Description
This Easy Slow Cooker Korean Beef is tender, flavorful, and slightly sweet, inspired by the classic Korean bulgogi. Utilizing pantry staples like honey, soy sauce, and gochujang, it's a simple dump-and-go recipe perfect for busy days. The slow cooker breaks down the chuck roast to a melt-in-your-mouth texture, ideal for serving in rice bowls, tacos, lettuce wraps, or alongside simple sides. Family-friendly and freezer-friendly, it’s a versatile meal that fits various serving styles and preferences.
Ingredients
Beef
- 3 lb chuck roast (trimmed of excess fat)
- Ground black pepper (to taste)
- Optional: Salt to taste
Sauce
- 1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce
- 1/3 cup low sodium beef broth
- 1/4 cup honey
- 2 tablespoons gochujang sauce (plus more to taste at end)
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar (unseasoned)
- 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon dried minced onion
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger (substitute: ginger paste)
Instructions
- Season Beef: Place the trimmed chuck roast in the slow cooker and season all sides generously with ground black pepper.
- Make Sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, beef broth, honey, gochujang, rice vinegar, sesame oil, dried minced onion, minced garlic, and minced ginger until fully combined. Pour this sauce evenly over the chuck roast in the slow cooker.
- Slow Cook: Cover the slow cooker and cook on LOW for 8-10 hours or HIGH for 5-6 hours, until the beef is tender and shreds easily with a fork.
- Shred & Serve: Remove the beef from the slow cooker and shred it using two large forks, discarding any large pieces of fat. Stir the shredded beef back into the sauce in the slow cooker. Taste and season with salt if needed before serving.
- Serving Suggestions: Serve the Korean shredded beef over rice bowls topped with kimchi, shredded carrots, sliced cucumber, pickled red onions, green onions, sesame seeds, extra gochujang, or a fried/soft-boiled egg. Alternatively, use it as a filling for tacos or lettuce wraps, or serve simply with rice or noodles and roasted vegetables.
Notes
- This recipe is intentionally mild; add extra gochujang at the end to increase spice level.
- For Instant Pot instructions, cut chuck roast into 2x2 inch pieces, season with pepper, cover with sauce, and cook on high pressure for 30 minutes with natural release. Then shred and serve.
- Gochujang is a Korean fermented chili paste, found in the Asian aisle; sriracha can be used as a substitute but will alter flavor.
- For a gluten-free version, substitute soy sauce with coconut aminos or gluten-free tamari and ensure gochujang is gluten-free.
- Meal prep friendly: portion cooked beef with rice and vegetables in containers for easy lunches.
- Store leftovers in the fridge for 3-5 days or freeze for up to 3 months.