Beef Bulgogi Recipe
50 minBase: 2 servings
Ingredients
Main ingredients
- Thinly sliced beef sirloin or ribeye300 g
- Onion100 g
- Carrot40 g
- Fresh shiitake mushrooms70 g
- Green onion20 g
Seasonings
- Grated peeled pear50 g
- Soy sauce2 tbsp
- Sugar2 tsp
- Minced garlic2 tsp
- Cooking rice wine1 tbsp
- Toasted sesame oil1 tsp
- Neutral cooking oil1 tsp
- Ground black pepper0.13 tsp
Ingredient preparation notes
- Thinly sliced beef sirloin or ribeye
Slice against the grain, about 2 mm thick.
- Grated peeled pear
Used in the marinade.
Equipment & measures
- Knife and cutting board
- Kitchen scale and measuring spoons
- Wide frying pan
- Mixing bowl
- Grater or blender
- Tongs
- Food thermometer
1 tsp = 5ml · 1 tbsp = 15ml. Use measuring spoons.
Prep 35 min · Cook 15 min
Method
The instructions below are for 2 servings.
Prepare the ingredients
Use bite-sized beef slices about 2 mm thick. Thinly slice onion and mushrooms, cut carrot into fine strips, and cut green onion into 4 cm lengths. Peel and core the pear, then grate and weigh 50 g.
Mix the marinade
Combine soy sauce, sugar, garlic, rice wine, sesame oil, pepper, and grated pear. Separate the beef slices as you coat them in the mixture.
Chill briefly
Cover and refrigerate for 20 minutes. Prepare a clean serving plate and skillet. Wash any utensils used for raw beef before using them on the finished food.
Cook the vegetables
Heat a wide skillet over medium-high heat with the cooking oil. Stir-fry onion, carrot, and mushrooms for 3 minutes, then transfer to a clean plate.
Cook beef in batches
Spread half the beef across the skillet and cook for 3–4 minutes, separating folded slices. Repeat with the remainder. Return vegetables and add green onion for 1 minute, checking the thickest beef for at least 63°C/145°F.
Rest before serving
Remove from the heat and rest for at least 3 minutes. If there is excessive liquid, reduce it briefly before turning off the heat, without letting the sugary sauce blacken.
Marinate thin beef in pear, soy sauce, garlic, and sesame oil, then cook it in a wide skillet. A two-serving recipe with vegetables and practical batch-cooking tips.
This is a skillet version rather than a broth-filled bulgogi hotpot. Grated pear supplies sweetness and moisture. Thin slices and small batches help the beef cook evenly without leaving a crowded pan full of liquid.
A LITTLE KITCHEN WISDOM
Little details that help
Cut across the grain
Shortening the muscle fibers makes slices easier to chew. Ready-sliced bulgogi beef is useful when consistent thin slicing is difficult.
Treat fruit substitutions carefully
The same weight of grated apple is an option with a different flavor. Do not replace the pear with an equal amount of kiwi or pineapple, which can make thin meat overly soft.
Storing leftovers
Refrigerate shallow portions at 4°C/40°F or below within 2 hours, or 1 hour above 32°C/90°F. Use within 3 days and reheat the portion needed to 74°C/165°F throughout.
Common questions
Should there be no liquid at all?
Pear and vegetables release some moisture. This skillet recipe adds no separate water, but a small amount of sauce in the pan is expected.
Can the vegetables marinate with the beef?
They can, but may release more water into the mixture. Keeping them separate makes moisture easier to control during skillet cooking.
