Korean Beef

You don’t need fancy ingredients to recreate the flavors in traditional Korean beef bulgogi, the dish that inspired today’s Korean beef recipe. Soy sauce, fresh garlic, and ginger work together with diced apples and orange juice to make this version approachable AND flavorful.

The Instant Pot achieves tender, juicy, shreddable results in a fraction of the time, and I can’t wait to make this again. I served this juicy beef over rice this time, but I’m already planning to make Korean beef tacos next!

Why I’m Obsessed With This Easy Korean Beef Recipe

• Korean-style flavors. This Korean beef recipe combines the Instant Pot method with juicy bottom roast and a mild and citrusy, Asian-inspired sauce. It’s savory, zesty, and lick-your-fingers good!
• One pot, baby! Using the Instant Pot means that we can sear and cook this beef in one pot from start to finish. Perfect for busy weeknights.
• Juicy, tender beef in under an hour. The beef cooks for a short while on high pressure and then shreds up like a dream. You don’t even have to shred it if you cube the meat small enough, but I like how the shredded meat soaks up all of the tasty sauce.
• Versatile. Korean beef goes great with rice, or you can add it to tacos, noodles, lettuce wraps, or serve this shredded beef between soft Hawaiian rolls to make game day sliders.

Ingredients Needed

Like my Chinese-style beef and broccoli and Thai peanut chicken, I set out to recreate the flavors in beef bulgogi using everyday, uncomplicated pantry ingredients. Here’s a look at what you’ll need. Refer to the printable recipe card below the post for the full amounts and step-by-step recipe instructions.

• Beef Roast – I chose a bottom round roast for this recipe. Cut the beef into cubes so it’s easier to fit inside the Instant Pot. Make sure they’re cut to the same size, so the meat cooks evenly.
• Oil – Olive oil, or another mild cooking oil, for searing. 
• Beef Broth – Pressure cooking requires liquid. So, to amp up the beefy flavors, I add beef broth. You could use chicken stock in a pinch, but it won’t have quite the same depth of flavor.
• Soy Sauce – You’ll need a good amount of soy sauce for this recipe, so I don’t recommend substituting it. Use low-sodium soy sauce for less salt. 
• Garlic – Try to use freshly minced garlic. If not, substitute each clove with 1 tablespoon of jarred garlic or garlic paste.
• Ginger – Like the garlic, the ginger should be fresh. A 1-inch knob of fresh ginger will typically give you about 1 tablespoon when grated.
• Apple – Peeled and chopped. I like to use Granny Smith, but any firm-crisp apple works, like Fuji or Gala. You could also use a pear.
• Orange Juice – Fresh is always best. You’ll need the juice from one large orange or two small ones. In a pinch, you can use ¼-⅓ cup of store-bought orange juice (not from concentrate).

Can I Use Another Cut of Beef?

Yes, but with a caveat: Different cuts of beef may have different cooking times in the Instant Pot. Chuck roast, for example, will need slightly longer to cook. I recommend choosing a similar cut, like top round roast, if bottom round isn’t available.

How to Make Korean Beef in the Instant Pot

Pressure cooking is an easy way to tenderize slow-cooking cuts of beef, like the roast in this recipe, at the last minute. It’s a reassuring option when I know I won’t have time to load up my slow cooker in the morning.

1. Prepare the beef. Cube the roast, then season the pieces liberally with salt and pepper.
2. Next, set the Instant Pot to sauté. Brown the beef chunks on all sides. You’ll likely need to brown the meat in batches, so it doesn’t steam.
3. Deglaze the pot. Transfer the cooked beef to a plate. Deglaze the IP with beef broth, scraping up the stuck-on bits on the bottom. Make sure to use a non-metal spatula for this!
4. Put it all together. Add the soy sauce to the broth, then add the beef back to the pot. Stir in the garlic, diced apples (or pears), grated ginger, and freshly squeezed orange juice.
5. Seal and cook. Close the lid, and set the Instant Pot to cook on Manual/High Pressure for 45 minutes. Double-check that the valve is closed before you hit start.
6. Release the pressure and shred the beef. Once the cooking time is up, quick-release the steam. Carefully open the lid, and use two forks to shred the meat, stirring it back into the sauce. You’re ready to serve!

Slow Cooker Method

Of course, the Instant Pot slow-cooks, too, which makes it super versatile. If you’d prefer to make this beef recipe using the slow cooking setting, or if you have another slow cooker or crockpot, you can absolutely do it that way.

Follow the steps as written, assembling the ingredients in the slow cooker instead. Cover and cook the beef on High for 4 hours, or on Low for 6-7 hours. Set it to cook in the morning, and come home to delicious Korean beef that’s ready to shred! 

Recipe Tips

• Cut the beef into the same-sized pieces. I mentioned this earlier, but it helps the beef cook through at the same rate.
• Make it spicy. Prepared as written, this recipe is very mild. I spiced mine up with a little chili oil to give it an extra kick. If your whole family likes spice, add crushed red pepper flakes into the sauce as well. You might also like to try my spicy Asian fire meat recipe.
• The Instant Pot takes time to come to pressure. Note that the cooking time in the recipe does not include the time it takes the IP to come to pressure. This can take an additional 5-20 minutes or so, depending on the contents. Think of it like preheating the oven, and plan accordingly!
• Serve on the Keep Warm setting. Whenever I’m serving this Instant Pot Korean beef to a crowd, say, for game day or a family gathering, I’ll switch the pot to its Keep Warm setting. This way, the beef stays hot, and everyone can help themselves.

What to Serve With Korean Beef

Serve Korean beef over a bed of jasmine rice and a rainbow crunch salad on the side. Or, add this beef to spicy sesame noodles or try a version of this homemade pork ramen with shredded Korean beef instead of pork. 

Tuck this flavorful beef into slider sandwiches or dinner rolls, and I think it would make wonderful beef tacos topped with crunchy slaw and a squeeze of lime.

How to Store and Reheat Leftover Beef

• Refrigerate. Korean beef is great for meal prep. Cook it on a weekend, and store the cooled beef in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. It’s ready to portion over rice for easy meals throughout the week!
• Reheat. To reheat the shredded beef, warm it in a skillet on the stove or in the microwave. If you find the beef a bit dry, add a splash of beef broth.
• Freeze. Once cooled, seal this Korean beef inside a freezer bag or container and freeze it for up to 2 months. Thaw the beef in the fridge overnight before you reheat it.

More Asian-Inspired Dinner Ideas

• Mongolian Pork
• Peanut Ginger Chicken
• Honey Sesame Chicken
• Bang Bang Meatballs
• Easy Fried Rice