Slow Cooker Korean Beef (Printer-Friendly)

Savory-sweet Korean-style beef slow-cooked to tender perfection with garlic and ginger notes.

# What You'll Need:

→ Beef

01 - 2 lbs beef chuck roast, cut into large chunks

→ Sauce

02 - 1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce
03 - 1/3 cup brown sugar
04 - 1/4 cup water
05 - 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
06 - 1 tablespoon sesame oil
07 - 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
08 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
09 - 2 tablespoons gochujang (Korean chili paste)
10 - 2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds

→ Vegetables & Garnishes

11 - 4 green onions, thinly sliced, divided
12 - 1 tablespoon sesame seeds, for garnish
13 - Optional: sliced red chili, for garnish

# How to Make It:

01 - In a medium bowl, whisk together soy sauce, brown sugar, water, rice vinegar, sesame oil, ginger, garlic, gochujang, and toasted sesame seeds until smooth.
02 - Place beef chunks in the slow cooker. Pour sauce over the beef, turning to coat evenly.
03 - Scatter half of the green onions over the beef.
04 - Cover and cook on low for 7 hours, or until beef is very tender and can be easily shredded with a fork.
05 - Shred the beef directly in the slow cooker using two forks. Stir to coat with the sauce.
06 - Serve hot over steamed rice, in lettuce wraps, or with steamed vegetables. Garnish with remaining green onions, sesame seeds, and optional sliced red chili.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The sauce does all the heavy lifting, transforming tough chuck roast into something that falls apart at the mere suggestion of a fork
  • You get credit for a complex Korean inspired dinner while actually doing about fifteen minutes of hands on work
  • Those leftovers somehow taste better the next day, if that's even possible
02 -
  • I once forgot the brown sugar and ended up with something so salty it was basically inedible, so don't skip the sweet element
  • The sauce will look thin when you first combine it, but it thickens up beautifully as the beef releases its collagen
03 -
  • Add a tablespoon of pear puree if you want it to taste like you ordered from a proper Korean restaurant
  • Let it rest for about fifteen minutes after shredding so the meat really absorbs all those flavorful juices

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