Bulgogi simply means "fire meat" – thinly sliced beef marinated in a sweet and salty marinade and seared lightning-fast over high heat. It's perhaps the most beloved dish from Korean BBQ, and luckily one of the easiest to make at home. You don't need a tabletop grill or special equipment, just a good frying pan, the right ingredients and a little patience while the meat marinates.
Once the marinade is in place, the dinner itself is done in under ten minutes. Here's the classic bulgogi recipe from scratch – and the shortcut for the days you don't have time to make the marinade yourself.
The marinade is everything
A good bulgogi marinade balances salty, sweet and nutty. The secret is grated pear: it adds natural sweetness and contains enzymes that tenderize the meat. If you can't find Asian pear, a regular apple works just fine.
For 500 g thinly sliced beef (ribeye, sirloin or flank steak) you need:
- 4 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp sugar (or 1 tbsp honey)
- ½ grated pear – or half an apple
- 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp grated ginger
- plenty of freshly ground pepper
Mix everything in a bowl, fold in the meat and place it in the fridge for at least 30 minutes – preferably a few hours if you have time. Many also like to add a finely chopped spring onion or a splash of mirin, but the basic recipe above stands perfectly well on its own.
Tip: Put the meat in the freezer for 30 minutes before slicing. It becomes just firm enough that you can slice it paper-thin across the grain – the way it's served at a Korean restaurant. If you buy pre-sliced meat for hotpot or yakiniku, the job is already done.
Want a little kick? Stir a teaspoon of gochujang into the marinade. Not sure what that is? Read our guide: What is gochujang?
How to cook bulgogi
Bulgogi should be cooked hard and fast. Heat a frying pan, grill pan or grill until it's smoking hot before the meat goes in – it's the high heat that creates the caramelized, lightly charred edges that make the dish.
Cook in small batches. If you add too much at once, the temperature in the pan drops, and the meat ends up boiling in its own juices instead of searing. Spread the slices out in a single layer, leave them alone for a moment, and flip when they've taken on color.
Each batch only needs two to three minutes. Since the meat is so thin, it's cooked through almost immediately – keep an eye on it, because the line between perfect and dry is short. Cook everything, gather it in the pan at the end and pour over any remaining marinade, letting it boil down for half a minute.
Serving
Classically, bulgogi is served with freshly cooked rice – preferably a short-grain, sticky type like sushi rice. Place the meat over the rice and sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds and shredded spring onion.
Want to eat it the way Koreans do? Serve lettuce leaves on the side. Wrap a piece of meat, a little rice and a dab of spicy sauce in a leaf and eat the parcel in one mouthful – it's called ssam. And of course: kimchi on the table. Its tangy freshness balances the sweet meat perfectly. Want to make it yourself? We have our own kimchi recipe.
Leftovers the next day? Bulgogi is brilliant as a topping in bibimbap – see our bibimbap recipe. Everything else you need for the South Korean kitchen is in our South Korea collection.
The shortcut
Some days there's no time to grate pear and chop garlic. That's when you use a ready-made bulgogi marinade: fold it into thinly sliced meat, let it sit while the rice cooks, and cook as described above. The result is surprisingly close to homemade.
Even faster? Bulgogi gyoza straight into the pan, or gimbap with bulgogi filling for lunch. You'll find it all in our bulgogi collection – online with free shipping on orders over 799 kr, or in our stores at Holmen in Asker and Røa in Oslo.
Frequently asked questions
What does bulgogi mean?
Bulgogi literally translates to "fire meat" in Korean – "bul" is fire and "gogi" is meat. The name refers to the traditional preparation over an open flame, but today the dish is just as often made in a frying pan.
Can I use chicken or pork?
Yes. The marinade works just as well with thinly sliced pork (dak-bulgogi is made with chicken, dwaeji-bulgogi with pork). Use chicken thigh fillets for the juiciest result, and always cook chicken and pork all the way through.
How long should the meat marinate?
At least 30 minutes, preferably 2–4 hours. Overnight is fine too, but not much longer – the pear contains enzymes that will eventually turn the meat mushy instead of tender.
Is bulgogi spicy?
No, classic bulgogi is sweet and salty, not spicy – a great introduction to Korean food for kids and anyone who doesn't like chili. If you want heat, add gochujang to the marinade or serve a spicy sauce on the side.
