Korean Bulgogi Burgers with Gochujang Mayo

Name: Korean Bulgogi Burgers with Gochujang Mayo
Prep time: 31 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 43 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Korean
Ingredients: 2 small (150 g) Persian cucumbers, sliced into thin rounds; 3 tablespoons (45 ml) unseasoned rice vinegar; 1 teaspoon (4 g) granulated sugar; ½ teaspoon (3 g) kosher salt; ½ cup (115 g) mayonnaise; 1½ tablespoons (28 g) gochujang (Korean chili paste); 1 teaspoon (7 g) honey; 1 teaspoon (5 ml) fresh lemon juice; 1½ pounds (680 g) 80/20 ground beef, cold, straight from the fridge; ½ cup (120 g) Asian pear, peeled, finely grated, then drained in a sieve and pressed gently (about 1 small pear); 3 tablespoons (45 ml) soy sauce; 1 tablespoon (13 g) light brown sugar; 1 tablespoon (15 ml) toasted sesame oil; 3 cloves (9 g) garlic cloves, finely grated or minced; 1 teaspoon (3 g) fresh ginger, finely grated; 2 whole (30 g) scallions, white and light green parts finely minced (save the dark green tops for topping); ½ teaspoon (1 g) freshly ground black pepper; 2 teaspoons (6 g) toasted sesame seeds; 1 tablespoon (15 ml) neutral oil such as canola, for oiling the grill grates; 4 buns (280 g) brioche hamburger buns, split; 1 tablespoon (14 g) unsalted butter, softened; 4 large leaves (40 g) butter lettuce leaves, washed and dried; 2 whole (30 g) scallion dark green tops, thinly sliced on the diagonal

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Juicy grilled beef patties seasoned like classic bulgogi with soy, grated pear, garlic, ginger and toasted sesame oil, then piled on toasted buns with spicy-sweet gochujang mayo, crisp quick-pickled cucumber and butter lettuce.

Prep: 31 min
Cook: 12 min
Wait: 23 min
Total: 1 hr 6 min
Makes: 4 burgers

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Ingredients

4 servings

For the quick pickles
2 small (150 g) Persian cucumbers, sliced into thin rounds
3 tablespoons (45 ml) unseasoned rice vinegar
1 teaspoon (4 g) granulated sugar
½ teaspoon (3 g) kosher salt
For the gochujang mayo
½ cup (115 g) mayonnaise
1½ tablespoons (28 g) gochujang (Korean chili paste)
1 teaspoon (7 g) honey
1 teaspoon (5 ml) fresh lemon juice
For the patties
1½ pounds (680 g) 80/20 ground beef, cold, straight from the fridge
½ cup (120 g) Asian pear, peeled, finely grated, then drained in a sieve and pressed gently (about 1 small pear)
3 tablespoons (45 ml) soy sauce
1 tablespoon (13 g) light brown sugar
1 tablespoon (15 ml) toasted sesame oil
3 cloves (9 g) garlic cloves, finely grated or minced
1 teaspoon (3 g) fresh ginger, finely grated
2 whole (30 g) scallions, white and light green parts finely minced (save the dark green tops for topping)
½ teaspoon (1 g) freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons (6 g) toasted sesame seeds
To cook and serve
1 tablespoon (15 ml) neutral oil such as canola, for oiling the grill grates
4 buns (280 g) brioche hamburger buns, split
1 tablespoon (14 g) unsalted butter, softened
4 large leaves (40 g) butter lettuce leaves, washed and dried
2 whole (30 g) scallion dark green tops, thinly sliced on the diagonal

Equipment (9)

Gas or charcoal grill, or a cast-iron grill pan
Large mixing bowl
Box grater
Fine-mesh sieve
2 small bowls
Rimmed baking sheet or large plate, lined with parchment paper
Instant-read thermometer
Wide spatula and tongs
Clean kitchen towel or paper towels

Steps

Before you start

Use 80/20 ground beef straight from the fridge. Cold meat stays tender and holds together better when mixed and shaped.
Asian pear is best, but ripe Bosc or Bartlett works. Grate it on the small holes of a box grater and drain it well so the patties don't turn mushy.
Read the timing: the patties need 20 minutes in the fridge, and the pickles and mayo are made while you wait.
Have a meat thermometer ready. Ground beef is safe at 160°F (71°C).

1
Quick-pickle the cucumbers
- In a small bowl, stir the rice vinegar, sugar and salt for about 30 seconds until the sugar and salt dissolve.
- Add the sliced cucumbers and toss to coat.
- Press them down so they are mostly submerged.
- Leave them at room temperature while you prepare everything else.
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Ready when: Cucumbers look slightly glossy and taste tangy but still crisp.
Tip: Pickles will keep softening the longer they sit, so don't make them more than a day ahead.
2
Mix gochujang mayo
- In a second small bowl, whisk the mayonnaise, gochujang, honey and lemon juice until completely smooth and an even orange-red.
- Taste it.
- It should be creamy, mildly spicy and slightly sweet.
- Cover and refrigerate until serving.
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Ready when: No streaks of gochujang remain.
Tip: Brands of gochujang vary in heat. Start with 1 tablespoon if yours is very spicy.
3
Prep the pear marinade
- Grate the peeled pear on the small holes of a box grater into a fine-mesh sieve set over a bowl.
- Press gently with a spoon for 20 seconds to drain off the excess juice (discard the juice or drink it).
- You want about ½ cup (120 g) of damp pear pulp.
- Mince the garlic, ginger and scallion whites.
- Slice the scallion greens and set aside for topping.
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Ready when: Pear pulp is damp but no longer dripping.
Tip: Too much pear juice makes the patties loose and hard to flip.
4
Combine patty mixture
- In a large bowl, stir the drained pear, soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, garlic, ginger, scallion whites, pepper and sesame seeds until the sugar dissolves.
- Add the cold ground beef.
- Using your fingertips, gently fold and toss for about 30 seconds, just until the seasonings are evenly distributed.
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Ready when: Mixture is evenly speckled and just holds together when squeezed.
Tip: Do not knead or overmix, or the burgers will be dense and bouncy.
5
Shape the patties
- Divide the mixture into 4 equal portions of about 6 oz (170 g) each.
- Gently shape each into a patty about 4½ inches (11 cm) wide and ¾ inch (2 cm) thick.
- Press a shallow, dime-sized dimple into the center of each so they cook flat.
- Set them on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
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Ready when: Patties are uniform in size with smooth edges and no cracks.
Tip: Wet your hands lightly with cold water so the meat doesn't stick.
6
Chill and heat the grillOven 450°F / 230°C
- Refrigerate the patties, uncovered, for 20 minutes so they firm up.
- Meanwhile, preheat the grill to medium-high, about 450°F (230°C).
- Scrape the grates clean.
- Fold a paper towel, grip it with tongs, dip it in the neutral oil and wipe it over the grates.
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Ready when: Grill is hot enough when you can hold your hand 5 inches above the grates for only 2–3 seconds.
Tip: The sugar in the patties caramelizes fast, so clean, oiled grates matter.
7
Grill the patties
- Place the patties on the hot grates and close the lid.
- Cook for 4–5 minutes without moving them, until they release easily and have dark grill marks.
- Flip once and cook 4 minutes more with the lid closed.
- Do not press down on the patties.
- If flare-ups happen, move the patties to a cooler spot for a moment.
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Ready when: Deep brown crust with charred edges, and an instant-read thermometer in the side of the thickest part reads 160°F (71°C).
Tip: If a patty sticks, give it another 30 seconds. Forcing it will tear the crust.
8
Rest the patties
- Transfer the patties to a clean plate and let them rest for 3 minutes so the juices redistribute.
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Ready when: Juices no longer pool on the plate when a patty is lifted.
9
Toast the buns
- Spread the softened butter on the cut sides of the buns.
- Place them cut side down on the cooler part of the grill for 1–2 minutes, until golden brown with light grill marks.
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Ready when: Cut sides are golden and crisp at the edges.
Tip: Watch closely. Brioche browns in seconds.
10
Assemble and serve
- Drain the pickled cucumbers.
- Spread about 1 tablespoon of gochujang mayo on both halves of each bun.
- Layer a lettuce leaf on each bottom bun, then a patty, a few pickled cucumbers and a sprinkle of sliced scallion greens.
- Add the bun tops and serve right away with extra mayo for dipping.
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Ready when: Burgers stand tall and the mayo is slightly melting against the warm patty.
Tip: Lettuce under the patty keeps the bottom bun from getting soggy.

Good to know

Tips

Use a cast-iron grill pan over medium-high heat if you don't have an outdoor grill. Turn on the vent fan, as the sugar can smoke.
Chilling the patties is key. Warm, wet patties are the ones that fall apart on the grates.
Add a slice of provolone or American cheese in the last minute of cooking for a richer burger.
Top with a fried egg or a spoonful of kimchi for extra flavor.

Make ahead

"Make the gochujang mayo up to 5 days ahead and keep it covered in the fridge. Shape the patties up to 8 hours ahead, cover and refrigerate. The pickles can be made up to 24 hours ahead."

Storage & reheating

"Store cooked patties in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in a skillet over medium-low heat for 3–4 minutes per side, or until they reach 165°F (74°C). Freeze uncooked shaped patties, separated by parchment, for up to 3 months and cook from frozen, adding 2–3 minutes per side. Do not store assembled burgers. Leftover mayo keeps 5 days in the fridge and pickles keep 3 days."

Substitutions

Asian pear → Ripe Bosc pear or sweet apple, grated and drained. Provides similar sweetness and tenderizing enzymes, though Asian pear is slightly more subtle.
gochujang (Korean chili paste) → 1 tablespoon sriracha plus 1 teaspoon miso paste. Less fermented depth, but similar heat and savory flavor.
80/20 ground beef → Ground pork or ground dark-meat turkey. Cook pork or turkey to 165°F (74°C). Turkey is leaner, so add 1 tablespoon oil to the mix.
brioche hamburger buns → Potato rolls or lettuce wraps. Potato rolls are a close match. Lettuce wraps make it gluten-free if you use gluten-free tamari for the soy sauce.