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The marinade for Grilled Korean Beef Bulgogi Style Skewers has huge umami that covers all the taste profiles. This simple, Asian-inspired recipe can be prepped a day ahead and grilled the next day.

4 kabobs of Korean marinated beef on a rectangle plate topped with spring onion and sesame seeds

I love when you can blend up some simple ingredients to make a delicious marinade. If you’re not familiar with Bulgogi, the name translates to fire meat, which is beef, thinly sliced and grilled. This can be done inside on a stove grill pan or outside like I did on skewers. 

Making this dish kabob-style is not traditional, but an easy and fun way to cook given that it is still summer, and delicious, tender beef is the result.

The beef is to be sliced as thinly as possible. It doesn’t have to be razor thin, just thin enough so it will cook up really quickly, but also stay tender. If it is too thin, it will not skewer well.

Pieces of grilled beef inside a lettuce leaf with sesame seeds and sliced scallion

What is unique about the marinade is the addition of a pear. An Asian pear is traditional, but a Bosc pear will also work. The combination of ingredients may differ depending from recipe to recipe.

You can serve the meat one of a few ways. In a bowl with steamed white rice and your favorite vegetables (I served it with Asian grilled mushrooms, pictured below) or in a lettuce wrap, along with a side of kimchi.

As I mentioned, the marinade can blended and you can marinade the beef overnight. No one ever said more flavor is a bad thing, right?

Grilled Korean beef skewers viewed from overhead

If you’ve tried these Grilled Korean Beef Bulgogi Style Skewers or have a question, please leave it below. I love to hear from my readers.

More Asian Inspired Recipes:

Yield: 4

Grilled Korean Beef Bulgogi Style Skewers

Grill marks adorn skewered pieces of beef

Sliced beef is marinaded in Korean bulgogi sauce, skewered and grilled.

Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 Asian or Bosc pear, peeled and chopped
  • 2 spring onions/scallions onion, chopped
  • 1 garlic clove
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped ginger
  • 3 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
  • 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
  • 1 pound (453 grams) sirloin, tenderloin, or skirt steak

Instructions

  1. To a blender (or food processor) all of the ingredients, except the beef. Blend until smooth, pour into a large bowl, set aside.
  2. Slice beef against the grain (against the direction of the muscle fibers) into thick slices and add to the marinade, coat well. Cover and marinate for a minimum of 1 hour or overnight.
  3. Preheat indoor or outdoor grill.
  4. Thread the beef slices onto skewers. If using wood skewers, soak them for a few minutes first.
  5. Grill on all sides until browned, about 8-10 minutes.

Nutrition Information

Yield

4

Serving Size

1
Amount Per Serving Calories 206Total Fat 12gSaturated Fat 4gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 7gCholesterol 31mgSodium 426mgCarbohydrates 13gFiber 2gSugar 8gProtein 12g

This nutrition calculation is provided by Nutronix that is only a guideline and not intended for any particular diet.

© Janette
Cuisine: Asian / Category: Asian Recipes