Kitchen notes · a little help before you start
Beef Bulgogi
Thin beef slices pick up a sweet, savory glaze with a little warmth from gochujang. Pear and brown sugar soften the flavor of the soy marinade, while toasted sesame and green onion give the browned meat a fresh, nutty finish.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Total
- 90 min
- Original yield
- Serves 6
- Ingredients
- 11 listed
Make it part of your week
Recipe categories & planning details
- Meal type
- Main course
- Cuisine
- Asian
- Cooking method
- Grilling
- Preparation & total time
- Prep: 15 minutes or less · Total: over 60 minutes
A few quick notes
1. Mix the marinade first
Stir the soy sauce, pear and remaining marinade ingredients together before adding the thin slices of steak.
2. Marinate covered
Cover the coated beef and refrigerate it for at least an hour, or up to twenty four hours.
3. Keep one layer
Arrange the beef in a single layer on the grill so each thin slice can cook against the hot surface.
Get to know the ingredients
Steak
Ribeye, sirloin or flank steak is suggested, sliced thinly before it is tossed through the marinade.
Asian pear
Peel and finely grate the Asian pear so it mixes into the soy based marinade with the garlic and ginger.
Sesame oil
Toasted sesame oil is part of the marinade, bringing its nutty flavor through the beef before cooking.
Let’s make it
Choose your servings, then check things off as you go.
Original recipe: Serves 6. Original quantities shown.
Check ingredients as you prepare them. These checks stay on this page.
How to make it
0 of 6 steps completeMake room for Beef Bulgogi
Review ingredients in your pantry before anything is added. Meal plans use your household size; grocery-only additions use the servings selected above.
The last little job
Add sesame and onion
Sprinkle sesame seeds and sliced green onions over the cooked beef just before serving it.
A little more help as you go
Remove larger pieces
Scrape large chunks of garlic or pear from the marinated meat before placing it on the hot grill.
Skillet option
The directions also allow cooking the thin beef slices in a skillet for two to three minutes per side.
A few questions you might have
How long can the beef marinate?
Refrigerate it covered for at least one hour and up to twenty four hours before cooking.
Can I cook it in a skillet?
Yes. The directions give a skillet option, cooking the beef for two to three minutes per side.
How should I prepare the pear?
Peel and finely grate the Asian pear before mixing it with the other marinade ingredients.
Should marinade chunks stay on the meat?
Scrape off large pieces of garlic or pear when you remove the beef from its marinade for grilling.
What finishes the bulgogi?
Scatter sesame seeds and sliced green onion over the cooked meat at the end before serving.
Storage & reheating safety
For cooked, perishable leftovers, refrigerate within 2 hours (1 hour above 90°F), using shallow containers for prompt cooling. Keep the refrigerator at 40°F or below, use refrigerated leftovers within 3–4 days, and reheat hot leftovers to 165°F, checked with a food thermometer. Follow any shorter package limit.
These are general safety limits, not a tested storage or freezing recommendation for this particular dish. USDA leftovers guidance · Safe cooking temperatures
Recipe source: dinneratthezoo.com. Ingredient names and quantities may be adapted for the pantry.
Preparation notes follow the recipe shown here.
