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Bulgogi beef is a marinated and grilled Korean beef that is full of amazing flavor. It’s so quick and easy to throw on the grill!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe!
This beef bulgogi recipe will quickly become a weeknight favorite as it requires little prep time and you can adapt it to what you have on hand. Grilling is my favorite way to prepare dinner on a busy summer day.
What is Bulgogi?
Also called Korean BBQ beef, bulgogi is a staple of Korean barbecue. The word bulgogi translates to “fire meat” as it was traditionally made by grilling marinated beef over charcoal. Today I am giving you my version of bulgogi that easy to make at home and can be cooked in a cast-iron skillet on the stove top or on a grill. You could also use a cast iron grill pan on the stove top.
Ingredients needed
- Flank steak. See Frequently Asked Questions below for other meat options.
- Soy sauce. You can also use gluten free soy sauce which is called Tamari.
- Brown sugar
- Garlic cloves, minced
- Sesame seeds
- Sesame oil
- Black pepper
- Red pepper flakes
- Green onion and sesame seeds, for garnish
How to Make Bulgogi
- In a bowl, mix together soy sauce, sugar, garlic, sesame seeds, sesame oil, pepper and red pepper flakes.
- Place marinade mixture in a zipper plastic bag along with the steak and marinade 1 hour to 24 hours. I prefer overnight.
- When ready to cook, heat grill to a high heat (350 – 400 degrees F) or heat up cast iron skillet on the stove top.
- Grill beef for about 5 minutes on each side for a medium finish which is 140-150 degrees F. Grill longer for more well done meat.
- Slice meat thinly against the grain.
Alternate Cooking Method for Korean Barbeque:
- Slice bulgogi meat into thin slices.
- Place in marinade and squish around to make sure all surfaces of meat are covered. Allow it to sit at room temperature for at least an hour or I like to refrigerate it for 8 hours to overnight.
- Heat 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high until oil is shimmering.
- Remove half of meat from marinade, drain off excess marinade back into the bag.
- Cook in hot skillet in a single layer without moving it until it is lightly browned, about a minute.
- Salt if desired.
- Toss meat and keep cooking until edges are crisp, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
- Add an addition tablespoon of oil to pan, heat and add remaining meat. Repeat process.
How Do I serve Bulgogi?
- You can serve bulgogi over rice or wrapped in a lettuce leaf as lettuce wraps.
- With a side of Kimchi, grilled pineapple, or roasted potatoes
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use the bulgogi marinade on other meats?
Definitely! It would be delicious on pork, chicken or other cuts of beef.
What other cuts of meat can I use for Korean beef bulgogi?
In addition to flank steak you can use hanger steak, boneless short rib, top sirloin, rib eye or skirt steak. You want a meat you can slice into thin slices.
Try these other delicious recipes too!
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Bulgogi Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 lb. flank steak
- 6 Tbsp soy sauce
- 3 Tbsp brown sugar
- 2 Tbsp minced garlic
- 2 Tbsp sesame seeds
- 2 Tbsp sesame oil
- 1/2 tsp ground pepper
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
- Green onion and sesame seeds for garnish
Instructions
- In a bowl, mix together soy sauce, sugar, garlic, sesame seeds, sesame oil, pepper and red pepper flakes.
- Place marinade in a zipper plastic bag along with the steak and marinade in the refrigerator for 1 hour to 24 hours. I prefer overnight.
- Heat grill to a high heat. 350-400 degrees F.
- Grill beef for about 5 minutes on each side for a medium finish. Grill longer for more well done meat. (see below for stovetop method)
- Slice meat thinly against the grain.
Tips & Notes:
- Slice meat into thin slices.
- Place in marinade and squish around to make sure all surfaces of meat are covered. Allow it to sit at room temperature for at least an hour or I like to refrigerate it for 8 hours to overnight.
- Heat 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high until oil is shimmering.
- Remove half of meat from marinade, drain off excess marinade back into the bag.
- Cook in hot skillet in a single layer without moving it until it is lightly browned, about a minute.
- Can salt if desired.
- Toss meat and keep cooking until edges are crisp, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
- Add an addition tablespoon of oil to pan, heat and add remaining meat. Repeat process.
Nutrition Facts:
Cp says
So good. They didn’t have flank steak at the store so i used skirt steak. I substituted the chili pepper flakes for gochugang paste. It was so good! It’s a keeper for sure.
Cindy O'Dea says
This was so good! Next time I will save a bit of the marinade to put over the meat/rice. My husband loves sauces. Thanks so much for this!
nancy says
Love to cook