Authentic Korean Bulgogi Recipe (Using Pear Juice & Radish Greens instead of Sugar)
Deep & Rich Flavored Bulgogi! A Healthy Soy Sauce Marinade Recipe Enjoyed Without Sugar, Making Delicious Rice-Stealing Bulgogi
Introducing a golden recipe for tender and delicious Bulgogi that the whole family will love. This recipe’s highlight is using pear juice and radish greens instead of sugar, bringing out a subtle, deep, and natural sweetness without artificial flavors. It maximizes the beef’s tenderness and flavor with special secrets. This recipe is perfect for topping rice, mixing into a bibimbap, or enjoying as a hearty meal. We’ll detail everything from the origin of Bulgogi to beef selection tips and the optimal marinade ratio. Start making your delicious Bulgogi right now!
Main Ingredients- Beef (for Bulgogi) 600g
- Oyster mushrooms 60g
- Enoki mushrooms 100g
- Onion 1/2 medium
- Carrot 30g
- Korean chili peppers (Ggwari-gochu) 7 pcs
- Green onion 1/2 stalk
Special Marinade- Crushed Pear Drink 100ml (Secret to Natural Sweetness)
- Soy Sauce 100ml
- Radish Greens Juice (or Radish Juice) 50ml (Subtle Sweetness & Clean Finish)
- Fish Sauce 3 Tbsp (Umami Boost)
- Minced Garlic 1 Tbsp
- Cooking Sake (Mirin) 2 Tbsp (Removes Odor)
- Ginger Powder 2 pinches (Adds Aroma)
- Sesame Oil 1 Tbsp
- Vegetable Oil 1 Tbsp
- Sesame Seeds 1 Tbsp
- Black Pepper to taste
- Crushed Pear Drink 100ml (Secret to Natural Sweetness)
- Soy Sauce 100ml
- Radish Greens Juice (or Radish Juice) 50ml (Subtle Sweetness & Clean Finish)
- Fish Sauce 3 Tbsp (Umami Boost)
- Minced Garlic 1 Tbsp
- Cooking Sake (Mirin) 2 Tbsp (Removes Odor)
- Ginger Powder 2 pinches (Adds Aroma)
- Sesame Oil 1 Tbsp
- Vegetable Oil 1 Tbsp
- Sesame Seeds 1 Tbsp
- Black Pepper to taste
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
The crucial first step for delicious Bulgogi is ‘removing blood.’ Proper blood removal eliminates any gamey smell from the meat, ensuring a clean flavor. Feel free to use whatever complementary ingredients you have in your fridge. The secret to this recipe is using pear juice and radish greens instead of sugar, creating a natural, subtle, yet deep sweetness. This unique combination makes the Bulgogi exceptionally tender and flavorful.
Step 2
Here’s a second method for draining the blood from the meat. While patting dry with paper towels is effective, I prefer to lightly rinse the beef under cold water and then let it drain thoroughly in a colander. This method effectively removes excess blood while retaining the meat’s natural moisture.
Step 3
Prepare the vegetables. Trim the tough ends off the oyster mushrooms and enoki mushrooms, rinse them under running water, and squeeze out excess moisture. Then, tear them into bite-sized pieces. Slice the carrot thinly, about 3mm thick, and cut the onion into thick strips. Remove the stems from the Korean chili peppers and cut them in half. Now, combine all the marinade ingredients in a bowl and mix well to create your flavorful marinade.
Step 4
Pour the prepared marinade over the blood-drained beef. Gently knead the meat with your hands to ensure the marinade coats every piece evenly. Let it marinate for about 10 minutes for the flavors to penetrate.
Step 5
Heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a pan over medium-low heat. Add the sliced carrots and the marinated beef. Cook over gentle, medium-low heat to keep the meat tender. Cooking over low to medium heat prevents the beef from becoming tough and ensures it remains succulent.
Step 6
As the beef begins to cook, spread it out in the pan. Add the sliced onions and stir-fry them with the beef. Next, add the oyster mushrooms and Korean chili peppers for a richer texture and visual appeal.
Step 7
Use chopsticks to gently separate the beef pieces as they cook, preventing them from clumping together. Once the beef is no longer pink and is cooked through, add the sliced green onions and enoki mushrooms. Stir-fry briefly to combine. Enoki mushrooms release water when overcooked, so add them at the very end for just a quick toss.
Step 8
After cooking, taste the Bulgogi. If it needs more saltiness, add a little more soy sauce. While we used radish greens for natural sweetness, if you prefer a sweeter taste, you can add a touch of sugar, corn syrup, or allulose. Finish with a sprinkle of black pepper and sesame seeds for a perfect ‘sweet and savory’ Bulgogi! The sauce will be rich and moist, making it delicious to scoop up with rice. This Bulgogi is so good, you’ll want to savor every drop of the sauce along with the meat.
Step 9
While freshly blended pear is ideal, fresh pears can be quite expensive. In such cases, using a commercially available ‘crushed pear drink’ is a convenient and tasty alternative. It captures the natural sweetness and aroma of pears without artificial flavors.
Step 10
This Bulgogi is perfectly balanced, not too sweet, with a clean, delicious sauce. It’s fantastic on its own, but even better served over warm rice, mixing the sauce in for a true ‘rice thief.’ Pile on the Bulgogi generously to create a satisfying Bulgogi rice bowl for an even more complete and delightful meal.
