Korean Bulgogi (Sesame Steak) – Gluten Free
I’ve made this a couple of different ways with various types of beef. The one you see here is with Top Sirloin. It’s the right thickness (or should I say, “thiness?”) but you have to be very careful that you don’t overcook it or it will be come chewy. Other options include tri-tip or London Broil. I did both of those on the grill, as opposed to the cast-iron pan on the gas stove. There are pros and cons to both the cuts of meat and the way you cook it.
The biggest “pro” for using the skillet and top sirloin is that they were made for each other and it’s easier to get the nice thin slices evenly cooked.
The biggest “pro” for the choicer cuts of meat on the grill is, well, they’re better cuts of meat. They just didn’t slice as well or “look” like “real” bulgogi. It looked more like a really nice marinated steak.
When I talked to my Korean friends about their favorite way to eat it, they all agreed that they liked it with no other veggies (except maybe onion), leaf lettuce to wrap it in and sticky rice. That was the consensus on the more “authentic” bulgogi.
This recipe was marinated overnight and took about 30 minutes to prepare/cook (including the rice).
Ingredients:
- 1 lb of top sirloin, tri-tip or London Broil, sliced into 1/4″ thickness
- 1/2 cup of La Choy soy sauce (or other gluten free soy sauce)
- 3 Tbsp of honey
- 3 Tbsp of rice vinegar
- 2 Tbsp of apple cider vinegar
- 2 Tbsp of sesame oil
- 6-8 cloves of garlic, mincedr
- 4 scallions, minced
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 2 Tbsp sesame seeds
- 8 large butter leaf lettuce leaves, washed and dried
- 3 cups of cooked Calrose (sticky) rice
- Combine all ingredients in a bowl (except meat and sesame seeds).
- Whisk together.
- Pour over meat and marinate for 2-3 hours (even better if it’s overnight)
- Option 1: Heat grill to high heat. Place marinated strips in a grill basket and grill until evenly brown all over (about 3-5 minutes). Watch carefully on the grill since it has sugar in the marinade so it doesn’t burn.
- Option 2: Cook over high heat in a heavy pan (I used cast iron) for 3-5 minutes on your stove.
- Remove and place on a warm platter.
- Sprinkle with sesame seeds.
- Serve with lettuce leaves and rice.
POSTED ON: MAY 18, 2012 BY KAREN
- CATEGORY:
- beef,
- Carnivore,
- dinner,
- Main course,
- Mom Cooks Gluten Free
Koreans do make a couple of different kinds of gluten free soy sauces and they’ve been around for thousands of years. The one that will be easier to find in the US is called Guk Ganjang (국간장) which literally means Soup Soy Sauce, meaning that it’s a delicate soy sauce made for flavoring soups.
The other kind is called Joseon Ganjang (조선간장). Both of these soy sauces are the by-product of doenjang (Korean miso) production.
The reason that Koreans don’t use these kind of soy sauces for bulgogi is that it’s not considered bold enough for beef.
The reason that the Japanese and Koreans added wheat to the soy sauce in the first place was to create a bolder, stronger flavor sauce for meats and and they were able to make more sauce at a lower cost.
Thanks Tamar! I like your site, too!