(Bulgogi) Korean BBQ Style Steak – Easy Recipe with Korean BBQ Sauce

You’ll love this easy Korean BBQ steak marinaded in Korean BBQ sauce (Bulgogi). It’s sweet, salty, slightly nutty, a bit fiery and downright delicious.

Bulgogi (Korean BBQ Beef)

What is Bulgogi?

Bulgogi (or fired meat) is a general term for meat done over flames, but it usually refers to beef.

Many people like to prepare Bulgogi by placing the beef in the freezer for a few hours and then slicing it really thinly before marinading.

We have opted for a much simpler approach which involves marinading the steak for around 30 minutes and then slicing it thinly after cooking. This saves on time and still delivers similarly delicious results.

For the Korean BBQ Sauce Marinade

Serves 1 – Double if you want 2 steaks

  • 1 tsp sesame oil
  • 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
  • 1 tsp sesame seeds
  • 1 tsp grated pear (Asian pear if you can get it)
  • 1 tsp finely grated garlic
  • 1 tsp finely grated ginger
  • 1 tsp honey (a little more if you like it sweeter)
  • 1 tsp Gochujang paste (Korean chilli paste)
  • 1 tsp rice wine vinegar
  • 1 tsp Korean chilli sauce (substitute Sriracha)
  • Black pepper to taste

Bulgogi Korean Steak Method

  • Marinade your steak of choice (Ribeye, Sirloin or Fillet are all great options) in the Korean BBQ sauce in a ziplock bag or a bowl.
  • Fire up your BBQ to a high enough heat for searing – the coals should be white hot
  • Reserve some of the BBQ sauce for brushing the steak with
  • Cook your steak to your desired doneness – 130-140F or 54-60C for medium rare, 5-7 minutes a side
  • Brush the steak with reserved marinade after you turn it over
  • Rest for 5-10 minutes
  • Serve with Korean Sticky Rice and Kimchi (fermented vegetables with garlic, ginger and chilli)

FAQ’S About Korean BBQ Beef

What Cut of Steak is Best for Bulgogi?

If you want tender, juicy slices of beef use ribeye, sirloin, or fillet steak. Less expensive cuts of steak such as rump, flank or chuck can be tough to chew unless cooked for a long time.

What is the Thin Meat at Korean BBQ?

Pork or beef are popular meats at Korean BBQ, and they are often thinly sliced and served with Korean BBQ sauce.

Is Korean BBQ Mostly Beef?

Like any style of BBQ, there are plenty of options for grilling meat, fish or vegetables with Korean BBQ. Many Koreans use pork because it is less expensive than beef, although some of the best known Korean BBQ dishes such as Galbi (Beef Short Rib) or Bulgogi (generally made with beef) are beef-based.

What makes Korean BBQ Different from Regular BBQ?

The flavours of Korean BBQ are quite unique – sweet, spicy, salty and fruity. The usual ingredients are garlic, ginger, Asian pear, sugar, Gochujang (Korean chilli paste), soy sauce, soybean paste (Doenjang), sesame oil and sesame seeds.

Related Recipe

Galbi Korean BBQ Short Ribs Recipe

Korean BBQ Steak Video

Watch the whole process on our Instagram video below:

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