Bulgogi Burger

Andy | Lunch | Korean

Prep time: 25 minutes Cook time: 10 minutes Servings: 4

Have you clicked on this recipe and are wondering what a bulgogi burger is? Well it's a blend of two great dishes. The first being a burger and the second a Korean bulgogi, which is thinly sliced beef that's marinated in soy, sesame, garlic and grated pear and then seared before serving with a range of sides like rice, grilled greens etc. This dish add all those delicious Bulgogi flavours to the burger patty before it's goes on the grill and then stack on a burger with lettuce, tomato, cheese and a kimchi mayonnaise.

So if you're wanting to try a new burger, I would highly recommend giving this a try!

Ingredient Notes

Beef mince: For this recipe, we're going to use a 80/20 lean to fat ratio which gives us a nice amount of fat to hold the burger together and make it nice a juicy once it's been grilled. If you are grinding your own mince, I recommend going for a fine grind as it binds better and has a nicer texture than a coarse grind.

Kimchi: You can use any Kimchi from the supermarket or Asian grocer, you just want an older/more sour kimchi to balance with the fat in the mayo. Be sure to drain it properly before mixing with the mayonnaise otherwise the brine with thin the mayo out too much.

Honey: We're using honey to sweeten the beef in this recipe but the traditional bulgogi generally uses grated pear. If you would prefer to use pear, just use half and grate it.

Equipment List

Charcoal or gas BBQ
Burger flipper
Large bowl
Kitchen scales
Parchment paper
Flat tray
Flat tray with a resting rack
Fine grater
Chopping board
Chef’s knife

Ingredients

1kg 80/20 (lean meat to fat ratio) beef mince
1/2 white onion
8 cloves garlic
1 ½ tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp sesame oil
1 ½ tbsp runny honey
½ lettuce (butter or iceberg)
2 tomatoes
8 slices sliced cheddar cheese
80g (½ cup) kimchi
60g (¼ cup) mayonnaise
4 sesame seed burger buns.
Salt to taste

Directions

Prep burger patties
Preheat a charcoal or gas BBQ on high.
Grab a large bowl and add in the beef mince. Peel and finely dice the onion, then toss it in. Next, peel and finely grate the garlic straight into the bowl before adding the soy sauce, sesame oil, and honey.
Use clean hands to massage the ingredients together until well combined. Divide the mixture into eight even sized balls, 135g each. Flatten the balls into patties, a bit wider than the burger buns. Set aside between parchment paper.
Prep other ingredients
Drain the excess juice off the kimchi and tip it into the mayonnaise. Run your knife through the kimchi a few times until it’s roughly chopped into small pieces. Stir the chopped kimchi into the mayonnaise until there are no streaks. Set aside until you’re ready to assemble.
Finely slice the lettuce and tomato before setting aside.
Cook and assemble
Season the patties on either side before placing them on the grill. Sear on each side for 2-3 minutes before adding a slice of cheese to each patty. Place the patties on a tray with a wire rack to allow the cheese to melt while the patties rest.
In the meantime, slice the burger buns in half and lightly toast them on the cut side until golden brown.
Once toasted, spoon a generous portion of kimchi mayonnaise on both halves of the burger bun. To the bottom bun, add the lettuce, then the tomato slices. Season the tomato with a pinch of salt. Top with the bulgogi patties and fit with the top bun before serving.

Recipe notes

Chef's Notes

Patties wider than the buns

Flatten the burger patties out wider than the burger buns to allow for shrinkage once the patties have cooked. For this recipe I like to use a lean meat to fat ratio of 80 percent lean meat, 20 percent fat. That fat makes the burger juicy and full of flavour. If you’re grinding your own mince or if you have a good butcher, use finely ground beef because it tends to stick together better and has a nicer mouthfeel.

Coals to one side

If you’re using a charcoal barbecue, the fat that renders out of the patty can sometimes cause flare ups, where the flames touch the meat. To avoid this, push the coals to one side. When you notice a flare up, move the patties to the other side of the grill to allow the flames to subside. If you don’t have a BBQ at home, then a hot cast iron or heavy based pan will do the trick.

Serving ideas

When I make this recipe at home I usually make twice the amount of kimchi mayonnaise I need and serve the burger with some freshly cooked chips, using the extra mayonnaise to dip the chips into. If you’d prefer a healthier alternative I think the freshness of a crunchy cucumber salad or some home-made pickles always goes down well.

FAQs

Can I cook these without a BBQ? Yes. A heavy based cast iron pan over high heat gives you a better crust than most grills do, you just miss the smoke. Get the pan properly hot before the patties go in, cook two at a time so you don’t drop the temperature, and open a window.

Two patties per burger is a lot of beef. Can I scale it back? It works out at 270g of meat a serve, which is plenty for most people. Either halve the patty ingredients and serve one per bun, or keep the mince as is and double everything else to make eight burgers.

How do I make it gluten free? Swap the burger buns for gluten free ones and use tamari in place of the soy sauce, since most soy sauce is brewed with wheat. Check the kimchi label too. Most brands are gluten free but some use a wheat-based starch in the paste.