Slow Cooker Korean Beef (Printable version)
Tender beef simmered in Korean-style sauce with soy, sesame, and gochujang. Perfect over rice.
# What you need:
→ Beef
01 - 2 pounds beef chuck roast, cut into 2-inch pieces
→ Sauce
02 - 1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce
03 - 1/3 cup brown sugar
04 - 1/4 cup sesame oil
05 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
07 - 1/4 cup rice vinegar
08 - 2 tablespoons gochujang (Korean chili paste)
09 - 2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds, plus extra for garnish
10 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
→ Vegetables & Garnish
11 - 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
12 - 4 green onions, sliced
13 - 1 tablespoon cornstarch (optional, for thickening)
14 - 2 tablespoons water (optional, for thickening)
# How to make it:
01 - Place beef pieces and sliced onion in the slow cooker.
02 - In a bowl, whisk together soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, garlic, ginger, rice vinegar, gochujang, sesame seeds, and black pepper until well combined.
03 - Pour the sauce over the beef and onions, tossing gently to coat evenly.
04 - Cover and cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours, until the beef is very tender and falls apart easily.
05 - If a thicker sauce is desired, mix cornstarch with water to make a slurry. Stir into the slow cooker during the last 30 minutes of cooking.
06 - Shred the beef using two forks and mix thoroughly with the sauce. Garnish with sliced green onions and extra sesame seeds. Serve with steamed rice or in lettuce wraps.
# Expert tips:
01 -
- The sauce balances sweet and savory in that magical way that makes you want to spoon it over everything
- Your slow cooker does almost all the work while you go about your day
- Leftovers somehow taste even better, making it perfect for meal prep
02 -
- Cheaper cuts of beef actually work better here because they transform beautifully during long cooking
- The sauce will taste quite salty before cooking but balances out perfectly as it reduces
03 -
- Sear the beef quickly in a hot pan before slow cooking for deeper flavor
- Toast your sesame seeds in a dry pan for 2 minutes to bring out their nutty flavor