My Asian cooking continues. I had so much fun (and such a tasty result!) with my Aromatic Noodles with Peanut-Lime Sauce, I decided to try another Asian recipe. This time, though, I wanted to go a little more authentic. Williams-Sonoma has never failed me before, so I pulled down their Asian cookbook I bought a couple of years ago. I quickly chose the following recipe because it looked great and didn’t require many specialty ingredients I’d be left wondering how to use up. This beef was very easy to prepare. Another win for the Asian cooking column! 
Korean Barbecued Beef Williams-Sonoma, Asian Ingredients:
1 1/2 lb. beef tenderloin, about 5 inches thick 4 cloves garlic, chopped 1 TBSP plus 1/2 tsp. sugar 6 TBSP light soy sauce 1 TBSP dark soy sauce (tamari)
1 TBSP plus1 tsp. sesame oil 2 TBSP rice vinegar 5 green onions, minced, plus more for garnish 1 tsp. peeled and grated ginger 2 TBSP sesame seeds, toasted and crushed 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper 2 TBSP water 1 tsp. Sriracha chile sauce
1 TBSP canola oil or cooking spray
Directions: 1. Cut the beef across the grain into slices 1/8 inch thick. 2. Use the side of the blade of a chef’s knife or cleaver to mash together three-fourths of the chopped garlic and 1 TBSP of sugar, forming a paste. 3. To make the marinade, place the paste in a bowl and stir in 3 TBSP light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, 1 TBSP sesame oil, 1 TBSP of vinegar, all but 1 TBSP of the minced green onions, ginger, 1 TBSP of the sesame seeds, black pepper, and 1 TBSP water. Whisk to combine. 4. Place the sliced beef in a shallow glass or plastic bowl and pour marinade on top. Mix well, cover, and refrigerate for 1–3 hours. 5. Meanwhile, make dipping sauce. Make a paste with the remaining garlic and 1/2 tsp. sugar. Place the paste in a bowl and whisk in the remaining 3 TBSP light soy sauce, 1 TBSP vinegar, chile sauce, 1 tsp. sesame oil, reserved green onions, sesame seeds and water. Set aside until ready to serve. 6. Prepare a hot fire in a charcoal grill or a non-stick saute pan over high heat. Brush with canola oil or spray with cooking spray. 7. Remove beef from marinade and pat dry. Discard extra marinade. 8. Working in batches, arrange beef in a single layer. Sear, turning once, until crisp and brown on both sides, about 2 minutes per side.
Mmm… my husband doesn’t eat beef but I do on very rare occassions, such as eating korean food! I love Kalbi/Galbi and I’ve found using pear or asian pear juice in the marinade adds a nice subtle sweetness to the meat. I’ll have to try this recipe since its a bit different using beef tenderloin but regardless, it looks delicious!!
Thanks for the great suggestion, Joelen! I love the idea of using Asian pear juice or even grating a bit of pear into the dipping sauce. That way I get to eat what’s left!