In my book, delicious bulgogi depends on three things: a good cut of protein, an awesome marinade, and how you to cook it. In my book, this recipe possesses all three of these elements.
First, a good cut of pork always makes for delicious bulgogi. You can make this recipe with pork loin, or you can make this a beef Bulgogi just use: sirloin, tenderloin, or skirt steak. You still can make good bulgogi without these choice cuts. Whatever you choose, it’s very important to choose a marbled beef: leaner cuts like brisket will turn out too tough. It is vital that you cut the beef thinly against the grain to make it easier to chew and marinate it overnight. The marinade will tenderizes the protein and it’ll turn out delicious over a charcoal BBQ.
Secondly, the marinade: the marinade in this recipe is sheer perfection. I love marinades, there may be a better one down the road, but this one is pretty top of the mark in my book. As always, I encourage you to feel free to modify the ratios here to your taste or develop your own marinade. If you do find a winner, let me know how it turns out.
Thirdly, when we chat about the best cooking methods, grilling over charcoal will always be the best. This is because of the marinade, juices and fats drip off the meat onto the coals, burn up there, and then come back to the beef in a wonderful smoke that covers the meat with flavor. You can’t beat charcoal for true Korean bulgogi.
Look, you can substitute mushrooms for the protein and it turns out amazing. However, this isn’t a veggie blog. So, let’s get you marinating some excellent pork loin and enjoy some wicket great Korean Bulgogi.
Recipe
- 1 pound of beef loin, sliced thinly into pieces ½ inch x 2 inches and ⅛ inch thick
- ½ cup of crushed pear
- ¼ cup onion purée
- 4 cloves of minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon minced ginger
- 1 chopped green onion
- 2 tbs soy sauce
- 2 tbs brown sugar (or 1 tbs of brown sugar and 1½ tbs rice syrup)
- a pinch of ground black pepper
- 1 tbs toasted sesame oil
- several thin slices of carrot
- Mix all the marinade ingredients in a bowl.
- Add the sliced pork and mix well.
- You can grill, pan-fry, or BBQ right after marinating, but it’s best to keep it in the fridge and let it marinate for at least 30 minutes, or overnight for a tougher cut of pork.
