Yukjeon. It’s the Korean word for pan-fried beef! It’s a popular type of Korean pancake (known as jeon) that is made during Korean thanksgiving.
So which cut of beef should I use? We prefer eye-of-round cut.
It’s a very lean meat – with little fat, collagen or connective tissue. But it has a good beefy flavor. That’s why many deli shops use to make it cold-cut roast beef.
Not to mention - eye of round is a very budget friendly cut.
The other option is visit a Korean mart. Ask them for hong-du-kkeh-sal (홍두깨살). This is the Korean word for eye-of-round and it often comes pre-sliced in packages like this:
Traditional vs. Crispy
Now, the traditional way to make jeon is first, a light coating in Korean pancake mix (or flour), followed by a coating of beaten eggs.
But I’ve also seen restaurants in Seoul serve this specific jeon with a slightly-thicker, crispier coating.
The trick is double-dipping. After the coating of egg dip, toss the beef pieces back into the Korean Pancake Mix.
The extra coating of flour will develop mini crumbles on top of the beef surface.
If you don’t have Korean Pancake mix, it’s okay!
You can also use all-purpose flour. However, I would recommend mixing 1-2 Tablespoons of Corn Starch Powder or Potato Starch Powder to the flour.
Cooking Notes:
When seasoning the meat pieces, feel free to go beyond salt & pepper – you can add a few shakes of onion or ginger powder if you’d like.
After the meat pieces come out the frying pan, set them on a paper towel to drip off excess oil. At this time, don’t forget to season them with a few shakes of salt!
Now, in regards to the Spicy Salad - if you don’t have Maesil (Korean Plum Syrup) - you can order here at Gochujar. Or you can use another substitute K-BBQ salad recipe (Salad B).
Hope you guys enjoy! And don’t forget to snap us a few photos on IG if you make it. Brightens up our day!
-Daniel out 🕺
Ingredients
Yukjeon Rice Bowl (1-Person Serving)
- 200 grams Thinly Sliced Beef (Use Eye of Round Cut)
- Few shakes Salt (To season meat)
- Few shakes Black pepper (To season meat)
Jeon Batter
- 1-2 cups Korean Pancake Mix (Or use All-Purpose Flour)
- 3-4 whole Eggs
Spicy Spring Onion Salad
- 1 stalk of Spring Onion
- ½ Tablespoon Gochujang
- 1 Tablespoon Gochugaru
- 1 Tablespoon Soy Sauce
- 1 Tablespoon Maesil
- 1 Tablespoon Sesame Oil
- 1 Tablespoon Sesame Seeds
Instructions
Make KBBQ Salad
- Cut your Spring Onion stalk into a pointer-finger length. (Note: Use a mix of both white and green portions.) Then use a knife and carefully separate the layers in the spring onion (reference video). Lay it flat and julienne the strips.
- Fill a small bowl with cold water. Soak the julienned strips. Set aside for 10-15 minutes.
- Afterwards, pour the water out through a strainer. Shake the strainer a few times so you can get excess water off the spring onion pieces.
- Make K-BBQ Marinade: Mix Gochujang (½ Tablespoon), Gochugaru (1 Tablespoon), Soy Sauce (1 Tablespoon), Maesil (1 Tablespoon), Sesame Oil (1 Tablespoon) and Sesame Seeds (1 Tablespoon).
Make Beef Jeon
- Place a cut of Eye of Round into the freezer for 15-20 minutes. Once the meat gets slightly hard, it will be easier to cut. Use a sharp knife and CAREFULLY cut into thin strips.
- Now, lay each strip of beef onto a paper towel. Use another paper towel to pat-down the meat. This will get rid of excess blood or liquid - we need the pieces dry. Season the pieces with a few pinches of salt and black pepper. (Optional: Add a few shakes of onion powder or ginger powder)
- Then take out two bowls or plates. In one bowl, crack 3 eggs and whisk it thoroughly. In another, place in the Korean Pancake Mix (or use All Purpose Flour). Note: If you will use AP Flour, I recommend mixing in 1-2 Tablespoons of Potato or Corn Starch Powder.
- Take each beef piece and coat it in the Korean Pancake Mix (or flour). Next, dip into the egg mix. Finally, dip it back into the Pancake Mix (or flour).
- Take out a frying pan. Turn on the heat and place in oil. Once the oil is hot, reduce the heat to a LOW. Carefully add-in each beef piece. Cook it until both the sides turn golden-brown.
- Once done, take them out and place onto a paper towel to drip-off excess oil. IMPORTANT: now season the pieces with a few pinches of salt (while the oil is hot!)
Make Yukjeon Bowl
- Scoop out some rice onto a bowl. Cut the Yukjeon beef pieces in half and arrange them around your bowl.
- Now Make the Salad: Place a few spoonfuls of the marinade onto the spring onion pieces and get it evenly coated.
- Place the salad into the middle of the bowl. Bon Appetit!
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