BEEF, KOREAN STYLE, wallet-friendly, easy make ahead

Heat with a hint of sweetness - sensational outdoors or in, city or country

updated Feb 2022

Korean Style Beef Slices, spicy, sweet & tender

'This excellent beef with Sesame Noodles made a darned good meal!'  Taster 

 

first posted 2016; updated 7/24

 67 hasn't been much tempted by Korean cooking; heat seems to be the main characteristic of its spices and sauces, and specialist shopping is required. 

But this recipe* - a westernised version of a Korean recipe - is made with ingredients found in most kitchen cupboards. 

The marinade works with every budget.  It can be used with beef short ribs (as photographed, beef strips for stir-frying, casserole beef sliced thinly, hangar steak.  Other more upmarket cuts from sirloin to rump also work but marinading time is reduced.  All cuts of pork and chicken also take the marinade well.

67 went with beef short ribs, a cheaper cut (about £7/kilo) at time of posting.  Short ribs usually need long, slow cooking to tenderise but also release a great deal of fat when cooked.  Would the recipe overcome these challenges?    

Definitely yes. The meat was sliced very thin, marinaded overnight and cooked very fast.  The result was exceptional;  meat with substance  -- in a good way -- and wonderful flavours of naturally sweet pear and savoury marinade with a layer of heat.    

The ribs did, however, release a lot of fat; draining it in a colander allowed most of it to drip away. 

Cost: probably min £5-6'ish (July '24), depending on source, served with a carbohydrate side
Feeds: 2-3; recipe doubles easily 

Ingred:
   min 340 gm/12oz; max 500gm/16 oz meaty beef short ribs (removed of bones & fat), cut into fillets OR casserole steak, stir-fry strips, rump steak, sirloin OR chicken OR pork loin 
   
marinade:
    1 small pear, peeled & grated   
    1 garlic clove, minced or grated
    2 tbsp reduced-salt soy sauce
    1/2-1 tsp red pepper flakes
    1-3 shots tabasco sauce (opt)
    1/2-1 tbsp brown sugar
    1 tbsp toasted sesame oil

    1-2 tbsp groundnut or other light vegetable oil

Method:

1. Place beef in freezer for an hour or two
2. Mix marinade ingredients thoroughly, set aside
3. When meat is frozen enough to cut thinly, slice across the grain with a very sharp knife (*every kitchen should have a first aid kit with extra proper bandages) 
4. Add meat slices to marinade, mix thoroughly
5. Pour beef & marinade into a sealable plastic bag; smoosh the meat & marinade together until the meat is well coated
6. Leave at room temperature at least 30 mins or refrigerate overnight
7. To cook: heat a large frying pan on med-high; add a tablespoon oil, let it get quite hot 
8. Add half the meat in one layer; leave a minute or 2 to get a good crust
9. Turn; leave a minute; stir another 2 mins edges crisp up 
10. Drain of excess fat, set aside and keep warm 
11. Cook the rest of the meat and drain; mound the meat on a platter 
12. Sprinkle with finely chopped green onions, green part only and chopped peanuts (opt)
13. Serve with Spicy Sesame Noodle Salad with Asian Soft Fruit Salad to follow.

Tips:

• the meat is lovely warm but is also good at room temperature or on a picnic 
• the recipe doubles easily

*inspired by Bon Appetite magazine

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This recipe has  been adapted by B M Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises.  It may not be reproduced without the author's written permission.