Beef

Bulgogi

Name: Bulgogi
Prep time: 1 h 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 1 h 20 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Korean
Ingredients: 800g Sirloin Steak; 1/2 Onion; 3 Spring Onion; 1 Kiwi; 4 Tbsp Dark Soy Sauce; 2 Tbsp Sesame Oil; 4 Tbsp Sugar; 1 Tsp Crushed Garlic; 1 Tbsp Lemonade; 1 Tsp Black Pepper; 1 Tsp Sesame Seeds

불고기

Create your own Korean BBQ at home with this popular dish!

Prep: 1h 10m
Cooking: 10m
Total: 1h 20m

Bulgogi (불고기) consists of tender strips of sirloin steak that have been marinated in a delicious mix of mainly soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic and onion. The meat is then traditionally grilled or, as I prefer, cooked in a griddle pan and is then either served with rice to make bulgogi deopbap (bulgogi over rice) or wrapped in fresh lettuce or other salad leaves.

Bulgogi is a popular dish in the west, especially in Korean BBQ restaurants where the meat is often cooked on a grill in the center of the table in front of the customers. The marinade creates a wanderful sweet flavour and, although the translation of bulgogi literally means ‘fire meat’, it is not spicy. The fire part of the name refers to the traditional method of cooking rather than spicy heat!

A prime cut of beef, typically sirloin, is recommended for this dish as the strips of meat should be really tender and almost melt in your mouth.

As with all ingredients within my recipes, if you’re not sure what something is – or where you can find it – just click on its name in the ingredient list on the left to find out more!

Ingredients

Makes 4 servings

800g Sirloin Steak
FOR THE MARINADE
1/2 Onion
3 Spring Onion
1 Kiwi
4 Tbsp Dark Soy Sauce
2 Tbsp Sesame Oil
4 Tbsp Sugar
1 Tsp Crushed Garlic
1 Tbsp Lemonade
1 Tsp Black Pepper
1 Tsp Sesame Seeds

Method

1

Tenderise the steak on both sides with a meat mallet or rolling pin before slicing into thin strips and placing into a mixing bowl.
2

Purée the onion and kiwi and add both to the bowl (I sometimes achieve this by grating them directly into the bowl using a cheese grater). Finely slice the spring onions and add these to the bowl also. Finally measure out and add all of the remaining marinade ingredients.
3

Mix the marinade into the beef strips thoroughly. Cover the bowl with cling film and place into the fridge for 1 hour.

1 hour
4

Place a griddle pan over a medium heat and transfer all of the contents of the bowl into the pan. Continue to cook over a medium heat until the meat has cooked fully. This should take roughly 5 minutes depending on how thick you sliced the meat.
5

That's it, done! Bulgogi is delicious served with rice (don't forget the cooking juices) or served wrapped in lettuce leaves. A simple dipping sauce made from soy sauce, crushed garlic and a squeeze of lemon juice compliments this dish also.