Slow Cooker Korean Beef
Cook
6 hours
Prep Time
15 mins
Total Time
6 hours
Serves
6
Ingredients
- 3 lbs beef chuck roast or beef short ribs, cut into 2-inch pieces
- 1 large onion, thinly sliced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
- 2 Asian pears or 1 regular pear, grated
- 4 green onions, chopped (reserve some for garnish)
- 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil (for searing, optional)
- Cooked white or brown rice for serving
- Fresh cilantro for garnish (optional)
For the Korean Sauce:
- 1/2 cup soy sauce (low sodium preferred)
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons gochujang (Korean chili paste)
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional, for extra heat)
Kitchen Tools Needed:
- Slow cooker (6-quart recommended)
- Large mixing bowl
- Whisk
- Large skillet (if searing)
- Grater or microplane
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Two forks for shredding
- Knife and cutting board
Steps
- Prepare the Sauce: In a bowl, whisk together soy sauce, brown sugar, rice wine vinegar, gochujang, sesame oil, honey, black pepper, and red pepper flakes until well combined. Set aside.
- Optional Searing Step: For deeper flavor, heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear beef pieces on all sides until browned, about 2-3 minutes per side. Transfer to slow cooker.
- Layer Ingredients: Place beef in slow cooker if not seared. Add sliced onions, minced garlic, grated ginger, grated pear, and half of the chopped green onions over the beef.
- Add Sauce: Pour the Korean sauce mixture over everything in the slow cooker. Stir gently to coat all ingredients evenly.
- Slow Cook: Cover and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours or HIGH for 3-4 hours, until beef is fork-tender and easily shreds.
- Final Touch: In the last 30 minutes of cooking, stir in sesame seeds. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed - add more gochujang for heat or honey for sweetness.
- Serve: Shred beef slightly with two forks if desired. Serve over steamed rice and garnish with remaining green onions and fresh cilantro. Drizzle with cooking liquid from the slow cooker.
Macros:
Total Calories: 385
Carbs: 18g
Proteins: 45g
Fats: 15g