Bonchon-Style Korean Beef Stew

A personal, restaurant-inspired adaptation with sweet soy, ginger and sesame.

Ingredients

Beef

• 600 g pressure-cooked beef, mixed brisket, lean and bone-in pieces
• 600–700 mL reserved beef broth
• 1 tbsp neutral cooking oil

Broth aromatics

• 25 g fresh ginger, divided
• 8 cloves garlic, divided
• 1 medium onion, divided
• 2 tbsp mirin or rice wine
• ½ tsp whole black peppercorns
• 1 stalk spring onion
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon/calamansi juice — for the beef only; see procedure
• 1 small bay leaf — optional

Bonchon-style sauce

• 5 tbsp soy sauce (if using a milder Korean/Japanese soy sauce, you can eventually increase to 6 tbsp.)
• 3 tbsp brown sugar
• 2 tbsp honey
• 1 tbsp oyster sauce
• 1½ tbsp mirin
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• ¼ tsp ground black pepper
• 180 mL deodorized beef broth, from above

Vegetables

• 150 g carrot, large chunks
• 200 g potato, large chunks
• 100–150 g Korean/daikon radish, optional but highly recommended
• 2 stalks spring onion, sliced

Glossy finish

• 1 tbsp cornstarch
• 2 tbsp cold water
• 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds
• ½–1 tsp sesame oil

Method

• Skim and strain the reserved beef broth. Simmer it uncovered for 10–12 minutes with 10 g ginger, 2 garlic cloves, half the onion, peppercorns, one spring onion and optional bay leaf. Add 1 tbsp mirin near the end, then strain.
• Toss the cooked beef with lemon or calamansi juice, 1 tbsp mirin, 5 g ginger and a little pepper for 5 minutes. Drain without rinsing. Mix the sauce ingredients with 180 mL of the aromatic broth.
• Sauté the remaining onion, garlic and ginger in the oil. Sear the drained beef, then add half the sauce and glaze for 2–3 minutes.
• Add the remaining sauce and 250 mL broth. Simmer 10 minutes, then add carrot, potato and optional radish. Add 50–150 mL more broth if needed and simmer 12–18 minutes, until tender.
• Reduce uncovered for 5–10 minutes. Add cornstarch mixed with cold water a little at a time, only until glossy. Turn off the heat; add finishing sesame oil, sesame seeds and spring onions. Rest 5 minutes.

Before you cook

Read the ingredient labels for allergens, especially seafood, soy, wheat, dairy and eggs. Prepared sauces and seasoning powders vary in saltiness, so taste before adding more. Cooking times are guides; check doneness in the actual batch.

Cook poultry and reheated leftovers to 74°C, ground meat to 71°C, and fish to 63°C. FoodSafety.gov cooking guidance ↗