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Loading...A weeknight-fancy Korean bowl built on smoky charred skirt steak, a soy- and pear-marinated bulgogi classic, finished over crispy garlic rice with a swoosh of sweet-spicy gochujang-honey butter. The charred scallions and quick-hit kimchi keep it bright, while the butter melts into the rice for an irresistible glossy finish.
Prep Time20 mins
Cook Time20 mins
Total Time40 mins
Servings4
Yield4 bowls
Nutrition Facts
Per serving (estimated)
- 720 kcalCalories
- 38 gFat
- 14 gSaturated Fat
- 52 gCarbs
- 3 gFiber
- 14 gSugar
- 42 gProtein
- 1480 mgSodium
- 720 mgPotassium
- 90 mgCalcium
- 5 mgIron
- 12 mgVitamin C
- 220 mcgVitamin A
Ingredients
For the bulgogi and steak
- 1.5 lbs skirt steak, trimmed and patted dry
- 1/2 cup Korean soy sauce (jin ganjang)
- 1/4 cup finely grated Asian pear (or Granny Smith apple)
- 2 tbsp packed brown sugar
- 2 tbsp mirin
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tbsp grated fresh ginger
- 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
For the crispy garlic rice
- 2 cups day-old cooked short-grain white rice
- 3 tbsp neutral oil (rice bran or canola)
- 6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
- 2 scallions, thinly sliced
For the gochujang-honey butter
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
- 2 tbsp gochujang (Korean red pepper paste)
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1 tsp rice vinegar
- 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds
For charred scallions and garnish
- 1 bunch large scallions, trimmed
- 1 tbsp neutral oil
- 1/4 cup chopped kimchi, squeezed dry
- 1 sheet toasted nori, shredded
- 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds
Directions
- In a large bowl, whisk together soy sauce, grated pear, brown sugar, mirin, garlic, ginger, sesame oil, and black pepper. Add the skirt steak and turn to coat; marinate at room temperature for 20 minutes (or up to 4 hours refrigerated).
- Meanwhile, make the gochujang-honey butter: mash the softened butter with gochujang, honey, rice vinegar, and sesame seeds in a small bowl until smooth and streaky. Set aside.
- Make the crispy rice: heat the neutral oil in a 10-inch skillet over medium heat. Fry the sliced garlic until golden and crisp, about 2 minutes; remove with a slotted spoon. Add the rice to the same pan, press into an even layer, and cook undisturbed for 4 to 5 minutes until a deep golden crust forms. Stir in butter, soy sauce, sesame oil, crispy garlic, and scallions; keep warm.
- Char the scallions: toss the scallions with neutral oil. Heat a grill pan or cast-iron skillet over high heat until smoking and sear the scallions 1 to 2 minutes per side until blistered and lightly blackened. Cut into 2-inch pieces.
- Cook the steak: wipe a cast-iron skillet clean and heat over high heat until smoking. Remove the steak from the marinade and pat dry. Sear 2 to 3 minutes per side for medium-rare, depending on thickness. Transfer to a board, tent with foil, and rest 5 minutes.
- Slice the steak against the grain into 1/2-inch-thick pieces.
- Build the bowls: divide the crispy garlic rice among 4 bowls. Top with sliced bulgogi, charred scallions, and chopped kimchi. Spoon a generous dollop of gochujang-honey butter over each serving so it melts into the rice.
- Finish with shredded nori and toasted sesame seeds. Serve immediately, passing extra gochujang-honey butter and kimchi at the table.
Cook’s Notes
- Grated Asian pear contains natural enzymes that tenderize the meat and add a subtle floral sweetness – it's the secret to authentic bulgogi flavor. Substitute grated apple if you can't find it.
- Pat the steak very dry before searing; surface moisture will steam the meat instead of giving you that smoky crust.
- Day-old rice is essential for crispy rice – freshly cooked rice is too moist and will turn mushy instead of crisping.
- Reserve 3 to 4 tablespoons of the marinade and simmer in a small pan for 2 minutes to use as an extra glaze or dipping sauce.
- Flank steak or thinly sliced ribeye are great substitutes if skirt steak is unavailable.
