Korean BBQ Beef – Whole30 and Paleo friendly! A quick and easy meal that’s perfect for any of the week when the Korean BBQ craving kicks in.
I’ve been on a Korean food kick, but since I’m doing a Whole30, I knew I needed to replicate some of my favorite dishes. I already have a great ground beef bulgogi bowl, but I wanted to create a marinade that I can use for different types of protein. Today, we’re using steak, but I’ve marinated chicken and pork in this marinade, and it’s excellent!
As always, I do not claim this recipe as authentic or anything. It’s just simply my take on a recipe I truly enjoy. I love having it with cauliflower rice, kimchi, and a nice big salad. You can also turn it into bibimbap which is a Korea bowl filled with the beef, a fried egg, some rice (or cauliflower rice), and sliced vegetables. Lately, I’ve been making kimbap (Korean sushi), and it’s been my latest obsession. This Korean BBQ beef is perfect for just about anything!
A few pro-tips to help you:
- I used rib eye but you can use any cut of meat. I’ve used sirloin in the past too. Since you’re thinly slicing the meat, it’ll be tender. Plus, the Asian pear and ginger will also help tenderize the meat.
- Freeze your meat for about 40-45 minutes before slicing. This will help because the meat will be firm and you can get really thin slices.
- If you can’t find Asian pears, you can use an apple but you want an apple that’s sweet like a gala apple or honey crisp.
If you meal prep, this is the dish for you! It keeps really well, and heats up nicely. I also tested out freezing the steak and marinate, letting it thaw in the fridge overnight and cooking it. It came out perfectly, and you wouldn’t know that it was frozen. So I hope you enjoy!
Korean BBQ Beef (Whole30, Paleo)
Ingredients
- 2 lbs ribeye or any cut of steak, sirloin works great too
- 1 Asian pear or gala apple, grated
- 1 inch ginger peeled and grated
- 4 garlic cloves peeled and minced
- ½ large yellow onion thinly sliced
- ½ cup coconut aminos
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- ½ tbsp kosher salt
- Avocado oil
- Sliced green onions
Instructions
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Slice steak against the grain into thin slices. (Pro-tip: freeze your steak for 40-45 minutes to help with slicing).
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In a large bowl or ziplock bag, mix the steak with the grate Asian pear, ginger, garlic cloves, yellow onion, coconut aminos, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and kosher salt.
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Marinate for at least 2 hours to overnight.
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Preheat a large skillet over medium-high heat with about a teaspoon of cooking fat.
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Once the skillet is hot, shake off excess liquid from the steak and place it in the skillet in a single layer. You may have to cook in batches.
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Cook for 6-10 minutes depending on thickness of steak.
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Garnish with green onions and serve with cauliflower rice or anything else!
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