When I was stationed at Camp Stanley in South Korea, I was coming back from downtown Soul Korea with my boy Methius Miller we got off the city bus and was walking back to base, there were all kinds of food tents leading up to the base where I was stationed but there was one in particular right in front of the security gate close to the base. We walked into the tent and “Ajumma”, which means older or married woman in Korean, said “Here you taste this”. It was Beef Bulgogi with rice and I’ve been in love ever since. This is one of my favorite dishes ever, it is a Korean dish that usually consist of grilled meat. The word Bulgogi means “fire meat” in Korea and is derives from the Pyong’am dialect. Bulgogi originated from Goguryeo, when it was originally called Maekjeok with the beef being grilled on a skewer. I tried many different places but could never compare what I had in Korea, so I decided to make my own and give it a try.
Bulgogi is a spicy marinated thinly sliced beef that can be grilled or cooked in a wok or stir fry pan. I couldn’t find any sirloin so I used flank Steak. I sliced it thinly across the grain and it had some good marbling. For my marinate I used (if you can find an Asian pear use it), 1 garlic clove – grated, 1 tablespoon of minced ginger, 1 pear – grated 1 tablespoon of light brown sugar, 1 tablespoon of toasted sesame oil, 1 pound of boneless, sirloin or flank steak, 4 tablespoons of grapeseed oil divided, 2 tablespoon Mirin Rice Wine, 1 tablespoon of Gochujang which is a fermented paste that adds a sweet and savory richness to the marinade. Mix all the ingredients in a bowl then pour over the meat. You can put in a bag or keep in a bowl, mix it up really good (get the hands dirty but make sure you wash your hands after handling all those spices) Let it marinate for a about 4 to 24 hours. Once you’re ready to cook take out the refrigerator let it sit for 30 minutes or until it is room temperature. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in wok or large skillet over medium-high heat. Take out half the meat and place in wok or skillet, add a pinch of salt, let it brown for 2 minutes before you toss the meat. Let it cook until it cooks all the way through about 3 minutes. Repeat these steps with the oil and meat. Serve over rice and top with scallions. Bulgogi served in lettuce wraps is also a great option.