Korean Bulgogi Beef with Asian Pear Marinade
Thinly sliced ribeye soaks for 4 hours in a savory-sweet marinade of soy sauce, grated Asian pear, garlic and toasted sesame oil, then sears in a hot skillet until caramelized at the edges and tender throughout. Serve with rice and lettuce wraps.
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 10 min
- Wait
- 4 hr 45 min
- Total
- 5 hr 20 min
- Makes
- 4 servings (about 1½ lb / 680 g cooked-weight beef before cooking)
Steps
Before you start
- Freeze the ribeye for 30–45 minutes so it firms up and slices paper-thin; it should be stiff outside but still slightly yielding in the center.
- Plan for 4 hours of marinating; do not exceed 8 hours, because the pear enzymes will turn the beef mushy.
- Cook in two batches in a very hot pan. Crowding steams the beef instead of caramelizing it.
- Start steamed rice before cooking so everything is ready together.
Firm and slice beef
- Place the ribeye on a plate and freeze for 30–45 minutes.
- Trim off any thick outer fat cap.
- With a sharp knife, slice the steak against the grain into ⅛-inch (3 mm) slices, then cut any slices longer than 4 inches (10 cm) in half.
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Ready when: Beef feels stiff on the outside but the center still gives slightly when pressed
Tip: If slices tear, return the beef to the freezer for 10 more minutes.
Grate the pear
- Peel and core the half Asian pear.
- Grate it on the fine holes of a box grater over a large mixing bowl so the juice is captured.
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Ready when: Pear is a wet, fine pulp with no large chunks
Mix the marinade
- To the pear, add the soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, garlic, ginger, black pepper and the scallion whites.
- Whisk for about 30 seconds until the sugar dissolves and the mixture looks uniform.
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Ready when: No sugar granules remain at the bottom of the bowl
Tip: Taste the marinade; it should be salty-sweet and strongly garlicky. It will mellow on the beef.
Coat the beef
- Add the sliced beef and the onion half-moons to the bowl.
- Use clean hands to separate the slices and massage the marinade into every piece for about 1 minute, so no slices stick together.
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Ready when: Every slice is glossy and evenly coated
Marinate 4 hours
- Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 4 hours (no longer than 8).
- Stir once around the 2-hour mark to redistribute the marinade.
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Ready when: Beef has darkened to a deep brown and smells of garlic and sesame
Tip: Marinating beyond 8 hours makes the texture mushy.
Bring to cooking temp
- Remove the beef from the refrigerator 20 minutes before cooking so it loses its chill and sears rather than stews.
- Lift slices out of the bowl and let excess marinade drip back; keep the onions with the beef.
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Ready when: Beef is cool, not ice cold, to the touch
Heat the skillet
- Set a 12-inch (30 cm) skillet over high heat for 2 minutes until a drop of water evaporates instantly.
- Add 1½ tsp of the neutral oil and swirl to coat.
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Ready when: Oil shimmers and just begins to smoke lightly
Tip: Open a window or run the vent fan; the marinade smokes as it caramelizes.
Sear first batch
- Add half of the beef and onions in a single loose layer.
- Cook without moving for 1½ minutes until browned underneath, then toss and cook 1–2 minutes more.
- Transfer to a clean platter.
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Ready when: Edges are caramelized dark brown, no pink remains, and beef reaches 145°F (63°C)
Tip: Do not crowd the pan; wet beef will steam and turn gray.
Sear second batch
- Wipe out any burnt bits if heavy, add the remaining 1½ tsp oil, and heat for 30 seconds.
- Cook the remaining beef the same way, 3–4 minutes total.
- Return the first batch to the pan for 15 seconds to rewarm.
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Ready when: Beef is caramelized and cooked through, with glossy syrupy bits in the pan
Garnish and serve
- Transfer the beef to a serving platter and scatter over the scallion greens and sesame seeds.
- Serve right away with steamed rice, lettuce leaves and kimchi.
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Ready when: Beef is steaming hot and garnished
Tip: Serve immediately; thin beef toughens as it cools.
Good to know
Tips
- Slice against the grain and keep slices thin; this matters more for tenderness than the marinade does.
- Use high heat and work in batches for the characteristic charred, caramelized edges.
- Grate the pear rather than blending it; this gives enzymes and juice without a watery marinade.
- For leftover marinade that touched raw beef, never use as a sauce unless boiled for at least 3 minutes.
Make ahead
"Mix the marinade (without the beef) up to 2 days ahead and refrigerate in a sealed jar. Slice the beef and marinate it the day you cook. You can also freeze the raw beef in its marinade (see storage)."
Storage & reheating
Raw beef in marinade: refrigerate up to 8 hours or freeze flat in a zip-top bag up to 3 months, then thaw overnight in the fridge. Cooked bulgogi: refrigerate in an airtight container up to 3 days or freeze up to 2 months. Do not leave at room temperature more than 2 hours. Reheat in a hot skillet for 2 minutes with a splash of water until steaming (165°F / 74°C).
Substitutions
- Asian pear → Bosc pear or ½ cup (about 120 g) grated crisp apple. Similar tenderizing effect; apple adds a little more tartness.
- boneless ribeye steak → Sirloin or top round, sliced thin. Leaner cuts are less rich; keep marinating to the full 4 hours but do not exceed 6.
- light brown sugar → Honey or Korean rice syrup, 1½ tbsp (32 g). Gives a stickier glaze that browns slightly faster.
- low-sodium soy sauce → Tamari (gluten-free). Use the same amount; check the label for gluten-free certification.