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Amazing and flavorful beef that slow cooks to tender melt in your mouth perfection! This will be one of the best meals that you will make!
When I started to do some research on a Korean Beef recipe, I found that the recipes are pretty similar to this Korean Ground Beef and Rice Bowls, Slow Cooker Mongolian Beef or Korean Ground Beef Stir Fry. What they have in common is unbelievably flavorful beef that is quick and easy to make and enjoy!
Slow Cooker Korean Beef
Slow Cooker Korean Beef first posted when my youngest sister had just left for college in Korea. We had a fun little going away party for her where I served this Korean beef and it was amazing! The flavors were out of this world and it was a huge hit at the party. As soon as it came out of the slow cooker we couldn’t stop eating it. The flavor is absolute perfection.
Cooking the flank steak low and slow made it so tender. The sweet and spicy sauce soaked into the meat and made every bite explode with flavor! This recipe instantly became a favorite here on the blog and in my family. It was definitely one of the best things that I have ever had! No wonder it quickly became so popular!
Ingredients for Korean Beef:
The ingredients in this slow cooker beef come together so well and you are going to love the flavor of this beef. It thickens up as it cooks and coats the chicken perfectly. Top with some sesame seeds and green onions and you will have a meal that you will make again and again!
- Flank Steak: Cut in thin slices against the grain to make it tender and juicy.
- Cornstarch: To thicken the sauce.
- Sesame Oil: Great Asian flavor and it will help other flavors soak into the beef.
- Garlic Cloves: Minced, these will give right flavor to the sauce.
- Soy Sauce: Adds a rich sweet and savory flavor.
- Beef broth: Liquid to cook the beef and adds a bit of flavor.
- Brown Sugar: Sweetness to balance out the other savory and spicy notes.
- Onion chopped: Adds moisture and deep flavor.
- Red pepper flakes: Add at the end of the cook time for a less spicy version. The red pepper spice will get stronger as it cooks.
- Garnish: Sesame seeds and green onions
How to Slow Cook Korean Beef:
This melt in your mouth tender beef takes only minutes to get started in a slow cooker. Simply cut your steak into strips, fill your crock pot with all the ingredients, and sit back and enjoy the delicious smell of dinner cooking!
- Prepare flank steak: Cut flank steak into thin strips. In a ziplock bag add flank steak pieces and cornstarch. Shake to coat.
- Combine ingredients in slow cooker: Add sesame oil, minced garlic, soy sauce, beef broth, brown sugar, onion, and red pepper flakes to the slow cooker. Stir ingredients. Add coated flank steak and stir again until coated in the sauce.
- Cook for high 2-3 hours or on low 4-5 hours until cooked throughout and tender.
- Serve: Plate flank steak over rice and garnish with green onions.
Tips for the Most Tender Beef:
I love cooking beef in the slow cooker because it cooks the meat so well. It is one of my favorite ways to cook it. The juicy beef gets so tender it falls apart in your mouth. That’s great news for a meat that can sometimes turn tough and dry when it cooks! Here are my expert tips to make this the best Korean beef you have ever made!
- Slicing flank steak: The easiest way to slice your beef is to cut it when it is very cold. Cut against the grain.
- Variations: Add broccoli in at the end of the cook time for a nice crunch. Or add it in about halfway through cook time for softer brocccoli.
- Serving ideas: Serving with rice is a classic favorite. However, if you are watching your carbs you may want to try cauliflower rice or zucchini noodles instead. Add a colorful Asian Salad for a complete meal.
Storing Slow Cooker Beef:
After buying flank steak at the store you can refrigerate it for 3-5 days. If you are not ready to cook this delicious recipe right away you will want to freeze it until you are ready to cook it. Before freezing it, place extra airtight wrap around the store bought packaging to reduce freezer burn. The uncooked meat can stay frozen for 6-12 months.
Once you have cooked your perfect slow cooker beef, you will not want to miss the delicious leftovers! Eat them within 4 days if you are storing it in the refrigerator or 3 months if you decide to freeze your leftovers.
More Amazing Slow Cooker Beef Recipes:
- Slow Cooker Beef Bourguignon
- Best Ever Slow Cooker Beef Stew
- Slow Cooker Cashew Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry
- Korean Ground Beef Stir Fry
- Slow Cooker Barbacoa Beef
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Slow Cooker Korean Beef
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds Flank Steak
- ¼ cups cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons Sesame Oil
- ½ teaspoons mince Garlic Cloves
- 1/2 cups Soy Sauce
- 1/2 cup beef broth
- ¾ cups Brown Sugar
- 1/4 cup onion chopped
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- sesame seeds and green onions for garnish
Instructions
- Cut flank steak into thin strips. In a ziplock bag add flank steak pieces and cornstarch. Shake to coat.
- Add sesame oil, minced garlic, soy sauce, beef broth, brown sugar, onion, and red pepper flakes to the slow cooker. Stir ingredients. Add coated flank steak and stir again until coated in the sauce.
- Cook for high 2-3 hours or on low 4-5 hours until cooked throughout and tender. Can serve over rice and garnish with green onions.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Could I use Skirt steak instead of flank steak?
Yes, that’s a great substitute! I love using skirt steak as well because of how tender and juicy it is.
Can you replace the cornstarch with xantham gum?
Yes, I would just use less of it since xanthan gum is a stronger thickener.
This was so delicious and so easy! I’m amazed at the flavor with so little ingredients. I made this exactly as written except I used less brown sugar. I will definitely make this again! Thank you so much for this recipe! 💖
Hi Alyssa, omg I made your chicken and pineapple stir fry last nite for dinner and wowee, everybody LOVED IT!!! SO darned easy and SO much better than store bought takeaway … Thank you you are an inspiration to this cook who had lost all inspiration to do anything new….blessings..I will be trying so many more of your awesome recipes, chicka. X
for the Korean beef recipe, do you use sesame oil which has no flavor or do you use sesame seed oil that taste much better?
You can use whichever you prefer! I have the one that I used linked in the recipe!
If your sesame oil tastes like nothing it’s either old or bad. I’ve never used anything called sesame seed oil but sesame oil will give you sufficient sesame flavor.
Easy and tasty recipe! I use Splenda brown sugar, a healthy 1/4 teaspoon of red pepper flakes, and low sodium Tamari sauce, works perfectly every time. Served over riced cauliflower and a side of a green veggie and dinner is on the table. Thanks for sharing the recipe.
HI! Is there a reason no pear juice or sriracha in this recipe like your bulgolgi recipe? Also, Can i substitute brisket for flank steak? Does that affect that quantities or time?
I would stick to flank steak on this recipe. I haven’t tried it with brisket before! Let me know if you do and how it turns out!
Wonderful recipe. To make things easier, I buy meat that is pre sliced for stir fry or fajitas and just take care to separate all the slices. I do everything else exactly as the recipe calls for and the outcome is amazing. I serve with rice and broccoli on the side. With a crock pot liner, rice cooker and steamable bag of broccoli, this takes very little time to pull together and cleanup is fast. Crock pot liners are a life saver.
Buy the already sliced meat also, then follow the recipe. Stir fry veggies for my side. Delicious!
Easy to make and so delicious!! A family favorite!!
I want to cut the recipe in half – should I alter the cook time?
Yes, you will want to cook it 2 to 3 hours or until the meat reaches an internal temperature of at least 145 degrees Fahrenheit.
Cok for 2-3 hrs on high or low?
On high!
We made this tonight, unfortunately all I had was stew meat. It was very tender and the taste was great. We added broccoli to it also. Will definitely make it again.
I have been making this dish for over 40 yrs. Family favorite
.The only difference is I use bean sprouts in place of the broccoli and the broccoli is the side dish
If you like bean sprouts you’re going to love this variation. Any leftover juice from meal? Add leftover rice and you have fried rice..
I made this last night and it was very good. It cooked for 4 hours on low and decided to add a slurry to thicken it up a bit more. It was perfect! I used flank steak which used to be inexpensive but cost me over $18.00 for 1.58 lbs. I would definitely make this again.
My Korean friends say this doesn’t taste *quite* as good as the recipes they know, but it sure satisfied me! Thanks for the recipe.
So Koreans didn’t think bulgogi made in a slow cooker tasted as good as authentic bulgogi…hmmm, odd?!?!
Made using just11 oz of ribeye so I had to scale back ingredient quantities but it tastes great. I ate with riced cauliflower and broccoli. Would definitely make again!
I should’ve read the reviews first. Quite nice but way too sweet. Even my sweet tooth 11 year old commented that it was too sweet for him.
I’ll try again without as much sugar as others suggest.