Korean Beef (Printable Version)

Thinly sliced beef in a savory-sweet Korean sauce with garlic, ginger, sesame and green onions, served over rice.

# What You Need:

→ Beef

01 - 1 lb beef sirloin or flank steak, thinly sliced against the grain

→ Marinade & Sauce

02 - 1/4 cup soy sauce
03 - 2 tbsp brown sugar
04 - 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
05 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
07 - 1 tbsp rice vinegar
08 - 1 tsp gochugaru (Korean chili flakes), or 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
09 - 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

→ Vegetables & Garnishes

10 - 4 green onions, thinly sliced
11 - 2 tsp toasted sesame seeds

→ Serving

12 - Steamed white rice, for serving

# How To Make It:

01 - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, minced garlic, grated ginger, rice vinegar, gochugaru (if using), and black pepper until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is well combined.
02 - Add the thinly sliced beef to the marinade and toss thoroughly to ensure every piece is evenly coated. Allow the beef to marinate for at least 10 minutes at room temperature, or refrigerate for up to 1 hour for deeper flavor penetration.
03 - Heat a large skillet or wok over high heat until it begins to smoke. Add the marinated beef in an even layer and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the beef is browned on the edges and cooked through.
04 - Stir half of the sliced green onions and 1 teaspoon of sesame seeds into the cooked beef, reserving the remaining portions for garnish. Toss to incorporate evenly.
05 - Serve the beef hot over a bed of steamed white rice. Garnish with the remaining green onions and sesame seeds. Serve immediately.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The sauce caramelizes into something gloriously sticky and complex with barely any effort on your part.
  • It transforms whatever random vegetables are languishing in your crisper into a meal worth getting excited about.
02 -
  • Do not crowd the pan or the beef will steam instead of sear, and you will miss that gorgeous caramelization entirely.
  • Letting the beef sit in the marinade for the full hour transforms the flavor from good to restaurant quality.
03 -
  • Slice the beef against the grain for the most tender bites, and if the grain is hard to read, look for the lines running through the meat and cut perpendicular to them.
  • A splash of water or broth deglazed into the hot pan right before adding the beef lifts every bit of caramelized flavor from the bottom.

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