Bulgogi - Easy Pork Bulgogi Recipe - Rasa Malaysia (2024)

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Authentic and easy bulgogi recipe with sliced pork belly and Korean red chili paste. Bulgogi is great with steamed rice as a bulgogi bowl or wrapped with lettuce or Perilla leaves.

Bulgogi - Easy Pork Bulgogi Recipe - Rasa Malaysia (1)

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Table of Contents

Bulgogi Recipe

Bulgogi is a Korean marinated meat dish with Korean red chili paste.

This easy bulgogi recipe calls for gochujang, gochugaru (Korean red chili pepper flakes), soy sauce, sugar, onion and scallions.

Learn how to how to make dwaeji bulgogi (aka jeyuk bokkeum) using pork belly (samgyupsal). You can also use pork shoulder, pork loin, beef or chicken for this authentic recipe.

Bulgogi - Easy Pork Bulgogi Recipe - Rasa Malaysia (3)

Other Korean Recipes You Might Like

  • Korean Fried Chicken
  • Kalbi
  • Jjamppong Korean Seafood Noodle Soup
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What Is Bulgogi?

Korean Bulgogi is a marinated meat dish made with thin slices of beef, usually rib eye. It is no doubt one of the most well-known Korean dishes outside of Korea.

When it’s made with pork, it’s called dwaeji (pork) bulgogi. Unlike its beef counterpart, which is traditionally marinated in a soy sauce based sauce, pork is typically marinated in a spicy gochujang sauce.

Gochujang is a fermented red chili pepper paste made primarily with gochugaru (Korean red chili pepper flakes), glutinous rice powder and fermented soybean powder.

It’s pungent, spicy, slightly sweet and salty. For an authentic Korean dish, there is simply no substitute for gochujang. Gochujang can be found in any Korean market or you can buy online!

The marinated pork can be either grilled or pan-fried. The best way to enjoy it is to wrap a bite-size piece in lettuce or a Perilla leaf and eat the whole wrap.

If you love fatty pork and spicy food, this is the perfect dish for you!

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How to Make Bulgogi?

It’s easy to make this recipe at home. It calls for very simple steps.

First, cut the sliced pork belly into bite-sized pieces. Next, combine all the sauce and marinade ingredients together.

Combine the pork, marinade sauce, onion and scallions together in a big bowl. Marinate the meat for at least an hour or best overnight.

To cook, just grill or cook on a skillet.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Brand of Korean Red Chili Paste (gochujang) Should I Use?

I recommend Chungjungwon (청정원), Haechandeul (해찬들) and Sampio (샘표) gochujang.

How Do I Make Bulgogi Bowl?

It’s very easy, just place fresh steamed rice in a bowl and top the rice with bulgogi.

You may serve bulgogi bowl with banchan (Korean side dishes) such as kimchi, Asian cucumber salad and Korean spicy tofu.

How Many Calories per Serving?

This recipe is only 685 calories per serving.

What Dishes to Serve with This Recipe?

Serve this dish with steamed rice and Korean side dishes. For a wholesome Korean meal and easy weeknight dinner, I recommend the following recipes.

Japchae (Chap Chae)

Spicy Korean Tofu

Spicy Korean Chicken Wings

Korean Clam Soup

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Bulgogi

Authentic and easy bulgogi recipe with sliced pork belly and Korean red chili paste. Bulgogi is great with steamed rice as a bulgogi bowl or wrapped with lettuce or Perilla leaves.

4.55 from 22 votes

Print

By Bee Yinn Low

Yield 4 people

Prep 5 minutes mins

Cook 20 minutes mins

Total 25 minutes mins

Ingredients

  • 1 pound (500g) thinly sliced pork belly or pork shoulder
  • 1/2 medium onion (thinly sliced)
  • 2 - 3 stalks scallion (roots removed, cut into 2 inch (5 cm) lengths)
  • 1 tablespoon oil

Bulgogi Marinade:

  • 3 tablespoons Korean red chili pepper paste* (gochujang)
  • 1 tablespoon Korean red chili pepper flakes (gochugaru)
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons rice wine (or [mirin])
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 tablespoon sesame oil
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic
  • 1 tablespoon grated ginger
  • 1/8 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

  • Mix all Bulgogi Marinade ingredients well.

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  • Cut the pork belly into bite size pieces, about 2 inch (5cm) length.

    Bulgogi - Easy Pork Bulgogi Recipe - Rasa Malaysia (11)

  • Combine the meat, onion and scallions with the marinade and mix well. Marinate for at least an hour, or best overnight.

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  • Heat a grill pan or a skillet over medium high heat and add the oil. Cook the pork slices until cooked through and slightly caramelized, turning over once.

  • Dish out and serve immediately with steamed rice.

Notes

Recipe Contributor: Korean Bapsang

You may use thinly sliced beef to make beef bulgogi.

The quality and taste of commercially available gochujang (고추장) varies, depending on brands. Some of the major brand names available in the U.S. are Chungjungwon (청정원), Haechandeul (해찬들) and Sampio (샘표). Each brand makes different types of gochujang, depending on the types or origin of ingredients used.

Chungjungwon (청정원) is known for its Sunchang (순창) gochujang. Sunchang (순창) is a town that's famous for making the best gochujang. Some brands note the level of spiciness on the package, e.g., No. 3 is medium hot and No. 4 is very hot.

Course: Korean Recipes

Cuisine: Pork

Keywords: Bulgogi, bulgogi recipe, bulgogi sauce, Korean bulgogi

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Bulgogi

Amount Per Serving (4 people)

Calories 685Calories from Fat 567

% Daily Value*

Fat 63g97%

Saturated Fat 22g138%

Cholesterol 81mg27%

Sodium 575mg25%

Carbohydrates 13g4%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 7g8%

Protein 12g24%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Notice: Nutrition is auto-calculated, using Spoonacular, for your convenience. Where relevant, we recommend using your own nutrition calculations.

Bulgogi - Easy Pork Bulgogi Recipe - Rasa Malaysia (2024)

FAQs

What are the three types of bulgogi? ›

There are three types of bulgogi that are typically served at restaurants today – Gwangyang-style of South Jeolla Province, Eonyang-style of South Gyeongsang Province and last but not least, the Seoul-style.

What cut of meat is used for bulgogi? ›

Ribeye Steaks: Bulgogi can be made with many cuts of meat, including ribeye, short ribs, sirloin, or tenderloin. Ribeye is ideal as it's well-marbled with fat, making it tender and tasty. Baking Soda: Tenderizes the beef and also helps with browning and caramelization.

What is pork bulgogi made of? ›

Spicy Pork Bulgogi (Dwaejibulgogi) is a popular Korean BBQ dish – thinly sliced pork belly is marinated in a delicious and spicy gochujang based marinade! It's so easy to prep and cooks quickly over high heat- making it perfect for a weeknight meal or a dinner with friends!

What do Koreans eat with bulgogi? ›

Bulgogi pairs well with many dishes, but typically served with white short grain rice, kimchi and side dishes. If you are wanting to create that Korean BBQ restaurant style meal? Serve some fresh lettuce leaves, cucumber, peppers and savory sauce like samjang, or gochujang.

What's the difference between Korean BBQ and bulgogi? ›

The difference between Korean Kalbi and Bulgogi

This recipe showcases the difference between two popular Korean bbq methods. The difference between bulgogi and Kalbi is that one uses Short Rib, and one uses Ribeye, both using basically the same marinade and grilled over fire.

Why is bulgogi so tender? ›

The beef is marinated in a blend of soy sauce, sesame oil, onion, garlic, ginger, sugar, asian pear, and black pepper. It's marinated for several hours which flavors and tenderizes the meat.

What is bulgogi sauce made of? ›

Bulgogi generally refers to thinly sliced beef marinated in a sauce that is a mix of soy sauce, sugar or honey, sesame oil, garlic, onion, and often pureed Asian pear.

Can I use apple instead of pear for bulgogi? ›

If you can't find Asian pears, you can substitute a sweet apple like Fuji or Bosc pear.

How thick should bulgogi meat be? ›

They are usually 1/8″ thick, or 2 to 3mm. I've seen this exact cut sold as “spencer cut” at other butcher shops. If you can't find thinly sliced beef, you can also slice it yourself – the key is to slice as thinly as possible.

Is bulgogi healthy for you? ›

From a nutritional point of view, Bulgogi enjoys an excellent reputation: grilled or burned beef steak in a pan does not require the use of additional fat and is a source par excellence of noble proteins, vitamins PP and B12, while the ginger present in marination speeds up the digestion process as well as fighting ...

What is the difference between pork bulgogi and beef bulgogi? ›

While traditional beef bulgogi has a soy sauce-based marinade, dwaeji-bulgogi or spicy pork bulgogi uses a Korean-based chile pepper flakes/powder called gochugaru and chile pepper paste called gochujang. Gochujang is the same paste used for Korean fried chicken sauce and tteokbokki too.

What is the difference between pork bulgogi and jeyuk bokkeum? ›

I never knew the difference between pork bulgogi and jeyuk bokkeum until I read it on Maangchi's site several years ago — as she notes, the taste is very similar, but jeyuk bokkeum is pork stirfried in the spicy sauce without marinating the meat first, often with more vegetables, whereas the pork bulgogi is marinated ...

What compliments bulgogi? ›

Serve with Korean side dishes (banchan) like kimchi as well as lettuce, ssamjang, and garlic cloves to make lettuce wraps, like I do in the video. Just put some meat on a lettuce leaf with some ssamjang and a clove of garlic, wrap it up and eat it in one bite!

What drink pairs well with bulgogi? ›

The taste of Bulgogi is typically sweet from the marinating sauce, but it can get spicy from the grill. It is served with a few side dishes, such as lettuce or ssamjang (spicy-sweet bean paste). We recommend pairing Bulgogi with a dry red wine like Chianti.

Why is bulgogi so sweet? ›

Bulgogi is a sweet, salty beef dish that is comparable to teriyaki but much more rich and flavorful. Whereas teriyaki is solely sweetened with sugar, bulgogi relies also on fruit sugar to add an extra depth of flavor. It is literally every kids dream meal.

Can you eat bulgogi medium rare? ›

Use a meat thermometer to determine internal temperature, remove from oven when steak reaches 110-115 F. Preheat your grill or cast iron pan to medium high. Sear steak for 1 minute per side for medium rare. Let steak rest for 5 minutes then slice across the grain and serve.

What is another name for bulgogi? ›

Bulgogi (불고기), also known as Korean BBQ beef, is marinated thinly sliced beef, typically cooked over an open flame.

Why is bulgogi called fire meat? ›

Early History and Origins. The term 'bulgogi' comes from Korea and translates to 'fire meat' as it was originally cooked using skewers on a hwaro grill. This ubiquitous meal's early history and origin date back to the Goguryeo era (37 B.C. to 668 A.D.), when it was initially called maekjeok.

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