Name: Bulgogi (Korean Marinated Beef)
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 100 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Korean
Ingredients: 600 g beef rump, sirloin or ribeye, sliced very thinly (Tip: freeze briefly first, then it slices more thinly); 0.5 onion, cut into fine strips; 3 spring onions, cut into 5 cm lengths and halved lengthways; 1 small carrot, shaved into thin strips (about 10 cm); 4 tbsp soy sauce; 2 tbsp toasted sesame oil; 3 tbsp brown sugar; 6 cloves garlic, crushed; 0.5 Asian (nashi) pear, grated (or use an apple or regular pear); 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated; 1 tbsp mirin or rice wine; 0.5 tsp black pepper, freshly ground; 1 tbsp neutral oil (for frying); 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds (for sprinkling); 240 g short-grain or sushi rice (uncooked, cooked according to the packet instructions)

Preparation

Slice the beef very thinly across the grain, if it was not bought pre-sliced. Prepare the onion, spring onions and carrot.
For the marinade, whisk the soy sauce, sesame oil, brown sugar, garlic, grated pear, ginger, mirin and pepper in a large bowl until the sugar has dissolved.
Add the beef and vegetables to the marinade and mix thoroughly with your hands so that every slice is coated. Cover and leave to marinate in the fridge for at least 1 hour, ideally overnight.
Cook the rice according to the packet instructions.
Heat a large frying pan or griddle pan over a medium-high to high heat and add a little oil. Fry the beef and vegetables in two or three batches, in a single layer, for about 3 minutes, then turn and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes until browned and lightly caramelised. Do not overcrowd the pan.
Sprinkle the bulgogi with toasted sesame seeds and serve hot with the rice.

Drink with it

Red wine · excellent match
Pinot Noir or Grenache, lightly chilled
Ripe red fruit and soft tannins carry the sweet-salty soy and pear marinade, and the wine echoes the roasted notes of the meat.
Which wine pairs with food? A simple approach to choosing
Pale lager · excellent match
Pale lager, ice cold
The classic beer for Korean barbecue: fizz and cold clear the sesame oil and fat from the palate, and the lean body lets the marinade shine.
Pils or Helles: What's the Difference?
Junmai sake · excellent match
Junmai sake, at room temperature or gently warmed
As with teriyaki or yakiniku: rice-driven fullness and its own umami pick up the sweet soy marinade and the roasted notes; warmed, the junmai also stands up to the sesame oil.
Junmai, Ginjo, Daiginjo: What do these mean for sake?
White wine · good match
Riesling Spätlese, fruity-sweet
Residual sweetness mirrors the pear and brown sugar, while the acidity balances the saltiness of the soy sauce.
Mellow whisky · good match
Bourbon highball with soda and plenty of ice
Vanilla and caramel echo the caramelised marinade, while soda and ice keep the drink light alongside the rich meat.
Whisky with food: cheese, chocolate, and savory dishes

Preparation

Slice the beef very thinly across the grain, if it was not bought pre-sliced. Prepare the onion, spring onions and carrot.
For the marinade, whisk the soy sauce, sesame oil, brown sugar, garlic, grated pear, ginger, mirin and pepper in a large bowl until the sugar has dissolved.
Add the beef and vegetables to the marinade and mix thoroughly with your hands so that every slice is coated. Cover and leave to marinate in the fridge for at least 1 hour, ideally overnight.
Cook the rice according to the packet instructions.
Heat a large frying pan or griddle pan over a medium-high to high heat and add a little oil. Fry the beef and vegetables in two or three batches, in a single layer, for about 3 minutes, then turn and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes until browned and lightly caramelised. Do not overcrowd the pan.
Sprinkle the bulgogi with toasted sesame seeds and serve hot with the rice.

Drink with it

Red wine · excellent match
Pinot Noir or Grenache, lightly chilled
Ripe red fruit and soft tannins carry the sweet-salty soy and pear marinade, and the wine echoes the roasted notes of the meat.
Which wine pairs with food? A simple approach to choosing
Pale lager · excellent match
Pale lager, ice cold
The classic beer for Korean barbecue: fizz and cold clear the sesame oil and fat from the palate, and the lean body lets the marinade shine.
Pils or Helles: What's the Difference?
Junmai sake · excellent match
Junmai sake, at room temperature or gently warmed
As with teriyaki or yakiniku: rice-driven fullness and its own umami pick up the sweet soy marinade and the roasted notes; warmed, the junmai also stands up to the sesame oil.
Junmai, Ginjo, Daiginjo: What do these mean for sake?
White wine · good match
Riesling Spätlese, fruity-sweet
Residual sweetness mirrors the pear and brown sugar, while the acidity balances the saltiness of the soy sauce.
Mellow whisky · good match
Bourbon highball with soda and plenty of ice
Vanilla and caramel echo the caramelised marinade, while soda and ice keep the drink light alongside the rich meat.
Whisky with food: cheese, chocolate, and savory dishes

Bulgogi (Korean Marinated Beef)

Preparation

Drink with it

Pinot Noir or Grenache, lightly chilled

Pale lager, ice cold

Junmai sake, at room temperature or gently warmed

Riesling Spätlese, fruity-sweet

Bourbon highball with soda and plenty of ice

This pairs well too.

Carne Asada (Grilled Beef Steak with Lime)

Gyudon (Japanese beef rice bowl)

Köttbullar (Swedish meatballs) with cream sauce and lingonberries

Lahmacun (Turkish minced meat flatbreads)

Bulgogi (Korean Marinated Beef)

Preparation

Drink with it

Pinot Noir or Grenache, lightly chilled

Pale lager, ice cold

Junmai sake, at room temperature or gently warmed

Riesling Spätlese, fruity-sweet

Bourbon highball with soda and plenty of ice

This pairs well too.

Carne Asada (Grilled Beef Steak with Lime)

Gyudon (Japanese beef rice bowl)

Köttbullar (Swedish meatballs) with cream sauce and lingonberries

Lahmacun (Turkish minced meat flatbreads)