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Mom’s Bulgogi with Cucumber Kimchi Salad

Name: Mom’s Bulgogi with Cucumber Kimchi Salad
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 270 min
Yield: 6 to 8 servings

byJoanna Gaines

Total 4 hours and 30 minutes

Active 35 mins

Makes 6 to 8 servings

TIP: My mom usually has the butcher slice the beef for this dish when she buys it. If you live near a Korean market, they often sell packages of sliced rib-eye or top sirloin; sometimes they’re even marked specifically for bulgogi. If you buy big pieces to cut yourself, freeze the meat for about 30 minutes before cutting so that it’s easier to slice thinly and cut against the grain. Gochugaru, or Korean red pepper, is commonly used in kimchi. It adds precisely the right amount of heat and unique flavor to the cucumber salad. Authentic Korean brands are readily available at Asian grocery stores or on-line, and the McCormick spice company packages it as well.

Ingredients

Bulgogi

1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
1 cup soy sauce
5 tablespoons sparkling dessert wine, such as Banfi Rosa Regale, or sparkling grape juice
3 tablespoons sesame oil
2 green onions (light and dark green parts), chopped, plus 1/4 cup sliced for serving
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 to 5 pounds beef tenderloin, rib-eye, top sirloin, or sirloin steak, thinly sliced (see Cook’s Note)

Cucumber Kimchi Salad

2 English cucumbers, peeled if desired, cut into 1/2-inch dice
2 green onions (light and dark green parts), thinly sliced on the diagonal
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 to 2 teaspoons gochugaru (Korean red pepper flakes; see Cook’s Note)
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon rice vinegar
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1/2 to 1 teaspoon kosher salt, to taste

For Serving

Steamed white rice
1 to 2 tablespoons thinly sliced green onion (light and dark green parts) as needed, for garnish
3 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted, for garnish

Directions

Marinate the bulgogi: In a large bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, soy sauce, wine, sesame oil, green onions, garlic, and pepper until well combined. Add the beef and coat it completely in marinade. Cover and refrigerate for 4 to 5 hours.
To make the cucumber kimchi salad: In a medium bowl, combine the cucumbers, green onions, garlic, gochugaru, sugar, vinegar, sesame oil, and salt to taste and stir gently. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Prepare a hot grill. If the pieces of beef are so small that they may fall through the grates, use a grilling skillet or place a sheet of foil on the grill.
Grill the beef on both sides until medium-well, 3 to 5 minutes, flipping halfway through cooking. Don’t crowd the skillet or foil, so do this in batches if necessary. As you finish each batch, transfer it to a serving platter and continue with the remaining beef.
Serve the bulgogi on top of steamed rice. Garnish with green onion and toasted sesame seeds and spoon the cucumber kimchi salad alongside.
Store the leftover bulgogi and cucumber kimchi salad in separate covered containers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Mom’s Bulgogi with Cucumber Kimchi Salad

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