Bulgogi - Korean BBQ Beef

Ingredients

• 2 kilograms of beef sliced thinly (rib eye or sirloin)
• 3 leeks, cut into 5 cm pieces
• 1 small onion, sliced thinly
• 1 small carrot, sliced thinly - optional

Marinade

• 6 tablespoons of soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons of water
• 4 tablespoons of sugar (or you can use 2 tablespoons of sugar, 2 tablespoons of honey) Use more if not using Korean pear or apple
• 2 tablespoons of rice wine or mirin
• 2 tablespoons of minced garlic
• 2 tablespoons of sesame oil
• 2 teaspoons of sesame seeds
• 4 tablespoons of grated Korean/Asian pear
• 1/8 teaspoon of spices

For Seoul Style BBQ

• 85 g of potato starch noodles (soaked in hot water for 20 minutes and drained)
• 3 leeks
• 1 pack of enoki mushrooms (stems removed)
• 2 cups of water, dashima broth, or beef broth
• 1 teaspoon of soy sauce

Instructions

• If using pre-sliced packaged meat, separate the slices. Remove any excess blood from the sliced meat using paper towels.

• Mix all marinade ingredients in a bowl.

• Place the meat and vegetables in a large bowl. Add the marinade and gently mix to combine. Marinate the meat for 30 minutes to 1 hour, or preferably overnight.

Grilling:

• Grill the meat over charcoal or on a gas grill or pan-fry at high heat until slightly caramelized. If using a pan, preheat it until hot and stir the meat until it is lightly caramelized. Do not overcrowd the pan.

OR Stir-frying:

• Preheat a pan at high heat and add the meat. You can fill the pan to create liquid and cook the meat in its own juice. Cook until the meat is pink. Use all the marinade if you want some sauce at the end.

For Seoul Style

• Slice the sirloin thinly. Mix 2 cups of water or broth with 1 teaspoon of soy sauce.
• Heat the pan and add the bulgogi, along with the leeks and mushrooms. Add about half of the broth around the edges of the pan. Add more broth as the liquid level decreases while cooking.

Notes

• Pre-sliced bulgogi meat is sold at any Korean store. Pay a little more for quality meat. If slicing beef at home, freeze it for about an hour to make slicing easier and slice it into about 3 mm slices.