Beef Bulgogi Recipe: How to Make Beef Bulgogi

Beef bulgogi is a popular Korean dish made with pieces of sweet, salty, and savory marinated beef served with a variety of side dishes, or banchan. Bulgogi (불고기)—which comes from the Korean words “bul,” meaning “fire,” and “gogi,” meaning “meat”—refers to a variety of thinly-sliced meats cooked over high heat until slightly charred and caramelized.

Beef bulgogi is a common delicacy served at Korean barbecue restaurants, where diners can fire meat on an open grill in the middle of a communal table. You can make pan-fried beef bulgogi at home using a hot cast-iron grill pan to char the pieces of meat.

While just about any flavorful, tender cut of beef will work, there are a few optimal cuts to use for this Korean dish. Thinly sliced rib eye is the most common choice for beef bulgogi, followed by top sirloin steak. Other suitable options include chuck eye, tenderloin, skirt steak, brisket, short ribs, and flank steak.

Whether you’re a Korean food master, or just learning how to cook bulgogi, these tips will help you make the most of this Korean BBQ beef dish.

1. 1. Slice the meat as thin as possible. Slice the steak as thinly as possible before grilling to get the right char on your meat. Wrap the steak in plastic wrap and place it in the freezer for thirty minutes before slicing if you’re finding it difficult to make consistently thin slices.
2. 2. Adjust the marination time. Marinate your bulgogi beef for more than four hours for the most flavorful meat. You can also marinate the beef overnight for extra flavorful meat and easy next-day meal prep.
3. 3. Use the grill or broiler. You can easily cook this versatile dish on the grill or under the broiler. Grill the marinated beef over medium-high heat directly on clean grill grates for about 2 minutes per side. Broiler the beef on a wire rack over a sheet pan and place it 6 inches under a preheated broiler for 2–3 minutes per side until the pieces are nicely charred.
4. 4. Give the beef space to cook. Give the beef enough cooking space in a large skillet to ensure that each piece gets the proper char. If necessary, cook the beef in multiple batches.
5. 5. Experiment with toppings. Serve your beef bulgogi over steamed rice or wrapped in lettuce leaves for an option without carbohydrates. Garnish with veggies like green onions, carrots, and thin slices of cucumbers. Top with spicy additions, like sriracha sauce, ssamjang (a thick, spicy Korean seasoning paste), or red pepper flakes. Enjoy this beef recipe alongside traditional toppings like kimchi and sesame seeds, or stir-fry in some bell peppers for some veggie bulk.
6. 6. Use the leftover marinade. Use the leftover bulgogi marinade to create a tasty sauce for your rice bowl or lettuce wraps. Add the marinade to a small saucepan and bring it to a boil. Boil the bulgogi marinade ingredients for at least a minute to kill off any bacteria, constantly stirring until it thickens.