Slow Cooker Korean Beef (Printer-friendly)

Tender beef in a savory-sweet Korean sauce with soy, sesame, garlic, and gochujang. Perfect over rice.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Beef

01 - 2 lbs beef chuck roast, cut into 2-inch pieces

→ Sauce

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

→ Vegetables & Garnish

11 - 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
12 - 4 green onions, sliced
13 - 1 tablespoon cornstarch (optional, for thickening)
14 - 2 tablespoons water (optional, for thickening)

# How to Make It:

01 - Place beef pieces and sliced onion in the slow cooker.
02 - In a bowl, whisk together soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, garlic, ginger, rice vinegar, gochujang, sesame seeds, and black pepper.
03 - Pour the sauce over the beef and onions, tossing gently to coat evenly.
04 - Cover and cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours, until the beef is very tender.
05 - If a thicker sauce is desired, mix cornstarch with water to make a slurry. Stir into the slow cooker during the last 30 minutes of cooking.
06 - Shred the beef using two forks and mix thoroughly with the sauce.
07 - Garnish with sliced green onions and extra sesame seeds. Serve with steamed rice or in lettuce wraps.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The beef becomes so tender it literally falls apart when you look at it
  • The sauce develops this incredible depth that tastes like it simmered all day
  • Your house will smell amazing for hours
02 -
  • Don't skip searing the beef first if you have time, it adds incredible depth
  • The sauce will look thin at first but thickens beautifully as it cooks down
  • Resist the urge to lift the lid too often, you need that heat to stay consistent
03 -
  • Buy gochujang in the Asian aisle, it keeps forever in the fridge and elevates everything
  • Cheaper cuts of beef actually work better here, they transform completely during slow cooking

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