Bulgogi

To make bulgogi—classic Korean grilled beef—you marinate sliced steak, then grill it on top of the stove or a tabletop burner, or on an outdoor grill. The marinade has a secret ingredient: Asian pear, which tenderizes the meat. Asian pears are round like apples, with yellow-brown skin. Ripe ones have a sweet aroma. It’s important to slice the steak thin and across the grain, so it won’t be tough. You can buy presliced bulgogi meat at a Korean market, but I prefer to choose my own meat and slice it myself. Put the beef in the freezer for 30 minutes to 1 hour before slicing—partially frozen meat is easier to slice thin. You eat this dish in the traditional ssam style, placing a piece of cooked meat on a lettuce leaf, adding a dollop of Soybean Paste Dipping Sauce, and then wrapping the leaf around the meat to create a package that you can pop into your mouth in one shot. Serve with rice and the side dishes of your choice.

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 large garlic cloves
• 1 cup peeled, cored, and coarsely chopped Asian or Bosc pear
• ¾ cup chopped onion
• 1 teaspoon finely chopped peeled ginger
• 1 pound boneless sirloin, tenderloin, or skirt steak, partially frozen and cut across the grain into ⅛-inch-thick slices
• 1 scallion, chopped
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon light brown sugar or honey
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• ¼ teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
• Lettuce leaves for serving
• Soybean Paste Dipping Sauce

INSTRUCTION:

1. Combine the garlic, pear, onion, and ginger in a food processor or blender and process until pale and creamy.
2. Put the steak in a large bowl and pour the pear mixture over it. Add the scallion, soy sauce, sesame oil, brown sugar, and pepper and mix well. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, and up to several hours.
3. Heat a cast-iron grill pan or large skillet over high heat. Alternatively, build a charcoal fire or preheat a gas grill to high.
4. Cook the meat, turning or stirring occasionally, 2 minutes for medium or 3 minutes for well done. Sprinkle with the sesame seeds. Serve with lettuce leaves and the dipping sauce.