Slow Cooker Korean Beef (Print Version)

Tender beef cooked slowly in a savory Korean sauce with garlic, ginger, and sesame flavors.

# What You'll Need:

→ Beef

01 - 2 lbs beef chuck roast, 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 - 1 tablespoon sesame oil
07 - 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
08 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
09 - 2 tablespoons gochujang (Korean chili paste)
10 - 2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds

→ Vegetables & Garnishes

11 - 4 green onions, thinly sliced, divided
12 - 1 tablespoon sesame seeds, for garnish
13 - Optional: sliced red chili, for garnish

# How to Cook:

01 - Whisk together soy sauce, brown sugar, water, rice vinegar, sesame oil, ginger, garlic, gochujang, and toasted sesame seeds in a medium bowl until smooth.
02 - Place beef chunks in the slow cooker. Pour sauce over the beef, turning to coat evenly.
03 - Scatter half of the green onions over the beef.
04 - Cover and cook on low for 7 hours, or until beef is very tender and can be easily shredded with a fork.
05 - Shred the beef directly in the slow cooker using two forks. Stir to coat with the sauce.
06 - Serve hot over steamed rice, in lettuce wraps, or with steamed vegetables. Garnish with remaining green onions, sesame seeds, and optional sliced red chili.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The beef becomes impossibly tender, practically falling apart when you look at it wrong
  • The sauce hits every craving, salty and sweet with just enough warmth from gochujang
  • Mostly hands off cooking while your slow cooker does all the heavy lifting
02 -
  • The sauce thickens as it cooks, so resist the urge to add more liquid unless it looks completely dry
  • Letting the beef rest for about 15 minutes before shredding makes it easier to handle and more flavorful
  • This recipe makes excellent meal prep and actually tastes better on day two
03 -
  • Adding a tablespoon of pear or apple puree to the sauce mimics the traditional Korean technique of using Asian pear for tenderization
  • If your sauce seems too thin at the end, remove the lid and cook on high for 30 minutes to reduce

Go Back