CHOW by CHOU: Make Your Own Bulgogi (Korean BBQ)

Hey everyone! I have to go back to my roots when it comes to the winter time. I get to be home with my family, make great food, and well, Asian cuisine has to be at the top of my favorites list! I am Chinese and growing up, I always had rice or noodles with family style dishes to eat with them and honestly, there are times when all I crave is rice paired with delicious meats and vegetables. Though I am not Korean (but I love their cuisine), I’ve always wanted to try making Korean BBQ at home and I did! If you’ve ever been to Honey Pig or Shin Chon (both are on Rt. 40- Baltimore National Pike), it’s that style of cooking in your very own kitchen! It’s very simple and a great way to satisfy that rice craving. No more dialing for take out, try this recipe at home or in your apartment!

Bulgogi- Korean marinated beef with onions

Makes 4-6 servings Prep time: 10 minutes
Marinade time: at least 30 minutes
Cook time: 10-15 minutes

Be sure to look out for my tips along the way! They will be starred (*)

Ingredients:
•½ – ¾ lb of beef tenderloin or beef rib eye (sliced thin)
*You can find this at H-MART or LOTTE (both on Rt. 40- right off of exit 15B on 695) or if you find a great cut of meat in your local market, ask your butcher to slice it thin for you! If you don’t like red meat, you can substitute this dish with chicken.
•1 medium sized yellow onion or half a jumbo yellow onion, sliced (see picture below)
•3 cloves of garlic, minced
•Half of a Fuji apple, diced
*You may substitute the apple with Asian pear, a whole kiwi, ¼ of a mango, or a small chunk of pineapple. The fruit helps tenderize and break down the meat while adding sweetness to it- trust me, it’s a must!
•5 Tbsp of soy sauce (see picture below)
*Available at all local grocery markets- specialty/international foods aisle
•2 Tbsp of rice vinegar (see picture below)
*Available at all local grocery markets- specialty/international foods aisle
•3 Tbsp of sesame oil (see picture below)
*Available at all local grocery markets- specialty/international foods aisle
•2 Tbsp of Chinese cooking wine (see picture below)
*Available at H-MART, LOTTE or any Asian specialty foods market
•1 Tbsp of salt
•3 Tbsp of sugar
•4 pieces of ginger root, sliced (optional)
*If you enjoy the flavor of ginger, go ahead and mince it and incorporate it with the marinade!
•¼ cup of scallions, diced (optional)
•¼ cup of chopped cilantro (optional)

All the sauces I used for my marinade =)

Directions:
1. In a large mixing bowl, combine all above ingredients together. Reserve half the scallions and all of the cilantro for the very end.

2. Using your hands, mix the ingredients together, making sure that all of the marinade is coating all of the meat and onions.

3. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it stand in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
*The longer the marinade sits, the better it gets. I recommend preparing the marinade and combining it well in advance. For example, prepare it the night before and letting it stand in the refrigerator overnight imparts a lot of flavor into the meat. I chose to make it in the morning and letting it marinade all day (about 5-7 hours).

After 7 hours of marinading

4. Take the bowl out of the refrigerator and let it stand for about 10-15 minutes prior to cooking.
*This allows the meat to come to room temperature— super cold meat on super hot skillet shocks the meat and ends up in tough bulgogi!

5. While letting the meat rest at room temperature, heat a large, non-stick skillet to medium-high heat. Coat the skillet with a light colored oil (such as canola, vegetable, or sunflower oil).

Coating the pan with oil

6. Sear the meat and onion mixture for about 10 minutes until all pieces are cooked through—brown and slightly charred on all sides. The onions should still have a bit of a bite to them!
* I recommend using tongs to cook the meat and onions.