Korean Bulgogi Seasoning Mix
A sweet-savory dry blend of brown sugar, garlic, onion, ginger, black pepper and toasted sesame seeds that gives you bulgogi flavor in seconds. Stir it with soy sauce and sesame oil to make an instant marinade for beef, pork or chicken.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 4 min
- Wait
- 10 min
- Total
- 24 min
- Makes
- About ¾ cup (140 g) mix, enough for 7 batches of bulgogi (2 tbsp per 1 lb / 450 g meat)
Steps
Before you start
- Measure everything first; the sesame seeds toast quickly and need your full attention.
- Use a completely dry jar and spoon so the sugar doesn't clump.
- Use fresh spices if you can; garlic and ginger powders older than a year taste flat.
- To use: 2 tbsp mix + 2 tbsp soy sauce + 1 tsp toasted sesame oil + 1 tbsp water per 1 lb (450 g) thinly sliced meat.
Measure the ingredients
- Measure the brown sugar, garlic powder, onion powder, ground ginger, black pepper, salt and optional gochugaru into a small mixing bowl, but keep the sesame seeds separate.
- Press any hard lumps of brown sugar flat with the back of a spoon.
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Ready when: All spices are measured and no sugar lumps larger than a pea remain.
Tip: Level your spoons; heaping measures of garlic or ginger powder will overpower the blend.
Toast sesame seeds
- Heat a dry 8-inch (20 cm) skillet over medium-low heat for 1 minute.
- Add the raw sesame seeds in a single layer and stir constantly with a spatula or shake the pan for 3 to 4 minutes.
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Ready when: Seeds turn light golden, smell nutty, and a few begin to pop. Don't wait for deep brown.
Tip: Seeds go from golden to bitter in seconds. Tip them out of the hot pan immediately.
Cool the seeds
- Pour the toasted seeds onto a plate and spread them out.
- Let them cool completely, about 10 minutes, before mixing.
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Ready when: Seeds feel completely cool to the touch.
Tip: Adding warm seeds to the sugar and powders creates steam and hard clumps in the jar.
Crush half the seeds
- Transfer half the cooled seeds (about 1½ tbsp) to a mortar and pestle or spice grinder and crush with a few pulses or presses until roughly broken but not powdered.
- Leave the other half whole.
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Ready when: Crushed seeds look coarse and smell strongly toasty, with some whole seeds still visible.
Tip: Crushing releases the seeds' oils and flavor; skip it if you prefer a more textured, visible-seed look.
Combine the blend
- Add all the sesame seeds, whole and crushed, to the bowl.
- Whisk or stir for 1 minute, scraping the bottom, until the color is an even tan-brown with seeds and black pepper evenly speckled throughout.
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Ready when: No streaks of pale garlic or onion powder remain, and the mix looks uniform.
Tip: If lumps persist, push the mix through a fine-mesh sieve, then stir the seeds back in.
Jar and label
- Spoon the mix into a dry, airtight 1-cup (240 ml) jar, tap it on the counter to settle it, and seal.
- Label with the date and the usage ratio: 2 tbsp per 1 lb (450 g) meat.
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Ready when: Jar holds about ¾ cup (140 g) of mix and the lid seals tightly.
Tip: Add a food-safe silica packet or a few grains of uncooked rice to the jar if you live somewhere humid.
Make a bulgogi marinade
- For each 1 lb (450 g) of very thinly sliced beef ribeye or sirloin, stir 2 tbsp of the mix with 2 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tsp toasted sesame oil and 1 tbsp water into a paste.
- Toss with the meat, cover, and refrigerate 30 minutes to 4 hours.
- Cook in a very hot skillet or grill pan in a single layer for 2 to 3 minutes per side.
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Ready when: Beef is browned at the edges with caramelized spots and no pink remains.
Tip: Cook in batches; crowding the pan steams the beef instead of browning it. Soy sauce and sesame oil are added when you use the mix, not stored in it.
Good to know
Tips
- Slice meat very thin: freeze it for 30 to 45 minutes first, then cut across the grain.
- For a more authentic marinade, add 2 tbsp grated Asian pear or apple per pound of meat; its enzymes tenderize the beef.
- Keep marinating time under 4 hours; longer and the salt can make thin beef spongy.
- This mix also works on mushrooms, tofu, chicken thighs and pork shoulder slices.
Make ahead
"The mix can be made up to 3 months ahead. Make a double batch and keep it ready for quick weeknight bulgogi."
Storage & reheating
Room temperature: store in an airtight jar away from heat and light for up to 3 months. Fridge: not needed, but it keeps the sesame flavor fresh for up to 6 months; let the jar come to room temperature before opening to avoid condensation. Freezer: up to 1 year in a freezer-safe container. Marinated meat keeps 24 hours in the fridge; cooked bulgogi keeps 3 days in the fridge and can be reheated in a hot skillet for 2 minutes.
Substitutions
- light brown sugar → granulated sugar. Use 3 tbsp (38 g) for a lighter, cleaner sweetness; you lose the slight molasses note.
- ground ginger → fresh ginger, finely grated, added at marinating time. Leave ginger powder out of the jar and add 1 tsp grated fresh ginger per 1 lb meat so the mix stays shelf-stable.
- fine sea salt → omit salt. Leave out if you'll use full-sodium soy sauce and want a low-sodium mix; flavor will rely on the soy sauce.
- gochugaru (Korean red pepper flakes), fine grind → pinch of cayenne. Use ⅛ tsp (0.3 g); cayenne is hotter and has less fruity flavor.
