Flashback to the Seventies: Korean Barbecue

In this weekly series, home cook Bruce Watson works his way through a decades-old family cookbook, adapting the best recipes exclusively for Slashfood.

Over the last few years, Korean barbecue has gained fresh relevance in the United States. Whether served on hot dog buns in Manhattan, tortillas in Los Angeles or rice in Korean restaurants around the country, the sweet, oniony flavors of bulgoki, japchae and galbi are incredibly delicious and increasingly popular.

When I was a kid, bulgoki (also spelled bulgogi, pulgoki, pulgogi and any number of other ways) was a staple in my house. My parents, who lived in Korea before I was born, loved the stuff and would cook it on an electric griddle at our dinner table. As my sisters and I got older, we got involved in the fun; some of my first cooking experiences involved flipping bulgoki with a pair of bamboo tongs.

I've played with amounts and ingredients, but my mother's basic bulgoki recipe is fantastic. In fact, my only major change is in the dipping sauce: while my parents used light soy sauce with a sprinkle of pepper, I prefer a more traditional garlic/vinegar sauce, which I've included below.

Get the recipe for bulgoki after the jump.

Bulgoki

2 pounds tender beef, sliced paper thin (see note)
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon sesame oil
4 tablespoons soy sauce (see note)
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
4 scallions, split down the middle and cut diagonally into 1-inch pieces
2 cloves garlic, crushed and minced (or pressed)
2 teaspoons sesame seeds

Begin by toasting sesame seeds. Stirring constantly, cook seeds in a dry frying pan over medium-high heat until they reach a light tan color. When done, immediately pour into a bowl or other vessel, as the residual heat from the frying pan can burn them. Set aside.

Cut the beef into 2-inch pieces. Add sesame oil and mix well. Combine soy sauce, pepper flakes, onions, garlic and sesame seeds. Add to beef and mix thoroughly. Marinate, covered, in the refrigerator for at least one hour.

Cook until browned in a frying pan or electric skillet, using cooking oil as needed. Serve hot off the pan.


Bulgoki Dipping Sauce

1/4 cup light soy sauce
1 tablespoon water
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
1 large garlic clove, crushed
1 1/2 teaspoons Chinese chili sauce

Combine ingredients and serve in small ramekins or dipping cups. When bulgoki is cooked, remove from heat, quickly dip in sauce, and allow to drain on rice.

Notes: It is far easier to slice beef when it is extremely cold. A good idea is to freeze your steak or roast, then carve with a sturdy slicer. Alternately, many butchers will slice the meat for you, free of charge.

Regarding soy sauce, Korean varieties tend to have less salt than other brands. My mother relied on Kikkoman Lite, which was the best low-salt soy sauce that was available in the 1970s. Nowadays, it is much easier to get hold of real Korean soy sauce, but Kikkoman still works in a pinch.