Korean food is rapidly becoming one of America’s favorite ethnic cuisines and it is no surprise given its bold, spicy flavors. Korean barbecue beef known as bulgogi is a particular favorite. This bulgogi recipe is so good it will become habit-forming. Grilling the beef instead of pan-frying it gives it that bit of barbecue flavor along with lovely grill marks. My favorite way to serve bulgogi is with rice and a side of mac salad or green salad, kimchi and homemade takuan (plate lunch!) but it is equally delicious stuffed in a banh mi with a generous amount of do chua pickles. It’s just beautiful.
After a quick soak in this flavorful marinade you’ll have the best barbecued bulgogi. Melt in your mouth super thin slices of lean, tender beef thrown on the grill is ready in just a few minutes. The original recipes calls for flank steak but I much prefer to use the more tender filet mignon or top sirloin. Thanks to TNCouch for sharing the recipe via allrecipes.com.
Best Beef Bulgogi
Adapted from allrecipes.com
Serves 4
Ingredients
1 pound filet mignon or top sirloin, slightly frozen for easier slicing, sliced very thin
5 tablespoons soy sauce
2 1/2 tablespoons white sugar
1/4 cup chopped green onions
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 tablespoon roasted sesame seeds
2 tablespoons sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
Preparation
Thinly slice partially frozen beef and place in a shallow bowl. Combine soy sauce, sugar, green onion, garlic, sesame seeds, sesame oil, and ground black pepper in a small bowl. Pour over beef. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour, turning once halfway through marinating time.
Preheat an outdoor grill for high heat, and lightly oil the grate.
Quickly grill beef on hot grill until slightly charred and cooked through, 1 – 2 minutes per side.
STEAK. YES. I love all of the side options you present for the delicious, TENDER(loin), sesame-sprinkled Korean beef bulgogi. The recipes looks simple yet flavorful. A great preparation (like grilling) allows your wonderful ingredients to shine, Kiyo. I spy some fermented cabbage (kimchi), which is such a gold mine, on one of the plates. The Korean, Vietnamese (ban mi!) and Japanese recipes on your site always shine. Thanks for sharing your international adventures with us. Please the bulgogi and takuan!
Steak!!! Every now and then, a good filet mignon with some béarnaise sauce is required but sometimes Korean-style bulgogi, rice and kimchi fit the bill. I am hooked on this one. Thanks Shanna!
Looks amazing, thanks for sharing the recipe
Mahalo! Hope you will make bulgogi soon!
Made a different recipe each time over the years. This will now be my go to one. Simple but still have all the flavors of the complicated ones. Mahaloz
Forgot to say that I used “shaved steak” and added onions, carrots, bean sprouts and shirataki noodles. The sauce came out great.
Chara, Is shaved steak the super thin slices you buy for teppanyaki? I love the idea of adding onions, carrots, bean sprouts and noodles. Bean sprouts are a favorite of mine. Do you live in Hawaii? Aloha, Kiyo
Aloha Chara! I agree. This recipe is so simple yet delicious. It’s a keeper! Mahalo, Kiyo