Dish · korean
Bulgogi
Thin-sliced beef marinated in soy sauce, sugar, garlic, and grated pear, then grilled or pan-seared quickly over high heat. The pear tenderizes the meat and adds a mild sweetness rather than showing up as fruit flavor.
Where it comes from
Marinated, grilled beef has a long history in Korea, with earlier versions like maekjeok tied to Goguryeo-era cooking, though the specific soy-and-sugar marinade familiar today took shape more recently as beef grew available to ordinary households.
What cooks argue about
Cooks argue over marinating time: pear's enzymes tenderize the meat but can turn it mushy if left too long, so the real fight is over how many hours is enough versus too much.
Nobody has published a bulgogi recipe yet. The page stays out of search until one exists, which is the rule for every thin page here.