Traditional beef chuck bulgogi

Thinly sliced chuck roll marinated in a silky blend of Asian pear, soy sauce, sesame oil, and aromatics, quickly seared for a melt-in-your-mouth tender texture with a glossy finish.

Ingredients

  • 600 g Marbled beef chuck roll
  • 1 piece Fresh Asian pear
  • 1 piece Medium yellow onion
  • 3 pieces Fresh scallions
  • 4 cloves Fresh garlic cloves
  • 1 tsp Fresh ginger root
  • 6 tbsp Naturally brewed dark soy sauce
  • 2 tbsp Unrefined light cane sugar
  • 1 tbsp Liquid acacia honey
  • 2 tbsp Sweet cooking rice wine (mirin type)
  • 2 tbsp Virgin toasted sesame oil
  • 1 pinch Ground black pepper
  • 1 tbsp Unsalted toasted white sesame seeds
  • 1 tbsp Refined canola oil

Method

  1. Place the beef chuck roll in the freezer for 30 minutes to firm up without freezing, which makes it easy to slice thinly and evenly.
  2. Cut the firmed meat into very thin slices, about 2 mm thick, using a sharp knife and slicing strictly perpendicular to the grain of the meat.
  3. Peel the Asian pear and fresh garlic cloves, then grate them finely along with the fresh ginger root over a large mixing bowl to catch the pulp and juices.
  4. Add the dark soy sauce, light cane sugar, acacia honey, rice wine, toasted sesame oil, and ground black pepper to the bowl, then whisk for 1 minute until the sugar is completely dissolved.
  5. Peel the yellow onion and slice it thinly lengthwise. Rinse the fresh scallions and cut them into diagonal pieces.
  6. Add the sliced beef, yellow onion, and a portion of the fresh scallions to the marinade. Gently toss by hand to coat every piece thoroughly, then cover and marinate in the refrigerator between 4 °C and 6 °C for at least 30 minutes.
  7. Heat a cast-iron skillet or wok over very high heat with the refined canola oil for 3 minutes, until the surface reaches about 200 °C and light wisps of smoke appear.
  8. Add a first batch of the drained beef slices to the hot skillet in a single layer without crowding the pan. Sear over high heat for 2 minutes without stirring, until a deep golden-brown crust forms on the bottom.
  9. Flip the meat, spoon in a little reserved marinade, and stir vigorously over high heat for 1 minute more, until the sauce reduces, turns syrupy, and glazes the meat with a glossy sheen.
  10. Repeat the process in small 3-minute batches with the remaining beef and onions, keeping the pan over high heat (around 200 °C).
  11. Let all the cooked meat rest for 2 minutes under a loose sheet of foil to relax the fibers, then transfer to a warm platter and top with the remaining fresh scallions and toasted white sesame seeds.

Nutrition

Per serving

Energy
385.7 kcal
Protein
33.67 g
Carbohydrate
13.29 g
Fat
21.15 g
Fibre
1.19 g
Calcium
56.86 mg
Iron
1.17 mg
Magnesium
35.39 mg
Indicative, non-medical nutrition estimate; values depend on brands, actual weights, and whether ingredients are raw or cooked.