Bulgogi Mushroom Burgers

Name: Bulgogi Mushroom Burgers
Prep time: 29 min
Cook time: 16 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Korean
Ingredients: 1¼ lb (565 g) king oyster mushrooms, about 4 large; trimmed, wiped clean, stems cut lengthwise into ⅜-inch (1 cm) thick planks; ¼ cup (60 ml) soy sauce; ½ small (about 3.5 oz) (100 g) Asian pear, peeled, cored and finely grated, with juices; 4 cloves (12 g) garlic, finely grated or minced; 1 tsp (3 g) fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated; 4 whole (60 g) scallions, white and light green parts finely chopped for the marinade; dark green parts thinly sliced for garnish; 1 tbsp (13 g) light brown sugar; 1 tbsp (15 ml) mirin; 1 tbsp (15 ml) toasted sesame oil; ½ tsp (1 g) black pepper, freshly ground; 2 tbsp (30 ml) water, added to the reserved marinade when making the glaze; 2 small (about 5 oz) (150 g) Persian cucumbers, sliced into thin rounds; 2 tbsp (30 ml) unseasoned rice vinegar; 1 tsp (4 g) granulated sugar; ½ tsp (3 g) fine salt; ⅓ cup (75 g) mayonnaise; 1 tbsp (17 g) gochujang; 4 buns (280 g) brioche hamburger buns, split; 4 large leaves (40 g) butter lettuce leaves, washed and dried; 1 tbsp (15 ml) neutral oil such as canola, for oiling the grates and brushing the buns; 2 tsp (6 g) toasted sesame seeds

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Thick planks of king oyster mushroom soak in a classic bulgogi marinade of soy, grated pear, garlic and sesame, then get grilled until charred and glossy. Stacked on a toasted bun with crisp quick-pickled cucumber and gochujang mayo, they are savory, sweet and meaty without any meat.

Prep: 29 min
Cook: 16 min
Wait: 30 min
Total: 1 hr 15 min
Makes: 4 burgers

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Ingredients

4 servings

For the mushrooms
1¼ lb (565 g) king oyster mushrooms, about 4 large; trimmed, wiped clean, stems cut lengthwise into ⅜-inch (1 cm) thick planks
For the bulgogi marinade
¼ cup (60 ml) soy sauce
½ small (about 3.5 oz) (100 g) Asian pear, peeled, cored and finely grated, with juices
4 cloves (12 g) garlic, finely grated or minced
1 tsp (3 g) fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated
4 whole (60 g) scallions, white and light green parts finely chopped for the marinade; dark green parts thinly sliced for garnish
1 tbsp (13 g) light brown sugar
1 tbsp (15 ml) mirin
1 tbsp (15 ml) toasted sesame oil
½ tsp (1 g) black pepper, freshly ground
2 tbsp (30 ml) water, added to the reserved marinade when making the glaze
For the quick pickles
2 small (about 5 oz) (150 g) Persian cucumbers, sliced into thin rounds
2 tbsp (30 ml) unseasoned rice vinegar
1 tsp (4 g) granulated sugar
½ tsp (3 g) fine salt
For the gochujang mayo
⅓ cup (75 g) mayonnaise
1 tbsp (17 g) gochujang
To assemble
4 buns (280 g) brioche hamburger buns, split
4 large leaves (40 g) butter lettuce leaves, washed and dried
1 tbsp (15 ml) neutral oil such as canola, for oiling the grates and brushing the buns
2 tsp (6 g) toasted sesame seeds

Equipment (7)

Outdoor gas or charcoal grill (or a cast-iron grill pan)
Box grater
Large shallow dish or 9×13-inch (23×33 cm) baking dish
Small saucepan
Small bowls for pickles and mayo
Basting brush
Tongs and a wide spatula

Steps

Before you start

Choose large, firm king oyster mushrooms with stems at least 1½ inches (4 cm) thick so the planks stay meaty on the grill.
The mushrooms need a full 30 minutes in the marinade, so start the marinade first and do the other prep while they soak.
Grate the pear on the small holes of a box grater and keep all the juice; the pear enzymes and sugars tenderize and caramelize the mushrooms.
Clean the grill grates well and have a brush and oil ready, since the sugary marinade sticks if the grates are dirty.

1
Quick-pickle the cucumbers
- In a small bowl, stir together the rice vinegar, sugar and salt until the sugar and salt dissolve, about 30 seconds.
- Add the sliced cucumbers and toss to coat.
- Leave them on the counter while you work; they will soften slightly and turn tangy.
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Ready when: Cucumbers look slightly glossy and taste bright and tangy after about 30 minutes.
Tip: Slice the cucumbers no thicker than ⅛ inch (3 mm) so they pickle quickly.
2
Mix the bulgogi marinade
- In a large shallow dish, whisk the soy sauce, grated pear with its juices, grated garlic, grated ginger, chopped scallion whites, brown sugar, mirin, sesame oil and black pepper until the sugar dissolves and the mixture looks cloudy and loose.
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Ready when: No gritty sugar remains at the bottom of the dish.
Tip: Grate the pear on the small holes so it melts into the marinade rather than leaving chunks that burn on the grill.
3
Cut and score mushrooms
- Trim the dry bottom ½ inch (1 cm) from each king oyster stem.
- Slice each mushroom lengthwise into planks about ⅜ inch (1 cm) thick; you should get 3 to 4 planks per large mushroom, about 12 to 16 in total.
- Use the tip of a small knife to lightly score a shallow crosshatch (⅛ inch / 3 mm deep) on one side of each plank.
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Ready when: Planks are an even thickness and hold together when lifted.
Tip: Wipe mushrooms with a damp towel instead of rinsing; water dilutes the marinade and prevents browning.
4
Marinate the mushrooms
- Add the planks to the marinade and turn them over with your hands so every surface is coated, scored side down first.
- Let them marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes, flipping the planks once halfway through.
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Ready when: Planks look darker, slightly glossy, and have softened a bit when bent.
Tip: Do not marinate longer than 1 hour; the soy will make the mushrooms too salty and limp.
5
Make gochujang mayo
- While the mushrooms marinate, stir the mayonnaise and gochujang together in a small bowl until uniformly orange-red and smooth.
- Cover and refrigerate until assembly.
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Ready when: Sauce is one even color with no streaks of gochujang.
Tip: Add another teaspoon of gochujang if you like it spicier.
6
Preheat the grillOven 400°F / 205°C
- About 10 minutes before the marinade time is up, heat the grill to medium-high, about 400°F (200°C).
- Scrape the grates clean, then fold a paper towel, dip it in the neutral oil (reserve the rest for the buns) and, holding it with tongs, wipe the grates.
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Ready when: Grill thermometer reads about 400°F (200°C) and the grates are hot enough that a drop of water sizzles.
Tip: Use a grill pan over medium-high heat if cooking indoors, and open a window or turn on the vent.
7
Reduce the leftover marinade
- Lift the mushrooms out of the dish and set them on a plate, letting excess marinade drip back.
- Pour the leftover marinade into a small saucepan, add the water, and bring to a boil over medium heat.
- Simmer, stirring occasionally, for 4 minutes to cook it safely and thicken it into a glaze.
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Ready when: The glaze is syrupy and leaves a trail when you drag a spoon through it.
Tip: Do not skip boiling; the leftover marinade had raw mushroom juices in it.
8
Grill the mushroom planks
- Place the planks on the oiled grates, scored side down, at a diagonal.
- Grill 4 minutes without moving them, until deep grill marks form.
- Flip, brush the tops with the glaze, and grill 3 to 4 minutes more.
- Flip once more, brush the other side with glaze, and cook 1 minute until sticky and lacquered.
- Transfer to a clean plate and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
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Ready when: Mushrooms are tender when pierced, with dark char marks, shrunken by about a third, and glossy with glaze.
Tip: Don't press the planks down with a spatula; that squeezes out the juice and makes them chewy. Move any that flare up to a cooler part of the grill.
9
Toast the buns
- Brush the cut sides of the buns lightly with the remaining neutral oil.
- Set them cut side down on the cooler edge of the grill for 1 to 2 minutes, until golden with faint grill marks.
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Ready when: Cut sides are golden brown and slightly crisp.
Tip: Watch closely; brioche burns quickly because of its sugar.
10
Assemble and serve
- Spread gochujang mayo on both halves of each bun.
- Place a lettuce leaf on each bottom bun, then stack 3 to 4 grilled mushroom planks, overlapping.
- Top with drained pickled cucumbers and the sliced scallion greens, add the bun tops and serve right away.
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Ready when: Burgers are stacked about 2 inches tall and the bun holds together when pressed gently.
Tip: Drain the cucumbers well so they don't make the bun soggy.

Good to know

Tips

Scoring the planks helps the marinade penetrate and gives you more charred edges, which mimic the texture of grilled bulgogi beef.
Keep the heat at medium-high; too low and the mushrooms steam and turn rubbery, too high and the sugary marinade burns before they cook through.
Reducing the leftover marinade into a glaze gives you extra flavor and sheen, and keeps nothing wasted.
Serve with extra kimchi or a bowl of steamed rice on the side to turn it into a full meal.

Make ahead

"The cucumber pickles can be made up to 3 days ahead and refrigerated. The gochujang mayo keeps 5 days refrigerated. The mushrooms can marinate in the fridge for up to 4 hours (bring to room temperature 20 minutes before grilling), but not longer."

Storage & reheating

Best eaten right after grilling. Store leftover cooked mushroom planks in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days; reheat in a skillet over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Cooked mushrooms freeze for up to 2 months; thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating. Assembled burgers do not store well because the bun turns soggy.

Substitutions

Asian pear → Grated sweet apple (such as Fuji) or Bosc pear. Same amount; the flavor is slightly less floral but tenderizes and sweetens similarly.
king oyster mushrooms → Large portobello caps, sliced ½ inch (1.25 cm) thick. Use about 1 lb (450 g); they release more water, so pat dry before grilling.
mayonnaise → Vegan mayonnaise. Makes the burger fully vegan if you also use vegan buns.
mirin → Dry sherry plus ½ tsp sugar, or rice vinegar plus ½ tsp sugar. Use 1 tbsp (15 ml) of the liquid.