Matt Xiaxiang
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Main dishesBeef bulgogi bibimbap
Posted: 06/10/2024Updated: 06/10/2024
Slices of smokey and sweet grilled beef with an stir-fried vegetables and a fried egg, all on rice, finished with a drizzle of gochujang sauce
Ingredients
Servings
Beef bulgogi
- 500 grams Steak (sirloin or ribeye)
- 0.5 medium Asian pear
- 1 medium Brown onion
- 3 cloves Garlic
- 3 centimetres Ginger
- 2 tablespoons Rice wine vinegar
- 4 tablespoons Light soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon Sesame oil
- 2 teaspoons White sugar
- 2 teaspoons Gochugang
- 1 tablespoon Toasted sesame seeds
- 2 Spring onions
Bibimbap
- 1 large Carrot
- 300 grams Oyster mushrooms
- 100 grams Spinach
- 200 grams Beansprouts
- 1 medium Courgette
- 4 large Eggs
- 2 tablespoons Gochugang
- 2 teaspoons Sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon Light soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon Rice wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon White sugar
- Water
Instructions
Beef bulgogi
- First place your sirloin steak into the freezer until it hardens - about 30 minutes. Thinly slice and place into a mixing bowl. Thinly chop the spring onions, grate the asian pear, garlic and ginger, and julienne the brown onion.
- Add the prepared ingredients to the bowl along with the remaining ingredients. Mix thoroughly and leave to marinade overnight.
- Heat a large pan on medium high with a neutral oil until hot. Add the marinated steak with onions to the pan and fry. The steak should cook very quickly, taking only 3-5 minutes.
Bibimbap
- Prepare the vegetables by slicing the courgette, julienne the carrot and chopping the oyster mushrooms into smaller pieces. Start cooking the rice once all vegetables are prepared.
- Traditionally, each vegetable is sautéed separately. Start with the vegetables that take longer to cook. In this case that would be the carrots and courgettes. Season to taste with salt and black pepper. Place cooked vegetables on the side until ready to plate.
- While sautéing the vegetables, prepare the gochugang sauce by combining the gochugang, light soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, sesame oil and white sugar. Add water until you reach your desired consistency.
- To serve the bibimbap, heat a hot stone bowl (dolsot) on the stove over medium-low heat for 5–10 minutes. You want the bowls to be hot enough to sizzle when the rice is added but not smoking.
- Once the bowls are heated, carefully drizzle a little sesame oil (about 1 teaspoon per bowl) onto the bottom and sides of the bowl. Place a portion of rice into the hot pot, pressing it down lightly so that the bottom makes full contact with the heated surface. The rice will start to sizzle.
- Arrange the sautéed vegetables and marinated beef bulgogi around the rice. Place a fried egg with runny yolk on top. Drizzle the gochugang sauce over the bibimbap and serve immediately.
My notes
Cooking tips
- Freezing the steak: It is much easier to cut the slightly frozen steak into thin, even slices without the meat bending or tearing.
- Slicing the steak against the grain: Slicing the meat perpendicular to the direction of the muscle fibres, rather than parallel to them makes each slice more tender. Meat has long muscle fibres that can be tough to chew. Cutting against the grain shortens these muscle fibres.
- Cooking the steak: It is important to not overcrowd the pan when cooking the steak as this can cause it to steam rather than sear the meat. This will result in soggy and chewy meat with underdeveloped flavour.
- Using a dolsot: Although this is traditional and is necessary for getting a crispy layer of rice, it is not necessary and you can serve the bibimbap in a normal bowl.
- Cooking the vegetables: If you are on a time limit, you can steam or sauté the vegetables all together rather than cooking separately.
Alternative ingredients
- An alternative to asian pear would be to use red apples (Fuji or Gala apples) or pears (Red Anjou pears). These variations have a similar sweetness and texture that helps to tenderise the steak while marinating.
- Ribeye is tender and flavourful, making it another popular choice for bulgogi. Its fat content helps keep the meat juicy during the quick cooking process.
- Use any combination of vegetables you like or have ready in the cupboard. Broccoli and peppers are good options as well.
- Kimchi, although not included in this recipe, gives a tangy and spicy balance to the otherwise savoury dish.
Storage instructions
- Refrigeration: Store as a complete dish or as separate components in an airtight container in the fridge. It can be safely stored for up 3-4 days. Storing each component separately helps maintain the texture of each one.
- Freezing: Store each component separately in airtight containers when freezing. The beef bulgogi can be frozen for up to 3 months whereas the rice and vegetables for up to 1 month. Do not freeze the egg.
Re-heating instructions
If re-heating from frozen, ensure it has fully defrosted whether that is overnight in the fridge out in the microwave on the defrost setting.
- Microwave: To quickly re-heat everything at once, heat on medium power for 2-3 minutes, stirring halfway through to ensure even heating. Adjust the time depending on the microwave's power and portion size.
- Stove: Re-heat the beef bulgogi and vegetables separately on the stove over medium heat. Add a little neutral oil to help cook until hot throughout. Re-heat the rice in the microwave.
Nutrition and dietary facts
(Per serving) Calories: 675kcal (30%), Protein: 36g (60%), Fat: 30.4g (38%), Saturated fat: 8.5g (57%), Carbohydrates: 67g (24%), Sugars: 11g (44%), Fibre: 3.1g (10%)
Note: The nutritional information provided for this recipe is an estimate based on ingredients and cooking instructions as described - it is intended for informational purposes only.