Beef Bulgogi
Wafer-thin beef in a sweet and salty pear marinade, caramelized in minutes.
- Preparation
- 20 min
- Cook/bake time
- 10 min
- Total
- 30 min
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 450 kcal
- Servings
- 4
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cooking & baking
- 10 min
Wafer-thin beef in a sweet and salty pear marinade, caramelized in minutes. The grated pear in the marinade is not a decorative element, but contains enzymes that tenderize the meat and give it a subtle sweetness at the same time. Bulgogi is classically wrapped in lettuce leaves and eaten with rice.
Why this works
The grated pear contains calpain and other proteases, which are enzymes that break down muscle protein. They work at room temperature within 30 minutes and tenderize even short-fibered beef. However, the marinade should not be left on for longer than a few hours, otherwise the surface will become mealy. The fructose from the pear also ensures rapid caramelization in the hot pan.
Step-by-step instructions
- 1
Slice the meat
Place the beef in the freezer for thirty minutes until it is firm on the outside but not frozen solid. This makes it possible to cut it into truly wafer-thin slices across the grain with a sharp knife. Alternatively, ask your butcher for meat for fondue or hot pot, which is already perfectly pre-sliced.
- 2
Mix the marinade
Mix the grated pear with soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, garlic, ginger, sesame seeds and a generous portion of pepper until the sugar has dissolved. The marinade should taste distinctly sweet and salty at the same time, which is exactly the balance that makes bulgogi so special.
- 3
Marinate
Mix the meat with the onion wedges and the marinade and massage everything briefly with your hands so that every slice is coated. Let it steep for at least thirty minutes, preferably overnight in the fridge. You should not marinate for longer than twelve hours, otherwise the meat will become mealy due to the enzymes in the pear.
- 4
Sear
Heat a large pan or griddle until really hot and fry the meat in batches in a single layer for about two minutes per side. Do not overfill the pan under any circumstances, otherwise the meat will draw water and boil instead of frying. The marinade should caramelize at the edges and form dark brown spots.
- 5
Serve
Fold in the scallion pieces in the last thirty seconds so that they still have some bite. Serve the bulgogi with rice, lettuce leaves and some kimchi. Traditionally, you place a piece of meat with some rice in a lettuce leaf, fold it up and eat it in one bite.
Our best tips
- The meat must be really thin. Freezing is the easiest way to cut clean thin slices at home.
- Nashi pears are available in Asian supermarkets. A ripe regular pear or a grated apple work almost as well.
- Fry in batches, not all at once. The difference between fried and boiled bulgogi is enormous.
Tasty variations
Dak Bulgogi
Use thinly sliced chicken thighs instead of beef, then fry for three minutes per side.
Bulgogi Bowl
Build into a bowl with rice, cucumber strips, grated carrots, fried egg and gochujang mayo.
Nutrition facts
| Calories | 450 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 34 g |
| Carbohydrates | 15 g |
| – of which sugar | 10 g |
| Fat | 29 g |
| Fiber | 2 g |
Where the 450 kcal come from
per serving
Calculated from the ingredients – how we do it
We add up reference values for every ingredient and divide by the number of servings. These assumptions are baked in:
- Reference values per 100 g – for the raw ingredient, exactly as listed.
- Tinned goods count at drained weight, bone-in meat at purchase weight: you eat about 70 per cent of a chicken thigh and leave the rest.
- Water evaporates as you cook. The energy stays in the pot, the weight does not – so the figure is per serving, not per 100 g of finished dish.
- Anything listed without a quantity – “salt and pepper” – is not counted.
A guide value, not a lab measurement: no two onions weigh the same, and fat content varies from pack to pack.
Frequently asked questions
Which meat is best suited?
Rib-eye or sirloin with a little marbling is classic. Very lean cuts dry out quickly, a little fat is fine.
Can I grill bulgogi?
Yes, that is actually the origin. Because of the thin slices, you need a griddle or a close-meshed mat, otherwise everything will fall through the grate.
How long does marinated meat keep?
In the fridge for up to two days. You can also freeze it marinated, then it will infuse as it thaws.
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