Korean-Style Beef with Kimchi
Inspired by a recipe spotted in an issue of America’s Test Kitchen, this massively flavorful stir fry is simple and quick and really perfect for a fun weeknight dinner. I pile mine up atop a mountain of fluffy jasmine rice and serve with extra soy sauce on the side. Here is the pan I use for this recipe, as well as many others here on the site. It’s affordable and absolutely a worthy purchase for your own kitchen.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 2 TBSP soy sauce, plus extra for serving/seasoning
- 1 TBSP sugar
- 3 tsp corn starch
- 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
- 2 TBSP vegetable or canola oil
- 1.5 pounds steak bites (the pre-cut steak in your grocer’s deli section)
- 1 cup drained cabbage kimchi + 1 TBSP of the brine
- 3 to 4 garlic cloves, minced or grated
- 1-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and grated or minced
- 2 cup fresh or canned bean sprouts
- 5 green onions, cut into 1-inch pieces
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, sugar, cornstarch, sesame oil, and 1/2 cup water. Stir until smooth and well-combined.Â
- In a large 12-inch skillet or pan over med-high to high heat, heat 1 TBSP of the vegetable or canola oil until shimmering and (working in batches if necessary) cook the steak pieces, in a single layer without stirring, for about a minute. Stir and cook until brown and crusty. Transfer the browned steak to a plate and set aside for now.
- Reduce the heat to medium. Add the remaining TBSP of oil to the pan and add the kimchi and the brine and cook, stirring occasionally, until heated through. Add the bean sprouts and cook for an additional few seconds to warm through. Push these cooked veggies to the side and add the garlic and ginger to the skillet. Cook, stirring the whole time, for about 15 seconds to allow their flavors to bloom. Garlic burns easily so just watch that. Stir the garlic-ginger mixture into the kimchi/sprouts, combing everything.Â
- Stir in the beef and the scallions, along with the juices from the meat (flavor!). Whisk the sauce and pour it over the contents of the pan. Cook, stirring/tossing constantly, for about 30 seconds so the sauce can thicken and coat everything nicely. Taste for seasoning and add extra soy sauce or a pinch of sugar if you like (I often do). Serve hot.