Korean-Inspired Beef Bulgogi (Skillet)

Steps

1. In a large bowl, stir together all the

   marinade (how to marinate)

   Marinate Soak food in a seasoned liquid before cooking, to flavor the surface (and, with salt, keep it juicy). 1. Mix the marinade in a bowl or zip-top bag.2. Add the food, turn to coat, and press out the air.3. Marinate in the fridge, never on the counter: fish 15 to 30 minutes, chicken 1 to 12 hours, beef and pork up to 24.4. Lift the food out, let the extra drip off and pat it dry so it browns. Done when: The food is coated and has soaked the time the recipe asks; longer isn't always better, as acid can turn meat mushy. Safety: Throw away marinade that touched raw meat, or boil it for a full minute before using it as a sauce. Raw meat, poultry and fish juices carry germs: use a separate board, wash your hands and tools after, and cook to a safe temperature checked with a thermometer.How to marinate meat safely: mistakes to avoid

   ingredients.
2. Add the beef and toss to coat every slice. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 8 hours.
   ⏱ Marinate: 30 min
3. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers.
4. Lift about a third of the beef from the marinade, letting it drip, and spread it in the pan in a single layer. Cook without stirring until

   browned (how to brown)

   Brown Cook food in a hot pan until its surface turns brown, which adds rich, roasted flavor. 1. Pat the food dry; for ground meat, let the pan get hot first.2. Add a little oil and spread the food in one layer.3. Leave it alone for a few minutes so the bottom browns, then turn or break it up.4. Work in batches if it won't fit in one layer.5. Pour off extra fat if the recipe says to. Done when: Most surfaces are brown, not gray, and the bottom of the pan has browned bits (they are flavor, not burn). Safety: Hot oil spatters: dry the food first, lay it in the pan moving away from you, and keep a lid nearby. Never put water on an oil fire; slide the lid over it and turn off the heat. Browned outside doesn't mean cooked inside: ground beef needs 160°F, poultry 165°F.How to brown meat and vegetables: mistakes to avoid

   on the bottom.
   ⏱ Sear: 2 min
5. Flip and stir the beef until no pink remains and the edges are

   caramelized (how to caramelize)

   Caramelize Cook food until its natural sugars brown into deep, sweet, nutty flavor. 1. For onions: slice them evenly and cook in butter or oil over medium-low heat with a pinch of salt.2. Stir every few minutes, scraping up the browned layer from the pan.3. If the bottom starts to scorch, add a splash of water and scrape.4. Keep going until they are soft and amber, 35 to 50 minutes.5. For sugar, heat it in a heavy pan, swirling rather than stirring, until amber. Done when: Onions are jammy and deep golden brown; sugar is the color of a copper penny and smells like toffee. Safety: Melted sugar is far hotter than boiling water and sticks to skin. Don't taste it, and add liquids to caramel slowly; it bubbles up hard.How to caramelize onions and sugar: mistakes to avoid

   . Thin slices pass the safe 145°F (63°C) quickly.
   ⏱ Finish batch: 1 min
6. Move the beef to a platter and cook the rest in batches, adding more oil as needed. Throw away the leftover marinade.
7. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve with rice, lettuce leaves and kimchi.

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Tips

• Freeze the steak for 30 minutes, then slice it as thin as you can. Some stores sell pre-sliced beef for hot pot or shabu-shabu that works perfectly.
• Don't marinate longer than 8 hours: the pear keeps tenderizing and the beef turns mushy.

Storage

Refrigerate cooked beef up to 3 days.

Make ahead

Freeze the raw beef in its marinade in a zip-top bag up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and cook.

Cook once, eat twice: Double it (8 servings instead of 4): cook one batch and freeze the other before cooking, the way its make-ahead note says. It keeps 3 months frozen, by the make-ahead note above. Print a freezer label · More freezer meals

How long leftovers keep, and freezing and reheating: leftovers and storage. In season: pears (August to November).