Instant Pot Korean Beef

5 from 8 votes

This streamlined recipe for Korean beef bulgogi makes for a quick weeknight dinner that tastes great on a bed of rice or ramen noodles, accompanied by pickled carrots, Kimchi, and a fried egg on top.

Servings servings

Ingredients

2 tablespoon ginger coarsely chopped
2 tablespoon garlic coarsely chopped
½ cup Fuji apple or Asian pear peeled and chopped
2 tablespoon gochujang paste
3 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon sesame oil
¼ cup soy sauce substitute coconut aminos for gluten free
1 tablespoon mirin
2 lbs Beef chuck cut into thin strips, 1-½ inches long (1 kg). For stovetop version, use a lean cut of beef such as sirloin or ribeye steak. [See Note 1]
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
¼ cup onion chopped or thinly sliced
2 tablespoon cornstarch (omit for stovetop version)
2 tablespoon water (omit for stovetop version)

Your choice of sides:

Spinach, zucchini, cucumbers, cabbage or eggplant sauteed with soy sauce and garlic
Pickled julienned carrots
Bean sprouts
Pickled daikon and carrots julienned
Cucumber thinly sliced
Kimchi
Korean seaweed
Eggs sunny side up or soft boiled
Green onions thinly sliced
sesame seeds toasted

Instructions

In a mini blender or food processor, blend the 2 tablespoon ginger, 2 tablespoon garlic, ½ cup Fuji apple or Asian pear, 2 tablespoon gochujang, 3 tablespoon brown sugar, 1 tablespoon sesame oil, ¼ cup soy sauce and 1 tablespoon mirin into a smooth paste. Marinate the 2 lbs Beef chuck in the sauce for 2 hours or preferably overnight.

Instant Pot Instructions (with Beef Chuck or Stew Meat)

Select Saute mode and when Instant Pot has heated, add 1 tablespoon vegetable oil to inner pot of the Instant Pot.
Add ¼ cup onion and stir till golden brown, about 2 to 3 minutes.
Add marinated beef to the onions and stir well.
Close the Instant Pot and pressure cook for 10 minutes on High Pressure.
Allow the pressure to release naturally (NPR). [Read More: The Different Pressure Release Methods].
Open the Instant Pot.
Whisk together 2 tablespoon cornstarch and 2 tablespoon water to form a smooth mixture.
In Saute mode, bring the beef and sauce to a boil. [See Note 2]
Add the cornstarch mixture, and stir constantly, until sauce has thickened.

Stovetop Instructions (with Lean Beef)

Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add oil.
Once the oil is shimmering, saute the beef in batches. Don't overcrowd the pan, or the meat will boil, rather than saute. Cook until the steak is cooked through, for about 5 to 6 minutes. Add more oil, as needed, for subsequent batches.

To Serve:

Place 1 cup (or more) cooked Jasmine rice in a bowl.
Carefully arrange beef and sides (side-by-side) in the bowl.
Sprinkle with thinly sliced green onions and toasted sesame seeds.

Notes

Prep time does not include steps already accounted for in the ingredient list, e.g. chopped onions, minced garlic, diced chicken, etc.
Note 1: The Instant Pot is more suited for fattier cuts of beef, such as beef chuck. To make the recipe on the stovetop, use a leaner cut such as sirloin or ribeye steak. You can also use flank steak, which is a more economical choice.
Note 2: For a drier Instant Pot beef dish with sauce on the side, remove the cooked beef and saute in a skillet, adding a few tablespoons of the sauce until the beef is caramelized but not dried out. Thicken the remaining sauce with the cornstarch and drizzle it on top of the dish or serve on the side.
Reduce the quantity of Gochujang for a milder dish.
Optional: drizzle spicy mayo over the top.

Nutrition