Korean Beef Barbeque

Bulgogi 불고기

Bulgogi is a Korean dish that usually consists of grilled marinated beef. It is listed at number 23 onWorld's 50 most delicious foods readers' poll compiled by CNN Go in 2011.

The word Bulgogi literally means fire meat in Korean, and is derived from the Pyongan dialect. It refers to marinated meat, cooked using traditional grilling techniques such as gridirons or perforated dome griddles that sit on braziers, unlike deep frying or boiling in water. The term is also applied to variations such as dak bulgogi (made with chicken) or dwaeji bulgogi (made with pork), depending on what kind of meat and corresponding seasoning are used.

Bulgogi is believed to have originated from Goguryeo, when it was originally called maekjeok (맥적), with the beef being grilled on a skewer. It was called neobiani (너비아니), meaning "thinly spread" meat, in the Joseon Dynasty and was traditionally prepared especially for the wealthy and the nobility.

Bulgogi is made from thin slices of sirloin or other prime cuts of beef. Before cooking, the meat is marinated to enhance its flavour and tenderness with a mixture of soy sauce, sugar, sesame oil, garlic, pepper and other ingredients such as scallions, ginger, onions or mushrooms, especially white button mushrooms or matsutake. Sometimes, cellophane noodles are added to the dish, which varies by the region and specific recipe.

Bulgogi is traditionally grilled, but pan-cooking has become popular as well. Whole cloves of garlic, sliced onions and chopped green peppers are often grilled or fried with the meat. This dish is sometimes served with a side of lettuce or other leafy vegetable, which is used to wrap a slice of cooked meat, often along with a dab of ssamjang, or other side dishes, and then eaten together.

Bulgogi is served in barbecue restaurants in Korea, and there are bulgogi flavoured fast-food hamburgers sold at many South Korean fast-food restaurants. The hamburger patty is marinated in bulgogi sauce and served with lettuce, tomato, onion, and sometimes cheese. It is similar to a teriyaki burger in flavour.

The October 2011 issue of Jamie magazine featured a stall selling bulgogi steak baguettes outside Arsenal FC's Emirates Stadium. The same stall was featured in Nicholas Lander's food column in the Financial Times in October 2012. Texas Rangers outfielder Shin-Soo Choo endorsed bulgogi in an advertisement in the March 12th, 2014 issue of The New York Times.

Ingredients:

1 pound of beef tenderloin

sliced thinly into pieces ½ inch x 2 inches and ⅛ inch thick

Marinade (for 1 pound of beef):
½ cup of crushed pear
¼ cup onion purée
4 cloves of minced garlic
1 teaspoon minced ginger
1 chopped green onion
2 tbs soy sauce
2 tbs brown sugar (or 1 tbs of brown sugar and 1½ tbs rice syrup)
a pinch of ground black pepper
1 tbs toasted sesame oil
several thin slices of carrot

Directions:

1. Mix all the marinade ingredients in a bowl.
2. Add the sliced beef and mix well.
3. You can grill, pan-fry, or BBQ right after marinating, but it’s best to keep it in the fridge and let it marinate for at least 30 minutes, or overnight for a tougher cut of beef. Serve with ssamjang.

For Vegetarians:
Use the same marinade above and replace beef with mushrooms. You’ll need 10-12 large dried shiitake mushrooms. Add a few white mushrooms if you like them.

1. Soak the dried shiitake mushrooms in warm water for several hours until they’re soft.
2. Squeeze out any excess water and slice each mushroom thinly.
3. Slice some white mushrooms, carrot, and onion.
4. Mix all of it together in the marinade.
5. Grill, pan-fry, or BBQ.

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