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Slow Cooker Korean Beef

Tender, flavorful beef inspired by bulgogi with a perfect balance of sweet, savory, garlic, and ginger notes. Let your slow cooker do the work for an incredible weeknight meal.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 6 hours
Total Time 6 hours 20 minutes
Servings: 6 portions
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: American, Asian, Korean
Calories: 485
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 3-4 lbs boneless beef short ribs or chuck roast trimmed and cut into 2-inch chunks
  • 1 tbsp olive oil or neutral cooking oil for searing
  • 1 cup low-sodium soy sauce
  • 1/2 cup light brown sugar packed
  • 1/4 cup rice vinegar not seasoned
  • 1/4 cup toasted sesame oil
  • 2 tbsp fresh ginger finely grated or minced
  • 6-8 cloves fresh garlic minced
  • 1 tbsp gochujang (Korean chili paste) optional
  • 1 tbsp honey or maple syrup optional
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper freshly ground
  • 1 large yellow onion roughly chopped
  • 4-5 green onions (scallions) thinly sliced
  • 2 tbsp sesame seeds toasted
  • 1-2 tbsp cornstarch optional, for thickening

Equipment

  • Slow Cooker
  • Large skillet or Dutch oven
  • medium bowl
  • whisk
  • Kitchen knife and cutting board

Method
 

  1. Trim excess fat from beef and cut into 2-inch chunks. Pat dry thoroughly with paper towels.
  2. Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, sear beef chunks for 2-3 minutes per side until deeply browned. Transfer to slow cooker.
  3. Add chopped onion to slow cooker with beef. Mince garlic and grate ginger.
  4. In a medium bowl, whisk together soy sauce, brown sugar, rice vinegar, sesame oil, ginger, garlic, gochujang (if using), honey (if using), and black pepper until sugar dissolves.
  5. Pour sauce over beef and onions in slow cooker. Stir gently to coat all pieces.
  6. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours, until beef is fork-tender and easily shreds.
  7. Remove beef chunks and shred with two forks.
  8. For thicker sauce, whisk 1-2 Tbsp cornstarch with 2-3 Tbsp cold water. Stir into sauce and cook on high for 15-30 minutes until thickened. Alternatively, reduce sauce in a saucepan on stovetop for 10-15 minutes.
  9. Return shredded beef to sauce and stir to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
  10. Garnish with sliced green onions and toasted sesame seeds. Serve over rice.

Notes

Searing the beef creates a caramelized crust that adds extra flavor. Low and slow cooking (6-8 hours) produces the most tender results. Rice vinegar should be plain, not seasoned. Gochujang adds heat and umami but can be omitted for zero spice. Toast sesame seeds in dry skillet until fragrant for maximum flavor.
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