Quick Korean BBQ
Korean BBQ is one of the most fun and flavorful ways to eat, but there’s no reason you can’t have those flavors at home…on a weeknight. Check out this recipe for KBBQ lettuce wraps including the bulgogi beef, side dishes (crunchy toppings) and a sauce.
Ingredients
Makes 2 portions
For the Bulgogi:
- 500 grams/1 pound ribeye steak, or substitute with sirloin flap or skirt steak
- 30 g or 2Tbsp soy sauce
- 15 g or 1Tbsp brown sugar
- 10 g or 2tsp Mirin
- 3 g or 1/2tsp black pepper
- 3 cloves of garlic, grated or pressed
- 10 g or 2tsp sesame oil
- 10 g honey, 1 long drizzle
- 25 g or 1/2 Asian pear, or substitute with Bosc or Bartlett pear, grated
- 75 g thinly sliced white onion, ½ an onion
- 20 g or 2 bunches of scallion tops sliced into 2″ pieces
For the Crunchy Toppings:
Oi Muchim (Spicy Quick-Pickled Korean Cucumbers)
- 400 grams or 3-4 Persian cucumbers, sliced into coins (sub english cucumbers half peeled with seeds removed)
- 20 g or 1.5Tbsp kosher salt
- 30 grams or 1/3c sliced scallions
- 10 grams or 3 cloves fresh garlic, grated
- 5 g or 2tsp sesame seeds
- 10 g or 2 1/2tsp granulated sugar
- 10 g or 2tsp rice vinegar
- 7-8 g or 1 1/2tsp sesame oil
- 25 g or 2Tbsp Gochugaru, or substitute with a blend of 20g sweet paprika and 5g chili flakes
Pickled Daikon Radish and Carrot
- 225 g or 1c water
- 75 g or 1/3c rice vinegar
- 100 g or 1/3c + 1Tbsp white distilled vinegar
- 40 g or 3Tbsp sugar
- 4 g or 1t kosher salt
- 150 grams 1 large carrot, julienned
- 150 grams ¼ to ½ of 1 daikon radish (or substitute with jicama or white turnip), grated
For Serving:
- Green leaf lettuce leaves
- Samjang, sub with equal parts miso and sriracha
- Cooked white rice
- Sesame seeds, for garnish
Instructions
Prep and marinate the Bulgogi:
- Trim excess fat from the ribeye steak and slice it thinly, about 1/8 inch thick or thinner.
- Cut the slices in half into long thin strips and remove any internal hard fat.
- In a bowl, combine the beef strips, soy sauce, brown sugar, Mirin, black pepper, grated garlic, sesame oil, honey, and pear pulp. Mix well.
- Add the thinly sliced white onion and toss everything to combine.
- Marinate the beef in the fridge for about 20 minutes.
Prepare the Crunchy Toppings (banchan):
Kimchi:
- Slice the kimchi into thin strips for easy serving
Oi Muchim (Spicy Quick-Pickled Korean Cucumbers):
- In a bowl, combine the sliced cucumbers and salt, and toss to combine. Let it sit for 10 minutes.
- Drain off the excess water from the cucumbers.
- Add the sliced scallions, garlic, sesame seeds, sugar, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and Gochugaru. Stir to combine and let it marinate until ready to serve.
Pickled Daikon Radish and Carrot:
- In a saucepan, combine water, rice vinegar, white distilled vinegar, sugar, and salt. Bring it to a simmer.
- Use a julienne peeler to shred the carrot and grate the daikon radish.
- Drop the shredded carrot and grated daikon radish into the simmering brine. Stir and let it sit off the heat for about 10 minutes.
- Once cooled, the pickled daikon radish and carrot are ready to serve.
Prep the lettuce:
- Clean and prepare the green leaf lettuce leaves by removing the top and base.
- Wash the lettuce leaves and spin dry.
- Cover the lettuce leaves with a damp paper towel until ready to serve.
Cook the Bulgogi:
- Heat a non-stick pan or cast iron over medium-high heat.
- Once the pan is hot, add the marinated beef. It will steam initially before searing.
- Spread the beef evenly in the pan and let it sit undisturbed for at least 2 minutes.
- Flip the beef to cook the other side. Continue cooking for another 1-2 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds, until the beef is well browned, the cooking liquid is evaporated, and the onions are softened.
- Add the tops of two bunches of scallions (about 20 grams) and toss to wilt them.
To serve:
- Sprinkle the cooked bulgogi with sesame seeds.
- To assemble the lettuce wraps, smear some ssamjang on the inside of each lettuce leaf.
- Add a scoop of cooked rice, a few ounces of bulgogi, and a couple of the crunchy toppings (kimchi, oi muchim, or pickled daikon radish and carrot).
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