Simple And Delicious Marinated Korean Beef

This marinated Korean beef is simple and tasty. Plus, it cooks up super fast for a delicious weeknight dinner.

I love that the wee ones are open to experimentation. They’re the rare children who are into sushi (although I’ll admit that it took multiple years of me eating it in front of them and encouraging them to try it – again – before they decided they love it).

In fact, they’re fans of many Asian flavors, so long as they aren’t super spicy. My Miso Chicken is one of their favorites, and this week I experimented with another flavor.

They. Loved. It. Fortunately, I have extra flank steak, so I can make it again soon. It isn’t spicy, it’s super easy, and I made enough for leftovers for everyone’s lunches – which they happily ate.

It’s amazing how quick it was to put together, and the ingredients are all things I generally have on hand. Again, this is one that looks much harder and more fancy than it really is. Have I mentioned that this is my favorite kind of recipe?

Why use fresh ginger?

Grating fresh ginger is super easy. It keeps for what seems like forever in your freezer and is super cheap.

I simply buy a root, keep it in the bag it came in, and leave it in the freezer. When I need it, I simply pull it out, use my zester, and grate it with the zester while it’s still frozen.

Easy peasy – always fresh and so much cheaper than the powdered stuff that comes in a can. The dried ginger also tends to lose its flavor faster than you can use it, which is a waste.

What is Samgyeopsal?

Samgyeopsal, a Korean dish featuring grilled pork belly, has become a widespread popular cuisine in the Philippines. While this dish isn’t exactly what you’ll find there, it has very similar flavors but uses beef instead of pork, making it a good substitute when you crave those flavors.

The influence of Korean pop culture has significantly contributed to its widespread popularity, with countless samgyeopsal restaurants now taking over the local landscape. Its name translates to “three-layered meat,” the distinctive layers of fat and lean meat that contribute to its rich flavor.

Traditionally marinated before grilling, samgyeopsal is often enjoyed with an array of side dishes, including cheese, garlic, and ssamjang. It’s just as tasty when served over rice as I do here.

Can you use beef instead of pork for the samgyeopsal? Absolutely, and I do when I make this recipe.

How to Make Korean Inspired Marinated Beef

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Mix the sugar, garlic, ginger, sesame oil, and beer into a container for marinating. I like to do mine in a large plastic container that I can reuse v a zip-top bag.

I simply use tongs to mix the meat around every hour or so to ensure it’s all well-coated and yummy.

Slice your flank steak on a bias about 1/8 to 1/4 inches thick. If you find this hard to do, put your meat in the freezer for a half hour or so, then try slicing it again.

Quick Tip: Cutting it on the bias means slicing it diagonally so that you end up with wider strips of beef that will be easier to cook than if you cut straight up and down. This and cutting against the grain help the flank steak absorb the yummy marinade well.

You want to marinate the flank steak for several hours to allow the marinade to start to break down the tough meat a little bit, in addition to adding all sorts of great taste.

Before:

After:

Once the meat is marinated, dinner is just about ready. Cooking is super fast, meaning it’s a great weeknight dinner when you want to get stuff on the table fast.

Because the wee ones aren’t huge fans of lettuce (yet! We keep working on it though), we served it over rice – which fortunately cooks up nicely in advance and stays warm for when we want it.

Heat up a grill pan – or your grill – to about medium-high heat. I prefer a grill pan though since the meat can’t accidentally slide through the grates, which would drive me batty to waste it.

Lightly oil it just to keep it from sticking to start, the meat will release enough fat to keep it from sticking once it gets cooking.

Using tongs, spread out the beef in batches on the pan (or grill) in a single layer. Let them cook for just a couple of minutes until you can see the edges turning brown.

Flip them with the tongs and grill again for another couple of minutes. Add the next batch and keep going until the meat is used up.

Serve the cooked meat rolled in butter lettuce or over rice. Sprinkle it with sesame seeds for a great last touch – toasting them lightly before sprinkling adds a great extra bit of flavor but isn’t necessary if you’re (ahem) crunched for time.

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