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This easy Korean ground beef recipe is a tasty dinner idea that is light on the budget but heavy on the bold Korean flavors! You’re family is going to love it!
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So, you need an idea for ground beef that isn’t casserole, taco, or soup? Yeah, me too, so I set out to make something wonderful and delicious and then couldn’t help myself and made it a budget friendly dinner idea too!
I grew up with the same plate my entire life:
Meat
Veggie
Carb
And then I grew up and did the exact same thing with a few twists to our staple dinners that Mom had made:
Cheesy Ground Beef and Rice Casserole
Pork Chops and Rice
Stew
Potato Soup
Idaho Tacos (don’t knock it until you try it)
But then I got to thinking, just because it isn’t 1999 doesn’t mean that mom’s don’t want quick, easy and cheap dinner ideas. It just means they need them with a modern twist! So, Korean Ground Beef was born. It’s a cheaper version of bulgogi, and we love bulgogi!!
I’ve made it with mushrooms, peas, peppers, and all sorts of additions but the truth is, it doesn’t need anything but ground beef, sauce and rice. It’s easy to make, even easier to freeze (both pre and post cooking) and all you have to serve is a little steamed veggie next to it.
If you’re planning to serve this Korean ground beef over rice, then the first thing you will want to do is get your rice cooking. That way the rice will be ready when the beef is finished.
Ingredients for Korean Ground Beef
I mentioned that this recipe is budget-friendly so let me prove it now by listing out the ingredients you will need. Everything is easy to find at the grocery and might even be in your pantry already. Here is your shopping list:
Canola or Vegetable Oil: used to cook the ground beef and garlic
Ground Beef:You can also use ground chuck.
Garlic: adds flavor to the meat
Soy Sauce: adds Asian flavor and saltiness
Orange Juice: adds flavor and acidity
Brown Sugar: adds depth of flavor and sweetness
Sweet Chili Sauce: adds a little heat and sweetness
Toasted Sesame Oil: gives that nutty signature Asian flavor
Cornstarch: thickens the sauce
Green Onions: used for flavor and garnish
The measurements for each ingredient can be found in the recipe card at the end of this post. You can also save or print the recipe there.
How to Make Korean Ground Beef
This is a great weeknight meal because it comes together in about 20 minutes. The steps are super easy. Here is what to expect:
Brown the meat: Start this recipe by browning the meat in a cast iron skillet with the garlic. Drain any excess grease.
Make the sauce: Whisk all the ingredients for the sauce together and set aside until the meat is cooked.
Combine: Add the sauce to the ground beef and let it simmer until the sauce thickens slightly.
Serve: Pour the ground beef over rice and serve for dinner!
The complete recipe can be found in the recipe card down below so keep scrolling for all the details.
What to Serve with Korean Ground Beef
We like to serve this delicious Korean ground beef over cooked white rice. It would also be great with some Asian noodles like ramen, udon, rice noodles or chow mein noodles.
A side of steamed broccoli, sauteed snap peas, or grilled asparagus would all work great. Any vegetable side will totally work, or our yummy Asian cucumber salad!
You could also serve this ground beef in lettuce leaves to make them lettuce wraps just like your chicken lettuce wraps!
This recipe is a great recipe for freezing either before or after cooking it (perfect for meal prep!). To freeze it before cooking, whisk all the sauce ingredients together and freeze the sauce. Then when you are ready to make this recipe, pull the sauce out of the freezer. Let it sit at room temperature for about a half hour and then brown the meat combine. So easy!!
To freeze it after cooking it, let it cool completely and then store the ground beef in a ziploc bag or freezer safe container. It will keep for up to 3 months.
If you have some leftovers that you plan to eat in the next few days, store them in the refrigerator. They will keep for 4-5 days. Reheat them in the microwave for a quick lunch or dinner. You can also reheat them on the stove top. You may want to add a little beef broth to keep it from drying out.
We have stepped out of the usual ground beef recipes and added a Korean twist to make a fabulous Korean ground beef recipe that is inexpensive and on the dinner table in less than 30 minutes! It is a weeknight family dinner winner!
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Easy Korean Ground Beef Recipe
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3.72 from 42 votes
Servings: 8
Prep Time: 10 minutesmins
Cook Time: 10 minutesmins
Total Time: 20 minutesmins
Description
This easy Korean ground beef recipe is a tasty dinner idea that is light on the budget but heavy on the bold Korean flavors! You're family is going to love it!
Heat the oil in a cast iron pan over medium high heat. Add the ground beef and garlic, using a meat chopper to break up, cook until browned all the way through, about 3-5 minutes, then drain grease.
What to Serve with Korean Ground Beef. We like to serve this delicious Korean ground beef over cooked white rice. It would also be great with some Asian noodles like ramen, udon, rice noodles or chow mein noodles. A side of steamed broccoli, sauteed snap peas, or grilled asparagus would all work great.
A package of ground beef can stay in the fridge for up to two days from the date of purchase, as recommended by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. By day two, it's best to either cook the ground beef or freeze it. Freezing ground beef is a great long-term solution, as it can last in the freezer for months.
Ground beef, minced beef or beef mince is beef that has been finely chopped with a knife, meat grinder (American English), mincer or mincing machine (British English). It is used in many recipes including hamburgers, bolognese sauce, meatloaf, meatballs, and kofta.
Despite its high price, Hanwoo beef is preferred in Korean cuisine, as it is typically fresher and of better quality than cheaper imported substitutes. Kim et al. (2001) noted, "Hanwoo is regarded as a premium beef because of its high palatability and desired chewiness".
Kimchi is served with almost every meal in Korean cooking. This spicy fermented cabbage is considered an absolutely fundamental component of Korean cuisine. Kimchi is typically made with cabbage but can be made with radish or other vegetables, and can also be altered to be spicier.
Check the expiration date. Sell-by and expiration dates are additional guidelines for determining whether your ground beef is good. A sell-by date tells the retailer how long a product can be displayed for sale. Ground beef can be refrigerated and safely eaten up to 2 days past this date.
This darkening is due to oxidation, the chemical changes in myoglobin due to the oxygen content. This is a normal change during refrigerator storage. Beef that has turned brown during extended storage may be spoiled, have an off-odor, and be tacky to the touch and should not be used.
Generally speaking, you shouldn't eat meat past its expiration date. You don't have a long window of time to use up raw ground beef to begin with—aim to eat it within two days—but checking the expiration date is always a good habit.
USDA recommends not eating or tasting raw or undercooked ground beef. To be sure all bacteria are destroyed, cook meat loaf, meatballs and hamburgers to a safe minimum internal temperature of 160°F (71.1°C). Use a food thermometer to check that they have reached a safe internal temperature.
No single food can quickly lower blood pressure. However, some foods may help a person lower their blood pressure in general. These include anthocyanin-rich berries , bananas and other foods containing potassium, beetroot juice and beets, leafy green vegetables , and more.
If you eat red meat, limit consumption to no more than about three portions per week. Three portions is equivalent to about 350–500g (about 12–18oz) cooked weight. Consume very little, if any, processed meat.
While it may seem easy and efficient, thawing meat on the counter is highly dangerous. "Ground beef should never be defrosted on the counter or in warm water," Brigman says. The outer layer of the food will enter the danger zone and begin producing bacteria rapidly while the inner layer is still thawing.
If an air fryer is one of your culinary best friends, you'll be thrilled to learn that you can defrost ground beef using this versatile kitchen appliance. Place the frozen beef (sans packaging, of course) in the air fryer basket. Set the air fryer to a low temperature, around 175°F.
Two hours is the limit for keeping food safe outside the refrigerator or freezer; one hour if the outside temperature is 90 °F ( 32.2 °C) or above. Frozen food can thaw if it is exposed to the sun's rays even when the temperature is very cold.
Ground meat, called mince or minced meat outside North America, is meat finely chopped by a meat grinder or a chopping knife. A common type of ground meat is ground beef, but many other types of meats are prepared in a similar fashion, including pork, veal, lamb, goat meat, and poultry.
The method of adding beef fat to hamburger is the primary difference between ground beef and hamburger. Ground beef can only be made using the fat that is a component of meat trimmings. If a processor makes ground beef containing 30 percent fat, the processor must use meat trim that contains about 30 percent fat.
Each fed steer and heifer produces roughly 150 pounds of 50 percent lean trimmings. In average terms, the 5:1 ground beef ratio therefore requires 750 pounds of 90s to produce ground beef from one fed steer or heifer. This is more or less the boneless trimmings from two head of cull cows.
When it comes to seasoning your ground beef, wait until after it has been browned and drained. Adding salt to raw ground beef pulls out moisture, drying the meat out and creating steam while it cooks, which prevents it from browning properly.
"From a food safety standpoint, there's no need, but if you're worried about the grease, my suggestion is to simply drain your ground beef. Anything that remains is going to be the great flavor that you don't want to miss out on."
Baking soda acts as a tenderizer for ground beef, keeps it moist during cooking, and encourages deep browning by raising the acidity level of the surface of the meat. Simply add 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda to 1 pound of ground beef for more tender meat with better browning.
Serve the beef over rice or in lettuce wraps with the kimchi sauce, toasted sesame seeds, and other sides (see notes for low carb rice blend, roasted broccoli, cucumber salad, and pickled carrots).
Braised potatoes, pickled daikon, kimchi, spicy cucumbers, quail eggs, marinated bean sprouts. The list goes on and on because they really bring you out UNLIMITED bowls of banchan to go with your meal.
Bulgogi is commonly served with rice and kimchi. It is also served as a wrap. To make a wrap, use whole, fluffy lettuce leave such as green leaf or romaine and add any of the following: rice, hot peppers, carrots, cucumbers, bean paste.
Introduction: My name is Lakeisha Bayer VM, I am a brainy, kind, enchanting, healthy, lovely, clean, witty person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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