Beef Bulgogi

Method

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1. Half-freeze the beef for 45 minutes, then slice it as thinly as you can against the grain.

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2. Blend or grate the pear and mix with the soy sauce, sugar, sesame oil, mirin, garlic, ginger and pepper.

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3. Combine the beef, sliced onion and marinade, massaging it in. Marinate for at least 30 minutes, or up to 8 hours refrigerated.

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4. Heat a heavy pan or griddle over the highest heat until smoking, then add the oil.

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5. Add a single layer of beef, shaking off excess marinade, and leave undisturbed for 60 seconds until the edges char.

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6. Toss for another 60 to 90 seconds until just cooked and caramelised, then remove. Repeat in batches — do not crowd the pan.

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7. Add the spring onions to the last batch for the final 30 seconds.

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8. Serve with rice, lettuce leaves for wrapping, ssamjang and kimchi, and let everyone build their own ssam.

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Chef’s Tips

• Do not marinate longer than 8 hours; the pear enzymes will make the beef mushy.
• A screaming-hot pan and small batches. This is the whole technique.
• Bulgogi is best eaten wrapped in a lettuce leaf with rice and a dab of ssamjang.

Common Substitutions & Variations

• Out of spring onions? A small regular onion, finely sliced, or a few chives stirred in at the end both cover the job.
• A quarter-teaspoon of ground ginger per tablespoon of fresh is the standard ratio if you are working from the spice rack rather than a fresh root.
• An eighth of a teaspoon of garlic powder per clove is the usual stand-in when you are out of fresh garlic — it will not caramelise the same way, but it carries the flavour.

Pairing Suggestions

• Soju, or a cold Korean lager
• Serve with rice, kimchi and lettuce for wrapping
• Finish with Korean pear

Storage & Reheating

Refrigerate 3 days, or freeze the raw marinated beef for 2 months. Reheat hard in a hot pan, never a microwave.

Common questions

Nutritional Highlights

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.