Bassak Beef Bulgogi (Crispy Grilled Beef Bulgogi)

Ingredients

• Ask the butcher for beef thinly sliced for bulgogi.
• Pat thoroughly with paper towels until almost no blood comes out.
• After draining the blood, chop finely with a knife into 5 mm to 1 cm pieces.
• Instead of green plum syrup, you can add more corn syrup or sugar; if you have pear juice, add about 3 tbsp and just a little sugar.
• If making onion juice is too much trouble, you can add about 3 tbsp of finely minced onion.
• When you have time, making a large batch and dividing it into 1-portion servings in the freezer is great when you need a quick meal.

Steps

1. 
2. 

   1. Ask for beef thinly sliced for bulgogi when purchasing.

   Pat thoroughly with paper towels until almost no blood comes out.

   Removing the blood well goes a long way toward eliminating any gamey odors.

   2. After removing the blood, chop it finely with a knife.

   Ground meat from the butcher loses too much of its chewy texture. Even if it feels tedious, sharpen your knife, slice horizontally, turn the meat, and slice again; it cuts easily without much effort.

   Do not mince it too finely. Slicing it to about 5 mm to 1 cm is fine, as the beef tenderizes with the marinade and shrinks while cooking, giving it the perfect texture when finished.

3. 
4. 

   3. Add the beef along with all the seasoning ingredients...

   Adding green plum syrup to the marinade lends a subtle sweetness, removes off-odors, and tenderizes the meat.

   Instead of green plum syrup, you can add corn syrup or sugar.

   If you have pear juice, add about 3 tbsp and just a little sugar.

   If making onion juice is too much trouble, you can also add about 3 tbsp of finely minced onion.

   Bulgogi seasoning usually relies only on regular soy sauce, but today I added a bit of Joseon soy sauce (= home soy sauce, soup soy sauce) as well to give it deeper flavor.

   4. Mix evenly so the marinade absorbs, and let it marinate for about 2 hours to make it even more delicious.

   When you have time, making a large batch and dividing it into 1-portion servings in the freezer is great when you need a quick meal.

5. 
6. 

   5. Spread the marinated beef thinly in a heated pan into a single round patty like a pancake.

   Rather than using a spatula or utensils, pressing and spreading it out with your hands is much easier.

   At first, as the meat starts to cook, juices will begin to release.

   As time passes and the liquid reduces, once one side of the meat is completely cooked...

   6. Flip it over and cook until golden brown.

   If you prefer thicker meat, spread it thickly in the pan, cover with a lid so it cooks through to the center, and when it is almost done, open the lid and boil down until completely dry.

7. 
8. 

   7. I also tried shaping them into bite-sized round, flat patties like meatballs and pan-frying them...

   8. You can also make them into large, flat squares.

   Shape them however you like. Paying a little attention to the presentation makes it a wonderful main dish when serving guests.

Ppunwife's tips

• Removing the blood thoroughly goes a long way toward eliminating off-odors.
• Adding green plum syrup to the marinade provides a subtle sweetness, removes gamey odors, and helps tenderize the meat.
• When spreading the marinated beef in the pan, pressing and spreading it with your hands is much easier than using a spatula or other tools.
• If you want thicker meat, spread it thickly in the pan, cover with a lid so it cooks through to the inside, and when it is nearly done, remove the lid and boil down until completely dry.

FAQ

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