. She is also a food stylist and recipe developer. One of her favorite foods is donuts. #sfbJENNY

    Previous Post: < Previous Post Spicy Ramen Noodles
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    Reader Interactions

    April 22, 2024 / 11 Comments

    Comments

      5 from 17 votes (10 ratings without comment)

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    1. Marina

      December 06, 2024 at 9:07 am

      I have new york strip steak or sirloin. which would be preferred?

      Reply
      • Jenny Park

        December 07, 2024 at 7:06 am

        I would go with sirloin for this!

        Reply
    2. Susan

      April 22, 2024 at 9:51 am

      5 stars
      This is my favorite bulgogi recipe! I love how simple it is and how great the flavors are! Making it again this week. The kiddos love it too!

      Reply
    3. Cheryl

      August 15, 2023 at 12:43 pm

      5 stars
      OMG! Just made this and it came out perfect! So delicious! Thanks so much for sharing this recipe. My family absolutely LOVED this! I am an African American woman cooking Korean Beef Bulgogi! I’m totally feeling myself right now! :-)

      Reply
    4. Natalie

      June 28, 2022 at 6:16 pm

      5 stars
      I am very new to korean cooking, and this was so simple to make! It was so delicious and easy, plus, my family loved it. Thanks so much for this incredible recipe.

      Reply
    5. Anmy

      September 07, 2021 at 8:16 am

      5 stars
      Outstanding recipe and easy to follow. Tried it for the first time and everyone thought it was delicious. Thanks for posting this recipe.

      Reply
    6. Aubrey

      May 26, 2020 at 8:03 am

      5 stars
      This is a family favorite. Thank you for this recipe!

      Reply
    7. Jordan

      April 01, 2020 at 10:42 am

      5 stars
      This was amazing! So easy to make and we had the leftovers for lunch the next day

      Reply
    8. AstroTalk

      March 27, 2020 at 3:43 am

      5 stars
      Looks Amazing, going to try this very soon. I love all your recipes though <3

      Reply
    9. Lisa A. Cater

      March 24, 2020 at 2:56 pm

      I am excited to try this, I had BulGoGi for the first time a couple of weeks ago and it was great

      Reply
      • Jenny Park

        March 25, 2020 at 2:47 pm

        Oh nice! Let us know how it goes!

        Reply

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    Beef bulgogi recipe on a plate with rice.
    Korean beef bulgogi recipe on two place.
    Beef bulgogi recipe on a plate with rice.

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