Crock Pot Korean Beef (Printable View)

Tender beef slow cooked in Korean-inspired sauce with gochujang, soy, and ginger. Perfect for easy weeknight dinners.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Beef

01 - 2 lbs beef chuck roast, cut into 2-inch cubes

→ Sauce

02 - 1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce
03 - 1/3 cup brown sugar, packed
04 - 1/4 cup sesame oil
05 - 1/4 cup rice vinegar
06 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
07 - 2 tablespoons fresh ginger, grated
08 - 2 tablespoons gochujang (Korean chili paste)
09 - 1 tablespoon cornstarch
10 - 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

→ Vegetables and Garnishes

11 - 1 large onion, sliced
12 - 2 green onions, thinly sliced
13 - 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
14 - Cooked jasmine or short-grain rice, for serving (optional)

# Cooking Steps:

01 - Whisk together soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, rice vinegar, garlic, ginger, gochujang, cornstarch, and black pepper in a medium bowl until completely smooth and well combined.
02 - Arrange beef cubes and sliced onion evenly in the crock pot. Pour the prepared sauce over the meat and vegetables, stirring gently to ensure everything is thoroughly coated.
03 - Cover and cook on LOW setting for 6-7 hours until the beef becomes fork-tender and easily shreds apart.
04 - Skim any excess fat from the surface. Shred the beef gently using two forks, mixing it well with the sauce. Serve hot over rice or in lettuce wraps, garnished with green onions and sesame seeds.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The beef becomes impossibly tender, practically falling apart at the mere suggestion of a fork
  • The sauce develops this incredible depth that tastes like it simmered all day even though prep takes mere minutes
  • Leftords taste even better, making it the gift that keeps on giving for busy weekdays
02 -
  • Resist the urge to lift the lid during cooking, every peek adds valuable cooking time and affects the final texture
  • The sauce will look thin at first but thickens beautifully as the cornstarch activates and the sauce reduces
  • Chuck roast can vary in tenderness, so the fork test is more reliable than watching the clock
03 -
  • Cut your beef into slightly larger pieces than you think necessary, it will shrink during cooking
  • Toast your sesame seeds in a dry pan for 2-3 minutes before garnishing for maximum flavor impact

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