Beef Bulgogi Lettuce Wraps
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 406kcal
These Korean-style lettuce wraps are unbelievably delicious. The marinade for the bulgogi can be made well in advance, as can the pickled veggies and BBQ sauce. Not only is the dish incredibly flavorful, but it's fun to serve it buffet-style and let guests build their own wraps to their own liking!
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Equipment
- Grill with small grates Or large skillet or wok
Ingredients
- 2 medium carrots peeled and julienne cut (or shredded) -
- 1 cucumber seeded and cut into 1-inch sticks
- ¾ cup apple cider vinegar
For the Bulgogi
- 1 lb beef ribeye or skirt steak works well
- 1 medium onion peeled and quartered
- 1 Asian pear peeled, cored and roughly chopped (Anjou pear works, too)
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger roughly chopped
- 1 green onion chopped
- 2 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon honey
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
For the Lettuce Wraps
- Lettuce leaves green leaf, or iceberg work well, trimmed
- Peppers sliced, for garnish, optional
- 2 sesame seeds for garnish
For the Korean BBQ Sauce
- 2 tablespoon gochujang 1 tablespoon for less heat
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 clove garlic minced
Instructions
Do Ahead
- Place the carrots and cucumbers in separate bowls. Pour the vinegar over them until they are just submerged. Allow them to rest in the vinegar for 2 hours, or up to overnight. Drain before serving.2 medium carrots, 1 cucumber, ¾ cup apple cider vinegar
Prepare the Bulgogi
- Wrap the meat in plastic wrap and place it in the freezer for 30 minutes to 1 hour.1 lb beef
- Remove the meat from the freezer, and using a sharp knife, cutting against the grain, slice it into thin pieces. Place in a large bowl.
- Place the onion, pear, garlic, ginger, green onion, soy sauce, oil, brown sugar, honey, and pepper in a blender. Purée until smooth.1 medium onion, 1 Asian pear, 4 cloves garlic, 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, 1 green onion, 2 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon sesame oil, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, 1 tablespoon honey, ½ teaspoon black pepper
- Pour the marinade over the meat and use a wooden spatula to stir the meat until fully coated by the marinade. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours, or overnight.
- Heat a large skillet or wok over high heat. Use tongs to lift the meat from the marinade in the bowl, shaking off excess marinade. Add the hot skillet or wok and cook, stirring often, until fully cooked and dark brown in spots, about 15 minutes. Most of the excess liquid should cook off.
Assemble the Lettuce Wraps
- Mound the lettuce leaves on a plate and place all the garnishes in bowls.Lettuce leaves
- Place several strips of the bulgogi on top of a lettuce wrap, then top with pickled carrots and cucumbers, sliced peppers (if using), a drizzle of BBQ sauce, and topped with a pinch of sesame seeds. Repeat with remaining lettuce wraps and serve at once. Or, allow guests to build their own wraps.Peppers, 2 sesame seeds
Korean BBQ Sauce
- Mix all the ingredients in a small/medium bowl and set aside. If not using immediately, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use.2 tablespoon gochujang, 1 tablespoon sesame oil, 1 teaspoon sugar, 1 tablespoon water, 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar, 1 clove garlic
Video
Notes
See the video near the top of the blog post for visual guidance. If you liked the video, please subscribe to our YouTube channel.
The meat can marinate for up to 24 hours. The carrots and cucumber can be pickled for up to 24 hours in advance. The BBQ sauce can be made several days in advance of serving.
Gochuchang carries some heat. Start with 1 tablespoon and taste it. If you desire more heat, and another tbsp.
Leftovers will keep in the fridge (covered) for up to 5 days. Reheat bulgogi on the stove in a skillet until sizzling and heated through.
Nutrition
Calories: 406kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 81mg | Sodium: 583mg | Potassium: 367mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 46IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 29mg | Iron: 3mg