Cooking in
British Columbia
Korean · Korea
Bulgogi
Bulgogi (fire meat) is thinly sliced beef — rib-eye or sirloin — marinated in soy sauce, pear, sesame oil, garlic, and sugar, then quickly grilled or pan-cooked over high heat. The pear (or Asian pear) contains enzymes that tenderise the beef and add a natural sweetness. The result should be tender, juicy, caramelised at the edges, and sweet-savoury. It is the most accessible of Korean barbecue preparations.
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I
The Market List
The benchmark for each ingredient, and who stocks it near you. Tap a stockist to go straight to the product.
800 g
beef ribeye or sirloin
thinly sliced against grain (3 mm)
Not yet stocked in British Columbia
60 ml
soy sauce
Not yet stocked in British Columbia
30 ml
mirin
30 ml
sesame oil
Your own market
20 ml
rice vinegar
Your own market
8
garlic cloves
minced
Your own market
15 g
ginger
minced
Origin · New ZealandNot yet stocked in British Columbia
3 g
white pepper
Your own market
2 g
kosher salt
Your own market
30 g
white onion
thinly sliced
Your own market
2 g
sugar
Your own market
2
green onions
cut into 2 cm lengths
Not yet stocked in British Columbia
3 g
toasted sesame seeds
Not yet stocked in British Columbia
Each tap is counted, so the stockist sees the demand Provenance sends them.
II
The Method
1
Whisk together soy sauce, mirin, sesame oil, rice vinegar, minced garlic, minced ginger, white pepper, salt, and sugar; fold in onion and green onion.
2
Layer beef slices in non-reactive container; pour marinade over, separating layers gently; cover and refrigerate minimum 4 hours, up to 24 hours.
3
Remove bulgogi from refrigerator 15 minutes before cooking; bring to room temperature.
4
Heat heavy skillet or grill pan to high heat until smoking; working in batches, arrange beef slices in single layer (do not overlap).
5
Sear 1–2 minutes per side without moving (allow caramelization); transfer to platter as each batch finishes.
6
Pour any remaining marinade into hot pan and reduce 30 seconds; drizzle over beef; garnish with sesame seeds and serve immediately with rice and banchan.
III
Sensory Tests
◇Where it lives or dies. The moment where bulgogi lives or dies is the caramelisation — the sugar in the marinade burns quickly at high heat, creating the characteristic sweet, sticky char. This is desirable; it is not burning. The beef should have dark, slightly crispy edges (from the caramelised sugar and soy) and a tender, juicy interior. Achieve this by cooking in very small batches (4-5 slices at a time) over maximum heat.
Pillar IV
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V
What to Pour
The pairing
Shochu
From British Columbia
Beer
Without alcohol
Americano — Burundi Kayanza (Gatukuza Women Group)
Gatukuza Women Group
Not yet stocked in British Columbia
Coffee
Each tap is counted, so the stockist sees the demand Provenance sends them.
Why each one works is part of membership — Enter · from $49 a year →
The whole pairingPillar VI
Origin and lineage are part of membership.
Where the dish comes from and how it came to be — on every recipe.
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The working kitchen