Traditional bulgogi marinates for 24 hours, but freezing the beef for 30 minutes breaks down fibers instantly.
Quick Beef Bulgogi
Savor the bold flavors of our speedy beef bulgogi that’s packed with protein and ready in a flash! This mouthwatering dish features tender marinated beef, infused with a savory blend of soy sauce, garlic, and sesame oil. Perfect for a busy weeknight, it’s a delicious way to spice up your dinner routine!
Prep
15
min
Cook
30
min
Serves
4
people
Level
intermediate
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥬Fresh Produce(5)
- 1 Medium Cucumber (about 200g) (7.06 oz)
- 2 Garlic Cloves
- 1 Tsp Fresh Ginger (5 ml)
- 2 Spring Onions
- 150g Water (5.29 oz)
🥩Meat & Seafood(1)
- 400g Thinly sliced Ribeye, Sirloin or Flank or use mince (0.88 lbs)use mince if preferred
🥛Dairy & Eggs(1)
- 2 Large Eggs
🫙Pantry Staples(5)
- 2 Tsp Honey or Brown Sugar (10 ml)
- 4 Tsp Neutral Oil (20 ml)
- 120g Jasmine Rice (4.24 oz)
- 1 Tsp Sesame Oil (5 ml)
- 1 Tsp Sugar (5 ml)
🧂Spices & Seasonings(1)
- 1 Tbsp Salt (15 ml)
🍯Sauces & Condiments(3)
- 3 Tbsp Dark Soy Sauce (45 ml)
- 2 Tbsp Rice Vinegar or Mirin (30 ml)
- 2 Tsp Rice Vinegar (10 ml)
📦Other(3)
- Pinch Gochugaru (optional)optional
- 2 Tsp Gochugaru (10 ml)
- 2 Tsp Sesame Seeds (10 ml)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Start by grating the garlic and ginger. Thinly slice the spring onions.
- 2
In a bowl, mix together the dark soy sauce, vinegar or mirin, honey or sugar, sesame oil, garlic, ginger and spring onion. Add the beef and toss to coat. Leave to marinate for 10-15 mins.
- 3
Slice the cucumber into ½cm rounds. Toss with the salt and leave to rest for 10-15 mins. Rinse well and pat dry.
- 4
Grate the garlic and slice the spring onion, then toss with the vinegar, gochugaru, sugar, garlic and spring onion. Set aside.
- 5
Add the rice to a saucepan and rinse until the water runs clear, then drain. Pour in 150g water, bring to the boil, then cover with a lid and steam over a low heat for 12 mins.
- 6
Take off the heat, fluff with a fork, then cover and rest for another 10 mins before fluffing again. Weigh out 150g cooked rice per portion.
- 7
Fry your eggs.
- 8
Heat a large frying pan until ripping hot. Add the oil, then the beef in batches. Sear for 1-2 mins without touching to get that deep caramelisation, then stir-fry until just cooked — 2-3 mins total.
- 9
Spoon 150g rice into each bowl. Pile the bulgogi beef on top, a fried egg, cucumber kimchi and finish with sesame seeds and spring onion.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Freeze beef for 30-45 minutes before slicing to firm the muscle fibers, allowing you to cut paper-thin slices against the grain for maximum tenderness.technique30-45 minutes
- ✓Heat your pan to 400-450°F (smoking point) before adding oil and beef to achieve proper Maillard reaction caramelization in the short 1-2 minute sear time.equipment400-450°F
- ✓Salt cucumber slices at 1% by weight (1g salt per 100g cucumber) to draw out moisture through osmosis, preventing soggy banchan that dilutes flavors.ingredient1% by weight
- ✓Cook rice with a 1:1.2 ratio (150g rice to 180g water) instead of the recipe's 1:1 ratio to account for evaporation and achieve properly hydrated grains without mushiness.technique1:1.2 ratio
- ✓Marinate beef for exactly 10-15 minutes as the recipe states - longer breaks down proteins too much due to acidic vinegar, making meat mushy rather than tender.timing10-15 minutes
Share this recipe
Prep
15
min
Cook
30
min
Serves
4
people
Level
intermediate
Share this recipe
Traditional bulgogi marinates for 24 hours, but freezing the beef for 30 minutes breaks down fibers instantly.
Quick Beef Bulgogi
Savor the bold flavors of our speedy beef bulgogi that’s packed with protein and ready in a flash! This mouthwatering dish features tender marinated beef, infused with a savory blend of soy sauce, garlic, and sesame oil. Perfect for a busy weeknight, it’s a delicious way to spice up your dinner routine!
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥬Fresh Produce(5)
- 1 Medium Cucumber (about 200g) (7.06 oz)
- 2 Garlic Cloves
- 1 Tsp Fresh Ginger (5 ml)
- 2 Spring Onions
- 150g Water (5.29 oz)
🥩Meat & Seafood(1)
- 400g Thinly sliced Ribeye, Sirloin or Flank or use mince (0.88 lbs)use mince if preferred
🥛Dairy & Eggs(1)
- 2 Large Eggs
🫙Pantry Staples(5)
- 2 Tsp Honey or Brown Sugar (10 ml)
- 4 Tsp Neutral Oil (20 ml)
- 120g Jasmine Rice (4.24 oz)
- 1 Tsp Sesame Oil (5 ml)
- 1 Tsp Sugar (5 ml)
🧂Spices & Seasonings(1)
- 1 Tbsp Salt (15 ml)
🍯Sauces & Condiments(3)
- 3 Tbsp Dark Soy Sauce (45 ml)
- 2 Tbsp Rice Vinegar or Mirin (30 ml)
- 2 Tsp Rice Vinegar (10 ml)
📦Other(3)
- Pinch Gochugaru (optional)optional
- 2 Tsp Gochugaru (10 ml)
- 2 Tsp Sesame Seeds (10 ml)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Start by grating the garlic and ginger. Thinly slice the spring onions.
- 2
In a bowl, mix together the dark soy sauce, vinegar or mirin, honey or sugar, sesame oil, garlic, ginger and spring onion. Add the beef and toss to coat. Leave to marinate for 10-15 mins.
- 3
Slice the cucumber into ½cm rounds. Toss with the salt and leave to rest for 10-15 mins. Rinse well and pat dry.
- 4
Grate the garlic and slice the spring onion, then toss with the vinegar, gochugaru, sugar, garlic and spring onion. Set aside.
- 5
Add the rice to a saucepan and rinse until the water runs clear, then drain. Pour in 150g water, bring to the boil, then cover with a lid and steam over a low heat for 12 mins.
- 6
Take off the heat, fluff with a fork, then cover and rest for another 10 mins before fluffing again. Weigh out 150g cooked rice per portion.
- 7
Fry your eggs.
- 8
Heat a large frying pan until ripping hot. Add the oil, then the beef in batches. Sear for 1-2 mins without touching to get that deep caramelisation, then stir-fry until just cooked — 2-3 mins total.
- 9
Spoon 150g rice into each bowl. Pile the bulgogi beef on top, a fried egg, cucumber kimchi and finish with sesame seeds and spring onion.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Freeze beef for 30-45 minutes before slicing to firm the muscle fibers, allowing you to cut paper-thin slices against the grain for maximum tenderness.technique30-45 minutes
- ✓Heat your pan to 400-450°F (smoking point) before adding oil and beef to achieve proper Maillard reaction caramelization in the short 1-2 minute sear time.equipment400-450°F
- ✓Salt cucumber slices at 1% by weight (1g salt per 100g cucumber) to draw out moisture through osmosis, preventing soggy banchan that dilutes flavors.ingredient1% by weight
- ✓Cook rice with a 1:1.2 ratio (150g rice to 180g water) instead of the recipe's 1:1 ratio to account for evaporation and achieve properly hydrated grains without mushiness.technique1:1.2 ratio
- ✓Marinate beef for exactly 10-15 minutes as the recipe states - longer breaks down proteins too much due to acidic vinegar, making meat mushy rather than tender.timing10-15 minutes