Bulgogi French Dip (Korean Dip)

NYC is in the middle of a French dip love affair — and my Korean twist is here to stir the pot. Think salty, sweet, juicy beef bulgogi stuffed into crusty bread, swiped with savory ssamjang, oozy melted provolone, crowned with kimchi, and dunked into a umami packed bulgogi jus. While Salt Hank’s prime-rib French dip has TikTok in a chokehold and Hillstone’s is still the gold standard, this mash-up brings all the cozy comfort with a bold, Seoulful punch.

Ingredients

Serves 2
Prep time: 30 minutes | Total time: 45 minutes

Bulgogi Beef:

500g (1 lbs) thin-sliced bulgogi beef, ribeye, or sirloin, trimmed
½ cup (160g) soy sauce
1½ small (170g or 1.5 cup) Asian pear, peeled and cored
3 tsp (18g) garlic, grated
1-in piece (62g, 4 Tbsp) ginger, grated
1 ½ (22g) Tbsp roasted sesame oil
1½ (18g) Tbsp light brown sugar
1 ½ (16g) Tbsp soju or sake
1 ½ (22g) Tbsp fish sauce or anchovy sauce
2 ½ (37g) Tbsp mirin
1 (200g) yellow onion, thinly sliced

Ssamjang:

5 Tbsp (100g) doenjang, Korean soy bean paste
2 ½ Tbsp (50g) gochujang, Korean chili paste
1 stalk (15g) green onion, green and white parts, finely chopped
2 Tbsp (26g) grated yellow onion
1 tsp (6g) garlic, grated
1 Tbsp (15g) mirin
1 tsp (15g) caster sugar
1 Tbsp (8g) roasted sesame seeds
2 tsp (30g) roasted sesame oil

Assembly:

2 crusty sandwich rolls or baguette sections
2 Tbsp (30g) salted butter
6 slices provolone cheese
1 Tbsp (9g) roasted sesame seeds
30g Cabbage kimchi
30g Cucumber kimchi

Method

First make the bulgogi beef. If using whole steaks, freeze for 1 hour or until partially frozen, then slice into thin ¼-inch (0.5 cm) strips. In a food processor, blend soy sauce, pear, garlic, ginger, sesame oil, sugar, soju, fish sauce, mirin, and a good few grinds of black pepper until smooth. Place beef and sliced onion in a resealable bag or container, and pour over just enough marinade to coat generously, and massage gently ensuring all of the beef is covered. Pour the remaining marinade into a sauce pan, set aside. Place the beef in the fridge and allow it to marinate for 30 minutes or overnight.
Meanwhile make the Ssamjang: In a small bowl, mix the gochujang, doenjang, green onion, yellow onion, garlic, mirin, sugar, roasted sesame seeds, and roasted sesame oil together until smooth. Set aside.
Heat a non-stick frying pan, flat griddle, or speciality bulgogi pan over high heat until smoking hot. Tip in the marinated beef, onions, and all of the marinade in the pan. Cook the bulgogi beef, about 2 to 3 minutes, flipping often until just cooked through. Using tongs remove the beef and onions from the pan and place on a plate. Set aside in a warm place. Tip any remaining juice from the pan into the sauce pan containing the rest of the marinade. Whisk together and place the sauce pan over medium heat, bring to a boil, and then turn off the heat. Allow to cool slightly, and taste, season with salt and pepper, as you like. Keep in a warm place.
Preheat the oven to 300F/150C.
Cut the bread lengthwise, splitting them open, and spread with butter on both sides. Place a few cheese slices on top of the buttered side. Place the bread, cheese side up, on a tray lined with foil, and into a preheated oven and toast until golden brown and the butter and cheese is fully melted. Remove from the oven. Spoon one side of the bread generously with ssamjang, pile on the hot bulgogi and onions, sprinkle with roasted sesame seeds, and top with kimchi and cucumber kimchi. Serve immediately with a side bowl bulgogi jus for dipping. Devour!

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