Bulgogi: Korean Beef Barbecue
Apart from exchanging gifts and celebrating with friends and family, eating delicious food is the highlight of the holiday season. In Korea however, you won’t be seeing traditional Christmas dishes like turkey with stuffing, mashed potatoes, pudding, fruitcake or ham.
Instead, their menu features Bulgogi or barbecued beef paired with sweet potato noodles and kimchi.
Bulgogi, literally translated as “fire meat” is a grilled or roasted meal. Its cut is often in thin slices, marinated in a sauce, before being cooked on a grill or stove top.
For this dish, the most common cuts are sirloin, rib eye or brisket. As for the flavour, you can choose between mildly sweet, savoury or smoky depending on your preference.
This food is not only rich in taste but in history too! Researchers believe that bulgogi has existed as early as the Goguryeo era (37 B.C to 668 A.D). Originally, it was called “maekjeok” (맥적), as the beef was then grilled in a skewer.
Come Joseon dynasty, the name evovled to “neobiani” meaning thinly spread meat. During this period, it was served for the noble and wealthy. The Korean history book Dongguksesi recorded bulgogi under the name yeomjeok. The name also means fire meat, and the beef is grilled in skewers with 0.5 cm thicnkess.
Presently, most bulgogi is no longer cooked skewered. Although, it is still practiced.
You can still enjoy bulgogi at home even though it is not Christmas as it is sold anywhere from high end food establishments to groceries and supermarkets ready to be cooked.
But if you want to make it from scratch, you can do so too! The ideal cut for bulgogi are the tender parts, which is why sirloin is one of the top choices. Make sure to slice it thinly before you start. (Pro-tip, freeze the meat first for easier slicing!)
You need to prepare the other ingredients too. You will need soysauce, white sugar, green onion, garlic, seasame seeds, sesame oil and ground black pepper. Combine all of these products in a dish bowl. Use a whisk to mix all of it and to dissolve the sugar. This will serve as the marinade.
Next, pour the mixture over the beef and use a tong so the meat will be coated evenly. Use a cling wrap to cover it, and let it sit for one hour. Overnight is even better if you really want the flavours to seep in.
After you’ve let the beef absorb the marinade, you’re ready to cook! Pre-heat the grill before placing the meat. Wait 1-2 minutes or until it is slightly charred before flipping, to cook the other side.
For the dipping sauce, mix soy sauce, rice vinegar, crushed toasted sesame seeds, fresh ginger root, sweet paprika and cayenne pepper.
Here in Singapore, beef bulgogi is also a popular dish served in most Korean restaurants. One of these places is ManNa with three outlets located in Singpost Centre, Plaza Singapura, and Changi City Point.
You can have a taste of their bulgogi in a buffet style, by availing their lunch and dinner buffer promos. This will allow you to also taste their other meat specialties such as chicken and pork bulgogi, chadol baegi or thinly sliced beef brisket, yangnyum dak gui or marinatd chicken, sangyeopsal or pork belly as well as daeji kalbi or marinated pork ribs.
There’s even 1 free add-on where you can choose between beancurd stew, soybean paste stew, kimchi stew or spicy ramen!
But if you’re not a heavy eater, you can also enjoy their bulgogi ala carte for only $22.80. It is served with vegetables and glass noodles in a stone plate. They even have special bulgogi set meals available every lunch and dinner!
Check out their full menu here.
Watch how to cook bulgogi below:
