Beef Bulgogi Gyudon

How to make Japanese rice bowls with bulgogi.

Gyudon with a Twist: A Korean-Inspired Japanese Beef Bowl

Gyudon, or Japanese Beef Bowl, is a classic comfort food that’s incredibly easy and quick to prepare. However, I love to give it my own twist by using beef bulgogi instead of the traditional Japanese recipe. This little change adds a burst of flavor that makes this dish even more irresistible.

The Secret Ingredient: Pear

One unique ingredient in this recipe is pear, a common addition in Korean bulgogi recipes. The fresh sweetness of the pear beautifully complements the savory flavors of the beef. If pears are hard to find, you can easily substitute them with apples.

No Alcohol, No Problem

This recipe is alcohol-free, meaning it doesn’t include Japanese mirin, a sweet cooking wine often used in traditional Gyudon.

To balance the flavours, I’ve increased the sugar and pear gratings in the marinade.

The Egg Experiment

I also tried to make onsen tamago, or hot spring eggs, to top my Gyudon bowl. Spoiler alert: it didn’t go as planned. I didn’t use enough water to cover the eggs, which is crucial. If you want to see my failure, check out my video!

Eventually, I resorted to microwave-poaching an egg. It was semi-successful, but be cautious – the chances of an egg exploding in the microwave are high. Yikes!

Ingredients:

Serving for 2.

• 300 grams Beef – I used shabu shabu beef slices, but any thinly sliced meat will do.
• 1 White Onion
• 1 tsp Black Pepper
• 2 tbsps Sesame Oil
• 1 tbsp Light Soy Sauce
• Half a cup of Water
• Bulgogi Marinade
  • 1/2 Pear or Apple, grated
  • 3 tbsps Light Soy Sauce
  • 1/2 tbsp Dark Soy Sauce (optional)
  • 2 tsps of Sugar
  • 1 tbsp Ginger, grated
  • 2 Cloves of Garlic

Directions:

1. Prepare the bulgogi marinade sauce in a bowl.
2. Add the beef slices to the bowl and let it marinate for at least 30 minutes. Overnight would be best.
3. In a pan, add some oil. Once it’s hot, add in the onions.
4. Once onions have wilted a little, and add in the marinated beef.
5. Add some water to the marinade bowl. Pour in leftover marinade into the pan.
6. Let the bulgogi beef cook, should be quick. Add a couple dashes of black pepper and stir in sesame oil.
7. Taste test, add in soy sauce or sugar if it needs.
8. Serve over rice and a soft boiled egg!

Bulgogi Gyudon

Recipe by Sha

0.0 from 0 votes

Course: Eats, Recipes

Servings

2

servings

Prep time

30

minutes

Cooking time

20

minutes

Cook Mode

Keep the screen of your device on

Ingredients

• 300 grams Beef – I used shabu shabu beef slices, but any thinly sliced meat will do.

• 1 White Onion

• Half a cup of Water

• 1 tsp Black Pepper

• 2 tbsps Sesame Oil

• 1 tbsp Light Soy Sauce

• Bulgogi Marinade

• 1/2 Pear or Apple, grated

• 3 tbsps Light Soy Sauce

• 1/2 tbsp Dark Soy Sauce (optional)

• 2 tsps of Sugar

• 1 tbsp Ginger, grated

• 2 Cloves of Garlic, chopped

Directions

• Prepare the bulgogi marinade sauce in a bowl.
• Add the beef slices to the bowl and let it marinate for at least 30 minutes. Overnight would be best.
• In a pan, add some oil. Once it’s hot, add in the onions.
• Once onions have wilted a little, add in the marinated beef.
• Add some water to the marinade bowl. Pour in leftover marinade into the pan.
• Let the bulgogi beef cook, should be quick. Add black pepper and stir in sesame oil.
• Taste test, add in soy sauce or sugar if it needs.
• Serve over rice and a soft boiled egg!

Did you make this recipe?

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