The first time I ever tasted yukhoe was when I was a university student in Seoul. I went with my classmates to a student pub that was well known for its rice liquor and seasoned raw beef. There it was seasoned with a more than generous amount of garlic and had a sweetness from slivers of Asian pear. I went home to try to duplicate it right away, and ever since it’s been one of my signature dishes. When I was older and had my own family, my local butcher used to call me whenever high-quality beef came into her shop. She knew that I would buy her choicest cuts to make yukhoe, because it’s best when made with the leanest, freshest beef you can find. I serve yukhoe as a snack or as a side dish with rice. Many Koreans put a raw egg on top when they prepare it, but I think the egg distracts from the cool spiciness of the raw beef. If you’d like an even spicier version, reduce the amount of soy sauce to 1 teaspoon and add 2 tablespoons of Korean hot pepper paste (gochujang) to the dressing.
Serves 4
INGREDIENTS:
- 8 ounces best-quality flank steak, frozen for 1 hour
- 2 cups cold water
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 medium Asian pear, or 2 Bosc pears
- 6 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds
- 1 tablespoon pine nuts
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Remove the flank steak from the freezer and slice into thin matchsticks. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.
- Combine the water and sugar in a medium bowl, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Peel and core the pear and cut into matchsticks. (You should have about 2 cups.) Put the pear pieces in the sugar water as you work to keep them from discoloring.
- Combine the garlic, soy sauce, honey, sesame oil, and pepper in a bowl. Add the beef and mix with a spoon to coat.
- Drain the pear and pat dry with a paper towel. Arrange on a serving platter and arrange the beef over it. Sprinkle with the sesame seeds and pine nuts. Serve immediately.
