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    Home » condiment

    24/03/2021

    Bulgogi Sauce (Korean BBQ Beef Sauce)

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    Bulgogi Sauce is sweet and savory with hints of pear, ginger, and garlic. It’s a staple ingredient in Korean BBQ Beef. This easy recipe is made from scratch and adds great flavors to your grilled beef. You can also use it in the marinade, dipping sauce, burgers, stir-fry chicken, or pork served with rice or noodles.

    Bulgogi Sauce is sweet and savory with hints of pear, ginger, and garlic. It’s a staple ingredient in Korean BBQ Beef. This easy recipe is made from scratch and adds great flavors to your grilled beef. You can also use it in the marinade, dipping sauce, burgers, stir-fry chicken, or pork served with rice or noodles.

    Sure, you could buy bottled bulgogi sauce or Korean BBQ sauce online or in the supermarket. But making it from scratch ensures you’re using the freshest ingredients, with no preservatives or additives. If you’ll only be making Korean BBQ Beef as a one-time meal, there’s no need to purchase a big bottle of sauce. It’s quick and easy to make your own.

    Table of Contents Show
    What is Bulgogi Sauce?
    Bulgogi Sauce Ingredients
    How to Make Bulgogi Sauce
    Tips & Tricks
    What Does Bulgogi Sauce Taste Like?
    Ways to Use Korean Bulgogi Sauce
    Bulgogi Dipping Sauce
    Bulgogi Marinade
    How Long Does Homemade Bulgogi BBQ Sauce Last?
    How to Make Korean Bulgogi Beef?
    Where Can I Buy Bulgogi Sauce?
    Bulgogi Sauce Substitute
    Easy Bulgogi Sauce Recipe

    What is Bulgogi Sauce?

    Bulgogi sauce is a popular sauce or marinade used in many Korean dishes. Bulgogi roughly translates to “fire meat.” Bulgogi is a sweet and savory sauce that uses soy sauce as its base. Pear juice adds a fruity undertone to the sauce, along with the sweetness of brown sugar. Garlic and ginger add even more complexity to this sauce. Though bulgogi is very versatile, it’s most popularly and traditionally used to prepare Korean BBQ Beef.

    Bulgogi Sauce Ingredients

    Bulgogi Sauce ingredients on the counter.
    • Soy Sauce: Soy sauce is the main ingredient in bulgogi sauce. If you prefer, opt for a low sodium soy sauce. This is my favorite brand.
    • Brown Sugar: Brown sugar adds a nice sweet flavor. You can also use white granulated sugar.
    • Pear Juice: Bulgogi is traditionally made with Korean pears, if you cannot find any, you can use pear juice, apple juice, or pineapple juice to add a fruity sweetness to your sauce.
    • Grated Ginger: Best to use freshly grated ginger.
    • Minced Garlic: Use freshly minced garlic for the best result.
    • Sesame Oil: It adds an authentic nutty flavor to the dish.
    • Toasted Sesame Seeds: Authentic bulgogi is made with sesame seeds. These are widely available online or in the spice aisle of your grocery store.
    • Green Onions: You may also use chives, which are similar in taste and appearance.

    How to Make Bulgogi Sauce

    Bulgogi Sauce recipe: step 1 and 2 photos.

    1. Add soy sauce, brown sugar, pear juice, ginger, and garlic to a medium saucepan over medium-low heat.

    2. Cook until sugar is completely dissolved.

    Bulgogi Sauce recipe: step 3 and 4 photos.

    3. Remove from heat. Add sesame oil, sesame seeds, and green onion.

    4. Let the sauce cool down. Use it as a marinade, dipping sauce, or make stir-fry bulgogi beef.

    Bulgogi Sauce is sweet and savory with hints of pear, ginger, and garlic. It’s a staple ingredient in Korean BBQ Beef. This easy recipe is made from scratch and adds great flavors to your grilled beef. You can also use it in the marinade, dipping sauce, burgers, stir-fry chicken, or pork served with rice or noodles.

    Tips & Tricks

    • Make sure NOT to overcook your bulgogi BBQ sauce as it can become too thick.
    • Let the sauce cool to room temperature before storing it in an airtight container.

    What Does Bulgogi Sauce Taste Like?

    Bulgogi sauce is a delicious blend of complex flavors. With soy sauce as the main ingredient, there is a tasty umami flavor. This sauce also has a nice sweet flavor, thanks to fruit juice and brown sugar.

    Bulgogi Sauce is sweet and savory with hints of pear, ginger, and garlic. It’s a staple ingredient in Korean BBQ Beef. This easy recipe is made from scratch and adds great flavors to your grilled beef. You can also use it in the marinade, dipping sauce, burgers, stir-fry chicken, or pork served with rice or noodles.

    Ways to Use Korean Bulgogi Sauce

    Bulgogi Dipping Sauce

    Bulgogi is a delicious dipping sauce for any kind of meat. For a traditional Korean dish, prepare strips of beef, served with dipping sauce on the side.

    Bulgogi Marinade

    This sauce can also be used as a marinade for meat and especially beef. Cut your beef into strips and let it soak up the flavors of the sauce for several hours before cooking. The beef becomes tender and full of flavor.

    How Long Does Homemade Bulgogi BBQ Sauce Last?

    If you have leftover sauce or if you’d like to make extra for storage, let it cool before pouring it into a jar, covered with a lid. Keep this sauce in the fridge and use it within 1 week.

    Bulgogi Sauce is sweet and savory with hints of pear, ginger, and garlic. It’s a staple ingredient in Korean BBQ Beef. This easy recipe is made from scratch and adds great flavors to your grilled beef. You can also use it in the marinade, dipping sauce, burgers, stir-fry chicken, or pork served with rice or noodles.

    How to Make Korean Bulgogi Beef?

    This sauce can be used to make Bulgogi Beef, just like you’d get in a Korean restaurant. Cut boneless rib-eye steak into thin strips, and marinate the beef strips in your Bulgogi sauce for at least 2 hours or as long as overnight. With medium heat and a cast iron grill pan, heat 1 tablespoon of oil. Add the beef to the pan in a single layer, cooking for about 2-3 minutes on each side. Garnish with chopped green onions and sesame seeds and serve with rice or noodles.

    Where Can I Buy Bulgogi Sauce?

    If you don’t want to make your own, Bulgogi sauce or Korean BBQ Sauce can be purchased online or in the Asian aisle of many supermarkets.

    Bulgogi Sauce Substitute

    Bulgogi sauce is very much similar to Japanese teriyaki sauce and unagi sauce. Both can be used as a substitute for Bulgogi sauce.

    If You Like This Recipe Try These Out

    • If you love spicy food, then you have to try this Togarashi Sauce. It’s made from a blend of spices to create a spicy but sweet, toasty seasoning with a hint of umami flavoring then added to a creamy mayonnaise base. Take your sriracha mayonnaise up a notch with this Japanese Togarashi Sauce. Great to serve with poke, sushi rolls, and even fries!
      Togarashi Sauce
    • This homemade Unagi Sauce or Eel Sauce is sticky, sweet, savory, and flavorful! Popular in Japanese cuisine, it’s traditionally used on grilled eel (unagi), barbeque dishes and sushi rolls. Unagi sauce is made by simmering 4 simple ingredients to a sugary, salty reduction that’s perfect atop your favorite dish.
      Unagi Sauce
    • The Best Wingstop Ranch salad dressing is super flavorful and tastes better than anything store-bought! It’s our go-to dip for buffalo chicken wings, veggies, chips and pizza alike. This easy copycat ranch recipe takes less than 5 minutes to make at home and is just like the one you would get at a Wingstop restaurant.
      Wingstop Ranch
    • Teriyaki Chicken Bowl recipe is an easy 15 minute Japanese rice bowl recipe with delicious chicken teriyaki sauce. No marinading needed!
      Teriyaki Chicken Bowls

    If you tried this recipe, let me know how your Bulgogi Sauce turns out in the comments below!

    Bulgogi Sauce is sweet and savory with hints of pear, ginger, and garlic. It’s a staple ingredient in Korean BBQ Beef. This easy recipe is made from scratch and adds great flavors to your grilled beef. You can also use it in the marinade, dipping sauce, burgers, stir-fry chicken, or pork served with rice or noodles.

    Easy Bulgogi Sauce Recipe

    Bulgogi Sauce is sweet and savory with hints of pear, ginger, and garlic. It’s a staple ingredient in Korean BBQ Beef. This easy recipe is made from scratch and adds great flavors to your grilled beef. You can also use it in the marinade, dipping sauce, burgers, stir-fry chicken, or pork served with rice or noodles.
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Prep Time: 5 minutes
    Cook Time: 10 minutes
    Total Time: 15 minutes
    Servings: 8 tablespoons
    Author: Izzy
    Calories: 27kcal

    Ingredients 

    • 1/4 cup soy sauce
    • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
    • 1/4 cup pear juice (or other fruit juice like apple juice)
    • 1 teaspoon grated ginger
    • 1 clove garlic minced
    • 2 teaspoons sesame oil
    • 2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds
    • 1 green onion chopped

    Instructions 

    • In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, add soy sauce, brown sugar, pear juice, ginger, garlic.
    • Cook for a few minutes or until sugar is completely dissolved. Stirring occasionally.
    • Remove from heat, and add sesame oil, sesame seeds and green onion.
    • Let the sauce cool down. Use it as a dipping sauce or marinade.

    Notes

    • This recipe is enough for 1 ½ pound of beef.
    • Store the homemade bulgogi sauce in an airtight container and it’ll last about 1 week in the refrigerator.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 27kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 406mg | Potassium: 36mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 15IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 10mg | Iron: 1mg
    Author: Izzy
    Course: Condiment
    Cuisine: Asian, Korean
    Keyword: Bulgogi Sauce, Korean BBQ Sauce, Korean Bulgogi Sauce
    Tried this recipe?Follow or tag us on Pinterest @izzycooking
    Bulgogi Sauce is sweet and savory with hints of pear, ginger, and garlic. It’s a staple ingredient in Korean BBQ Beef. This easy recipe is made from scratch and adds great flavors to your grilled beef. You can also use it in the marinade, dipping sauce, burgers, stir-fry chicken, or pork served with rice or noodles.

    Filed Under: condiment, Recipes Tagged With: brown sugar, grated ginger, green onions, minced garlic, pear juice, sesame oil, soy sauce, toasted sesame seeds

    About Izzy

    I'm Izzy, a food lover and photographer. Here you’ll find a collection of simple recipes that are perfect for busy people. My blog aims to help you make and enjoy delicious and healthy food at home.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Doc says

      June 05, 2021 at 10:37 pm

      5 stars
      I was stationed in Korea back in the 1960s and 70s and fell in love with beef bulgogi. I’ve found it a few times at Korean restaurants around the country but haven’t found a really good one since the original back in the day. This recipe is the closest to what I remember. Thanks 👍👍

      Reply
    2. Bill says

      October 23, 2021 at 7:35 pm

      5 stars
      Had this once and fell in love with it, but thought it would be too difficult to make. This recipe laid it out perfectly, and tasted just like I remembered. Bookmarked for many future meals!

      Reply
      • Izzy says

        November 01, 2021 at 6:58 pm

        Hi Bill, I’m so glad that you like the recipe. Thanks for letting me know.

        Reply

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