Korean Beef Tacos (Bulgogi) Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What cut of meat is best for Korean bulgogi? ›

Boneless ribeye steak is our cut of choice for this recipe and the most popular because it is tender and flavorful with nice marbling. Sirloin is also commonly used to make bulgogi and is slightly leaner that ribeye. You can also use flank steak in a pinch with good results, but the texture won't be quite as tender.

Bulgogi generally refers to thinly sliced beef marinated in a sauce that is a mix of soy sauce, sugar or honey, sesame oil, garlic, onion, and often pureed Asian pear. Many Korean home cooks tend to marinate the beef overnight and then grill or stir-fry it with sliced onions, scallions, mushrooms, and other vegetables.

This recipe uses very thinly-sliced sirloin steak, so tenderization isn't necessary. It's delicious served with rice, lettuce leaves, and chile paste or kimchi.

Add the thinly sliced beef, thinly sliced onions, and green onions. Mix and marinate for at least 8 hours or up to 24 hours. Over high heat, add a tbsp of oil to a pan. Cook the beef bulgogi in batches until the water cooks out and the beef and onions are nicely caramelized, about 4-5 minutes.

The term 'bulgogi' comes from Korea and translates to 'fire meat' as it was originally cooked using skewers on a hwaro grill. This ubiquitous meal's early history and origin date back to the Goguryeo era (37 B.C. to 668 A.D.), when it was initially called maekjeok.

From a nutritional point of view, Bulgogi enjoys an excellent reputation: grilled or burned beef steak in a pan does not require the use of additional fat and is a source par excellence of noble proteins, vitamins PP and B12, while the ginger present in marination speeds up the digestion process as well as fighting ...

The dish is believed to have entered South Korea as a result of refugees fleeing Pyongan Providence after the liberation of the Korean Peninsula from the Japanese in 1945. After its introduction into South Korea, bulgogi became popular in Seoul and many other cities.

Bulgogi and Galbi are smoky, sweet, and full of flavor, so a bright and simple red wine is your best bet. An Australian or Chilean Shiraz are my personal favorites but Chianti or an American Zinfandel are also good choices.

If you live near a Korean grocery store, you can pick up presliced beef (look for Korean BBQ beef); if you're cutting the meat yourself, freeze it for at least 15 minutes and up to 1 hour for easier slicing. Traditional bulgogi marinade calls for puréed or grated fruit such as kiwi, apple, or pear.

Bulgogi meat is typically thinly sliced then marinated in a savory and sweet sauce. Once cooked you can enjoy it with rice and other Korean side dishes. It has always been a popular food for parties and gatherings for many Koreans.

How to eat bulgogi with lettuce? ›

Serve with lettuce leaves, toasted sesame seeds and toasted garlic cloves and perhaps some hot sauce if you like it hot. You roll the beef and condiments up in the lettuce leaf and eat like a roll with your hands.

In a perfect world, you'd want to marinate the steak—rib-eye or sirloin steak are the best cuts to use for this bulgogi recipe—a day before cooking. The marinade recipe varies by maker, but commonly features soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic, black pepper, and sugar.

Marination is a broad term, but the crux of it involves soaking some food in a flavorful liquid before you cook it, usually for anywhere from 30 minutes to 24 hours.

You'll need to cook it first to eliminate bacteria like Salmonella and E. coli. Then — and only then — is it safe to reuse as a sauce or glaze.

What Is The Best Beef Cut For Korean BBQ? Bulgogi (Sirloin Beef Strips) is the most well-known Korean BBQ beef cut. While others also like other cuts of beef for a Korean BBQ, there's no doubt that bulgogi the most popular not only in Korea but also in other countries like Australia.

Galbi (beef short ribs) and Bulgogi (thinly sliced sirloin, ribeye, or brisket) are the most representative form of the meat used in Korean barbeque. In the western world, Bulgogi, meaning “fire meat,” is the most popular type of Korean barbeque you'll come across.

Bulgogi is made from thin slices of sirloin or other prime cuts of beef. Ribeye is also commonly used due to its tenderness and easily cuttable texture.

The most consumed meat in South Korea is pork, with popular dishes such as samgyeopsal (grilled pork belly), dwaeji-gukbap (pork soup with rice), and jokbal (pig's feet).