Korean Beef Crock Pot Meal (Print version)

Slow-cooked beef in Korean-inspired sauce with rice, green onions, and sesame seeds. Easy, flavorful meal.

# Ingredient List:

→ Beef

01 - 2 lbs beef chuck roast, trimmed and cut into large chunks

→ Sauce

02 - 1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce
03 - 1/3 cup brown sugar
04 - 1/4 cup water
05 - 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
06 - 2 tablespoons sesame oil
07 - 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
08 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
09 - 1 tablespoon gochujang (Korean chili paste) or 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
10 - 1 pear, grated (Asian pear preferred, or Bosc pear/apple substitute)
11 - 1 tablespoon cornstarch

→ To Serve

12 - 4 cups cooked jasmine or short grain rice
13 - 2 green onions, sliced
14 - 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

# How To Make It:

01 - In a medium bowl, whisk together soy sauce, brown sugar, water, rice vinegar, sesame oil, ginger, garlic, gochujang, and grated pear until well combined.
02 - Place beef chunks in the bottom of the crock pot. Pour the sauce over the beef, ensuring all pieces are evenly coated.
03 - Cover and cook on low for 6-7 hours, or until beef is incredibly tender and shreds easily with a fork.
04 - Remove beef from the crock pot and shred using two forks.
05 - Skim excess fat off the sauce in the crock pot. In a small bowl, mix cornstarch with 2 tablespoons cold water to form a slurry. Stir the slurry into the sauce.
06 - Return shredded beef to the crock pot. Stir to coat the beef in the thickened sauce. Cook on high for another 15 minutes, or until sauce reaches desired consistency.
07 - Serve hot over cooked rice, garnished with sliced green onions and toasted sesame seeds.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The beef becomes so tender it falls apart with just a fork, no knife needed at the table
  • The sauce develops this incredible depth you can only get from hours of slow mingling flavors
  • Everything happens in one pot, meaning almost zero cleanup but maximum payoff
02 -
  • Resist the urge to lift the lid too often, every time you do you add about 15 minutes to the cooking time
  • The cornstarch step is non-negotiable if you want that restaurant-quality sauce that clings to the beef
  • Fat rendering is normal and necessary, but do skim before thickening or the final sauce will be too greasy
03 -
  • Trim excess fat before cooking, but leave about ¼ inch for flavor and moisture
  • Low and slow is non-negotiable, high heat makes the beef tough and stringy

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