불고기
Sweet first, salt later — Paik Jong Won on the order that keeps bulgogi from breaking down.
Bulgogi asks more of the marinade than most cooks expect. Brown sugar and starch syrup go on the beef first, ahead of the soy sauce, and the meat rests in that sweet base for ten to twenty minutes before any salt enters the bowl. Paik Jong Won (백종원) adds the thick soy sauce only after that initial rest, folding it in gently so the meat holds its shape rather than breaking down into strands. In Korean home cooking, so-bulgogi, beef thinly sliced for quick pan-frying, appears on weekday tables as reliably as it does at celebratory spreads.
What you'll need
Serves 3 · Estimated — adjust if needed
- 500g / 1.1 lb소고기 불고기용Beef500g / 1.1 lbBeef소고기 불고기용
- 2½ tbsp / 30g황설탕Brown sugar2½ tbsp / 30gBrown sugar황설탕
- 1 tbsp / 12g물엿Starch syrup1 tbsp / 12gStarch syrup물엿
- 1 tbsp / 20g간 마늘Minced garlic1 tbsp / 20gMinced garlic간 마늘
- 5 tbsp / 50g진간장Thick soy sauce5 tbsp / 50gThick soy sauce진간장
- 3 tbsp / 21g참기름Sesame oil3 tbsp / 21gSesame oil참기름
- 150g / 5.3 oz양파Onion150g / 5.3 ozOnion양파
- 2 / 40g표고버섯Shiitake mushroom2 / 40gShiitake mushroom표고버섯
- 1 stalk / 80g대파Green onion1 stalk / 80gGreen onion대파
- 1 / 10g홍고추Red chili pepper1 / 10gRed chili pepper홍고추
- to taste후춧가루Black pepperto tasteBlack pepper후춧가루
- to taste통깨Sesame seedsto tasteSesame seeds통깨
Cook it through
One step at a time.
- Step 101Step 01 / 07
Prepare the beef
소고기 준비하기Cut the beef into bite-sized pieces and place in a large bowl. If the meat is frozen, smash and tear it apart until fully separated.
Timer · 4 minIn the app · Timer4 min - Step 202Step 02 / 07
Add sweet marinade
단맛 재료 버무리기Add the 2½ tbsp / 30g brown sugar, 1 tbsp / 12g starch syrup, and 1 tbsp / 20g minced garlic to the beef. Toss gently — do not massage hard. Set aside to marinate for 10–20 minutes.
Timer · 3 minIn the app · Timer3 min - Step 303Step 03 / 07
Prep the vegetables
채소 준비하기Remove the stem from the shiitake mushrooms and slice thinly at about 0.3 cm. Slice the green onion and red chili pepper diagonally at about 0.5 cm. Trim the onion ends and slice into thin strips at about 0.5 cm.
Timer · 12 minIn the app · Timer12 min - Step 404Step 04 / 07
Add soy sauce and vegetables
간장과 채소 넣기Add 5 tbsp / 50g thick soy sauce to the marinated beef and mix gently so the meat does not break apart. Then add the onion, green onion, red chili pepper, and shiitake mushroom and mix together.
Timer · 3 minIn the app · Timer3 min - Step 505Step 05 / 07
Season with pepper and sesame oil
후추와 참기름으로 간하기Add black pepper and 3 tbsp / 21g sesame oil on top of the vegetables and mix everything together. The sesame oil is the key aroma — the mixture should begin to smell like classic bulgogi.
Timer · 2 minIn the app · Timer2 min - Step 606Step 06 / 07
Stir-fry the bulgogi
소불고기 볶기Heat a pan on high heat — no oil needed. Add the bulgogi and stir-fry, using tongs or chopsticks to gently separate the meat while cooking. Cook until the beef is fully done and the vegetables have softened, about 6–8 minutes.
By feel · Watch the panBy FeelNo timer — watch the pan. - Step 707Step 07 / 07
Plate and garnish
담아내기Transfer the cooked bulgogi to a plate and sprinkle sesame seeds on top to finish.
Timer · 2 minIn the app · Timer2 min
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The cookbook lives on this page. The cooking lives in Whisq — paced to your hands, your stove, your kitchen.
Get Whisq for iOSCut the beef into bite-sized pieces and place in a large bowl. If the meat is frozen, smash and tear it apart until fully separated.
Add 5 tbsp / 50g thick soy sauce to the marinated beef and mix gently so the meat does not break apart. Then add the onion, green onion, red chili pepper, and shiitake mushroom…
Transfer the cooked bulgogi to a plate and sprinkle sesame seeds on top to finish.
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