Usamgyeop Sukju Bokkeum (Stir Fried Beef Belly and Sprouts) in 10 Minutes
A savory 10-minute beef belly and mung bean sprout dish flash-fried over high heat to keep it crisp.
Translated from Korean by AI and not yet checked by a native speaker. Amounts and numbers are taken directly from the original recipe. Read the Korean original →
A 10-minute stir-fry combining savory beef belly rendered in its own fat with crisp mung bean sprouts. Cooking quickly over high heat keeps the liquid from pooling and ensures the meat stays tender. Mildly seasoned, it works wonderfully as both a side dish with rice and an accompaniment to drinks.
- Servings
- 2–3 servings
- Cook time
- 10 minprep not included
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Spiciness
- Mildly spicy
Ingredients
Ingredients
- Beef loin slices (usamgyeop) (or beef brisket slices, thinly sliced pork belly, etc.)200 g
- Mung bean sprouts300 g
- Cheongyang chili pepper (hot green chili)1
- Red chili pepper1
- Scallions (jjokpa) (or large green onion (daepa))5 stalks
Meat marinade
- Regular soy sauce (jin-ganjang) (or brewed soy sauce (yangjo-ganjang))1 tbsp
- Mirin (cooking rice wine)1 tbsp
- Ground black peppera little
Seasoning
- Minced garlic1 tbsp
- Oyster sauce1 tbsp
- Salta little
- Toasted sesame oil1/2 tbsp
- Toasted sesame seeds1 tbsp
- For the meat, beef belly, beef brisket, or thinly sliced pork belly all work well.
- You can substitute a little large green onion for the scallions, or leave them out entirely.
Steps
Prepare the ingredients
For the meat, beef belly, beef brisket, or thinly sliced pork belly all work well.
I used a 300 g bag of mung bean sprouts and some leftover scallions I had on hand, but a little large green onion works too, or you can skip it entirely.
For the peppers, use one Cheongyang chili pepper and one red chili pepper.
Slice the ingredients
Thinly slice the scallions and chili peppers, and cut the beef belly or beef brisket in half once.
Stir-fry
In a pan, add the beef belly (or brisket), 1 tbsp regular soy sauce, and 1 tbsp mirin...
Add a little ground black pepper, turn the heat to high, and stir-fry.
Even without adding oil, flavorful fat will render out as the meat cooks through.
Add the mung bean sprouts, 1 tbsp minced garlic, and 1 tbsp oyster sauce, then stir-fry briskly over high heat, tossing constantly.
If the heat is low and you cook it too long, the meat will turn tough, the sprouts will go limp, and liquid will start to pool.
The seasoning will also wash out into the broth instead of clinging to the ingredients, spoiling the flavor.
Once the mung bean sprouts begin to wilt slightly, add the chili peppers and stir-fry quickly so the spicy aroma spreads evenly.
If you are using large green onion instead of scallions, add it along with the chili peppers and stir-fry.
Turn off the heat and finish by adding a little toasted sesame oil and a generous sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds.
Finish
Transfer to a plate and finish by lightly sprinkling scallions over the top.
Because beef belly is thin and mung bean sprouts can be eaten raw, do not overcook them; remove them promptly so they do not keep cooking in the heat of the pan.
If you take them off the heat while the sprouts still seem slightly undercooked, the residual heat will soften them just right.
The rendered beef fat brings a rich savoriness, while the fragrant, crisp mung bean sprouts add a wonderful crunch.
It is not salty and tastes great on its own, making it an ideal bar snack.
Ppunwife's tips
- Stir-frying quickly over high heat is crucial so the meat does not turn tough and the mung bean sprouts stay crisp.
- Even without adding oil, flavorful fat will render out as the meat cooks through.
- If the heat is low and you cook it too long, the meat will turn tough, the sprouts will go limp, and liquid will start to pool.
- Because beef belly is thin and mung bean sprouts can be eaten raw, do not overcook them; remove them promptly so they do not keep cooking in the heat of the pan.
- If you take them off the heat while the sprouts still seem slightly undercooked, the residual heat will soften them just right.
FAQ
Can I use a different cut of meat instead of beef belly?
You can substitute thinly sliced beef brisket or thinly sliced pork belly.
Do I need to grease the pan with cooking oil before stir-frying?
You do not need to add any oil; plenty of fat renders out naturally as the meat cooks.
How do I prevent water from pooling in the stir-fry?
Cooking over low heat for too long causes liquid to pool, so keep the heat high, stir-fry briskly, and remove from the heat while the sprouts are still slightly undercooked.
Can I substitute large green onion if I do not have scallions?
You can slice a little large green onion and stir-fry it when you add the chili peppers, or simply leave it out.
