Make Your Own Bulgogi Marinade: Here’s How

Korean-style bulgogi marinade

The term ‘bulgogi’ means ‘Korean firemeat’. This Asian meat delicacy is cut into small pieces before roasting (on an open fire) and marinated in a special Bulgogi marinade. For about 500 grams of meat, mix the marinade from the following ingredients:

• 1/2 mashed nashi (Asian pear) or unripe pear
• 2 finely chopped spring onions with onion greens
• 1 chopped medium onion
• 4 very finely chopped or crushed garlic cloves
• 1 cm piece of ginger root, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tbsp mirin (sweet rice wine)
• 1 tbsp sesame oil, toasted
  some pepper, to taste
• 1-2 finely chopped chili peppers (for a slightly hotter version, recommended for marinating pork, for example)

Criteria for meat selection and preparation

Originally, bulgogi was named after a meat dish roasted over an open fire. You can still do that on the grill today. This creates an original smoky note. Another alternative is searing in a wok.

• You can use beef (entrecote is very common) or pork as the meat. Cut thin slices of meat before marinating.
• You should mix the pieces of meat well and carefully with the marinade, preferably with your hands.
• Leave it in the fridge for at least two hours. It is even better to put your bulgogi in the day before and let it marinate overnight.
• Then fry the meat in the wok and not on the grill. Also, use all of the marinade plus fine strips of carrots to prepare in the same pan.
• Traditionally, bulgogi meat is served on or wrapped in large lettuce leaves and eaten with a dollop of spicy ssamjang paste (soybean paste).

Tips for vegetarians

More and more people would like to avoid meat in their diet. That’s why we’ve put together some vegetarian options with bulgogi marinade for you.

• You can soak mushrooms (e.g. shiitake, sliced mushrooms) for about 1 hour.
• Or you can use seitan, tempeh, or – with a fleshy structure – jackfruit.
• If you prefer vegetables instead of meat, it is advisable to use smoked salt instead of regular salt when seasoning.