Bulgogi
Bulgogi is tender, thin slices of beef quickly seared after a savory-sweet marinade of soy, sesame, garlic, ginger, and pear. This quick version delivers glossy, caramelised edges and juicy meat in a beginner-friendly low-carb format.
Ingredients
Bulgogi marinade
- 300 gbeef sirloin, very thinly sliced
- 30 mlsoy sauce
- 80 gAsian pear, grated
- 10 ggarlic, finely grated
- 5 gginger, finely grated
- 10 mlsesame oil
- 30 gspring onion, finely sliced
- 1 gblack pepper
- 4 gerythritol or brown sugar
For cooking and finishing
- 10 mlneutral oil
- 6 gtoasted sesame seeds
- 80 glettuce leaves
Instructions
- 1
Freeze the beef for 10 minutes if needed so it is easier to slice, then slice it as thinly as possible across the grain. In a bowl, combine the soy sauce, grated pear, garlic, ginger, sesame oil, spring onion, black pepper, and erythritol or brown sugar until evenly mixed.
- 2
Add the sliced beef to the marinade and toss thoroughly for 2 minutes so every piece is coated. Let it stand for 5 minutes at room temperature while you heat a large heavy frying pan or grill pan over high heat. A short marinade is enough here because the beef is thin and the pear helps tenderize it quickly.
- 3
Add the neutral oil to the hot pan, then spread in half the beef in a single layer. Cook for 1-2 minutes without moving too much so it sears rather than steams, then stir-fry for about 1 minute more until just cooked and lightly caramelised at the edges. Transfer out and repeat with the remaining beef.
- 4
Return all the beef to the pan for 30 seconds to reheat evenly and reduce any remaining juices to a glossy coating. The beef should be browned in spots, still juicy, and not swimming in liquid.
- 5
Serve immediately topped with toasted sesame seeds, with lettuce leaves on the side for wrapping if you like.
Nutrition per serving
Notes
- •For the fastest beginner-friendly version, ask the butcher to slice the beef thinly for bulgogi or use shabu-shabu style beef.
- •Cook in 2 batches; overcrowding the pan makes the meat steam and prevents the characteristic glossy, lightly charred finish.
- •For a stricter low-carb version, use erythritol instead of brown sugar.
- •Bulgogi is excellent served in lettuce wraps with kimchi or a simple cucumber salad.
Background
Bulgogi is one of Korea's best-known meat dishes, descended from earlier forms of grilled marinated beef that date back centuries. The modern style features thinly sliced beef seasoned with soy sauce, aromatics, and often fruit such as Asian pear to add sweetness and tenderness.
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