Korean-Style Beef Bulgogi Burgers
This week, throughout much of the country, the weather will be hovering somewhere between summer and fall. Don’t I sound like a meteorologist? It will be the perfect time to fire up your grill and give these Korean-Style Beef Bulgogi Burgers a try. The recipe is courtesy of Jennifer Segal, of Once Upon A Chef fame, who played around with a Korean classic and came up with an accessible, family-friendly, crowd-pleasing burger.
As many of you know, beef bulgogi is a traditional Korean dish usually made by stir frying thinly sliced marinated beef. It is tasty and beloved. There are many versions out there and the recipe for Korean Beef Bowls (using ground beef), here on Sly Rooster, is another spin on bulgogi that continues to be a favorite of many. It’s one of the few recipes that I have the time to make over and over again, much to the delight of my kids.
These Korean-Style Beef Bulgogi Burgers incorporate all of the ingredients that would normally be found in the bulgogi marinade and packs them into burger patties. The result…mouthwateringly juicy, flavor bombs! Throw these burgers on a bun (or not) and top with a dollop of the spicy sauce (or not) and you just may never eat another Burger. Enjoy!
- For the Burgers
- 3 Tbls soy sauce
- 1 Tbls Asian sesame oil
- 1-1/2 Tbls packed dark brown sugar
- 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
- 1/4 tsp ground ginger
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 slice white or whole wheat sandwich bread, crusts removed and torn into 1/4-inch pieces
- 1-1/2 pounds 85% lean ground beef
- 1/2 c chopped scallions, from 4 to 5 scallions
- 5 hamburger buns
- Lettuce leaves, for serving (optional)
- For the Chili Mayonnaise
- 3/4 c mayonnaise, best quality such as Hellmann’s or Duke’s
- 1/4 c Asian chili sauce, such as Sambal Oelek (available in Asian aisle of most supermarkets)
- 1/4 tsp granulated sugar
- Preheat grill to high heat.
- In a large bowl, combine the soy sauce, sesame oil, brown sugar, red pepper flakes, ginger, garlic, and sandwich bread. Stir, then let the mixture sit for a few minutes to allow the bread to soften.
- Mash the mixture with a fork into a paste (it won’t get completely smooth, but try to get it as uniform as possible).
- Add the beef and scallions. Using your hand, mix until well combined.
- Divide the mixture into 5 equal portions, shaping each into loose balls. Flatten the balls into 3/4-inch thick patties about 4-1/2 inches around. Form a slight depression in the center of each patty to prevent the burgers from puffing up on the grill.
- Place the patties on a grill rack coated with cooking spray.
- Grill, covered, until nicely browned on the first side, 2-4 minutes. Flip burgers and continue cooking for a few minutes more until desired doneness is reached.
- Before serving, toast the buns on the cooler side of the grill if desired.
- Place 1 patty on bottom half of each bun; top each serving with lettuce leaves, chili-mayonnaise, and top half of bun.
- For the Chili Mayonniase
- In a small bowl, mix together the mayonnaise, Asian chili sauce, and sugar. (Note that this makes a spicy sauce; use less Asian chili sauce for a milder version.)
- The patties can be made a day ahead of time. Place them on a sheet pan lined with aluminum foil and cover tightly with saran wrap.
- The uncooked burgers can be frozen for up to three months. (Freeze the burgers on a baking sheet or plate so their shape sets, then transfer them to a sealable plastic bag for easy storage.)