Korean Grilled Beef

• Recipe by Julia Yoon

While most food trucks pick one spot and park there all day, Julia Yoon’s Seoul on Wheels truck makes several daily stops. At each stop, Yoon serves a variety of Korean classics, including bulgogi: thin slices of tender rib eye steak marinated in apple juice and soy sauce and quickly grilled over a hot fire (the dish’s name translates to “fire meat”).

Ingredients

1. 1 cup apple juice
2. 1/2 cup soy sauce
3. 2 tablespoons Asian sesame oil
4. 1/3 cup sugar
5. 6 large garlic cloves, minced
6. 5 scallions, thinly sliced
7. 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
8. 1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground pepper
9. Five 1/2-inch thick, boneless rib eye steaks (2 pounds), pounded 1/8 inch thick and cut into 4 pieces each
10. Lettuce and steamed rice, for serving

Directions

1. In a large, nonreactive bowl, whisk the apple juice with the soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar, garlic, scallions, sesame seeds and pepper. Add the steak and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or up to 24 hours.
2. Light a grill. Remove the meat from the marinade. Grill the meat over high heat, turning once, until lightly charred outside and slightly pink in the center, about 30 seconds per side. Transfer to a platter and serve with lettuce and rice.