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Ingredients

For 4 servings

600ggrass fed scotch filletcut from a scotch cube roll and shaved thinly
1/2nashi pearpeeled and finely grated (marinade)
4 tbspsoy saucemarinade
2 tbspbrown sugarmarinade
4garlic clovesfinely grated (marinade)
2 tspgingerfinely grated (marinade)
1 tbspsesame oilmarinade
1/2 tspfreshly ground black peppermarinade
1 tbspgochujangoptional, for heat (marinade)
1/2 smallbrown onionthinly sliced (marinade)
3spring onionssliced (half for the marinade, half to serve)
1 tbspvegetable oilfor cooking
1 tbsptoasted sesame seedsto serve
4 cupshot steamed short-grain riceto serve
1butter lettuceleaves separated, to serve
kimchito serve

Korean Beef Bulgogi with Scotch Fillet

Name: Korean Beef Bulgogi with Scotch Fillet
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 2 h 5 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Korean
Ingredients: 600g grass fed scotch fillet (cut from a scotch cube roll and shaved thinly); 1/2 nashi pear (peeled and finely grated (marinade)); 4 tbsp soy sauce (marinade); 2 tbsp brown sugar (marinade); 4 garlic cloves (finely grated (marinade)); 2 tsp ginger (finely grated (marinade)); 1 tbsp sesame oil (marinade); 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper (marinade); 1 tbsp gochujang (optional, for heat (marinade)); 1/2 small brown onion (thinly sliced (marinade)); 3 spring onions (sliced (half for the marinade, half to serve)); 1 tbsp vegetable oil (for cooking); 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds (to serve); 4 cups hot steamed short-grain rice (to serve); 1 butter lettuce (leaves separated, to serve); kimchi (to serve)

October 07, 2026 · 1 min read · By James C.

Korean beef bulgogi made with shaved grass-fed scotch fillet, served with rice, lettuce cups and kimchi

Serves

Prep Time

20 minutes

Cook Time

15 minutes

Total Time

2 hours 5 minutes

Difficulty

Easy

Introduction

Korean beef bulgogi is thinly sliced beef marinated in a sweet, savoury mix of soy sauce, nashi pear, garlic, ginger and sesame oil, then seared over high heat until the edges caramelise.

Overseas recipes call for rib eye, which Australians buy as scotch fillet, and shaving a whole grass-fed scotch fillet at home gives you proper slices with a ribbon of marbling rather than mince.

The pear tenderises the beef and adds gentle sweetness, the sesame brings a toasty finish, and cooking in small batches gives sticky, charred edges. Serve it with rice and lettuce wraps for a generous dinner for four.

The Cuts for This Recipe

Scotch Cube Roll from $53/kg - 100% Grass-Fed & Finished Angus - Hormone Antibiotic Free - Southern Ranges SR+

Steakhouse quality at a fair price. This grass-fed scotch cube roll gives you around 4kg of 100% grass-fed and finished Australian Angus, MSA graded at...

Also Featured in This Recipe

Scotch Cube Roll (A Budget) from $39/kg - 100% Grass-Fed Angus Beef - AMG

$147.00

Ingredients

For 4 servings

600ggrass fed scotch filletcut from a scotch cube roll and shaved thinly
1/2nashi pearpeeled and finely grated (marinade)
4 tbspsoy saucemarinade
2 tbspbrown sugarmarinade
4garlic clovesfinely grated (marinade)
2 tspgingerfinely grated (marinade)
1 tbspsesame oilmarinade
1/2 tspfreshly ground black peppermarinade
1 tbspgochujangoptional, for heat (marinade)
1/2 smallbrown onionthinly sliced (marinade)
3spring onionssliced (half for the marinade, half to serve)
1 tbspvegetable oilfor cooking
1 tbsptoasted sesame seedsto serve
4 cupshot steamed short-grain riceto serve
1butter lettuceleaves separated, to serve
kimchito serve

Very sharp chef's knife and chopping board
Cling film
Fine grater
Large mixing bowl
Cast iron pan or BBQ hotplate
Tongs
Serving platter

Cooking Steps

Part-freeze and shave

Wrap the scotch fillet tightly in cling film and freeze for 45 to 60 minutes, until firm but not frozen solid. Slice it across the grain as thinly as you can, about 2 to 3mm, and cut any large slices in half.

Make the marinade

In a large bowl, mix the grated pear, soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, ginger, sesame oil, pepper and gochujang, if using, until the sugar dissolves. Stir in the sliced onion and half the spring onion.

Marinate

Add the beef and massage the marinade into every slice. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 4 hours; the pear keeps tenderising the beef the longer it sits.

Cook in batches

Heat a cast iron pan or BBQ hotplate over high heat until very hot and add a little of the oil. Lift the beef from the marinade, letting the excess drip off, and cook it in small batches in a single layer for 1 to 2 minutes per side, until caramelised at the edges and cooked through. Crowding the pan makes the beef stew rather than char.

Finish and serve

Pile the beef onto a platter, scatter with the sesame seeds and remaining spring onion, and serve with the rice, lettuce leaves and kimchi so everyone can wrap their own. Discard any leftover marinade.

Nutrition

Energy 2820 kJ (674 cal)

Protein 38g

Total Fat 26g

Saturated Fat 9g

Carbohydrates 72g

Sugars 11g

Sodium 1300mg

Nutritional values are estimates only and may vary based on specific ingredients, brands, cuts, cooking method, and portion sizes. For medical or dietary purposes, please consult a qualified nutritionist.

Tips and Pairing

Overseas bulgogi recipes ask for rib eye, which is the same muscle Australians call scotch fillet, so rib eye fillet and scotch fillet are interchangeable here. Shaving it yourself from a whole cube roll gives proper slices with marbling running through each one, which stays tender over high heat. For a crowd, the budget grass-fed scotch cube roll is a good-value option. The technique is the same one used for a Philly cheesesteak: part-freeze the beef, then slice it across the grain with your sharpest knife. Nashi pear contains natural enzymes that tenderise the beef, so when you marinate beef this way, 30 minutes is enough for thin slices and 4 hours is the upper limit before the surface turns soft. If you cannot find nashi, a ripe regular pear works, or use a little grated kiwifruit, which works much faster, so limit it to 30 minutes. Marinated raw beef also freezes well, and up to 3 months is how long you can freeze meat like this. Pack it flat in a zip-lock bag and thaw it overnight in the fridge before cooking. On the BBQ, use the flat hotplate rather than the grill bars so the thin slices do not fall through, and cook in batches so every slice chars. The thin slices are cooked right through in a minute or two over high heat, well past the 63C that the Food Safety Information Council recommends for whole cuts of beef. Throw away any marinade the raw beef has sat in, or boil it hard for a minute if you want to spoon it over as a sauce. Leftovers keep in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 days and make an easy bulgogi rice bowl for lunch.

Serve with steamed rice, crisp lettuce leaves for wrapping, kimchi and a quick cucumber pickle, with a little gochujang on the side for extra heat. A cold Korean lager or a chilled off-dry Riesling suits the sweet, garlicky glaze. For another shaved-beef bowl, try gyudon, the Japanese beef and onion rice bowl made with the same scotch fillet.

People Also Ask

What is Korean beef bulgogi? +

Korean beef bulgogi is thinly sliced beef marinated in soy sauce, sugar, garlic, sesame oil and grated pear, then cooked quickly over high heat until caramelised. The name means fire meat in Korean, after the traditional method of cooking over a flame. It is usually served with rice, lettuce leaves for wrapping and kimchi.

What cut of beef is bulgogi? +

Bulgogi is traditionally made with a tender, well-marbled cut such as rib eye, which is scotch fillet in Australia, and sirloin, our porterhouse, also works. The beef is sliced very thinly across the grain so it absorbs the marinade and cooks in a minute or two. Part-freezing a whole scotch fillet makes thin slicing easy at home.

What is the secret ingredient in bulgogi? +

The secret ingredient in bulgogi is grated Asian pear, sold as nashi in Australia. It adds a gentle, fruity sweetness, and its natural enzymes tenderise the thin slices of beef. Combined with soy sauce, garlic and toasted sesame oil, it gives bulgogi its sweet, savoury, caramelised flavour. A ripe regular pear can stand in at a pinch.

What do you eat beef bulgogi with? +

Beef bulgogi is usually eaten with steamed short-grain rice, lettuce leaves for wrapping, kimchi and a few small side dishes such as pickled cucumber or seasoned bean sprouts. A dab of gochujang in each wrap adds heat. For an easy weeknight meal, serve it over rice as a bulgogi rice bowl topped with a fried egg.

How long should bulgogi marinate? +

Marinate bulgogi for at least 30 minutes and no more than 4 hours in the fridge. Thin slices take on flavour quickly, and the enzymes in the pear keep tenderising the beef, so a long soak can make the surface soft. To prep ahead, freeze the beef in its marinade and thaw it overnight in the fridge before cooking.

Written By

James C.

Food & Consumer Content Strategist

James is a Content Manager & Editorial Strategist specialising in practical consumer content. For Cost Cut Meats, he develops resources around Australian meat, beef cuts, bulk buying, storage, preparation and getting better value from the meat you buy.

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