Can I make it spicier?

Yes. Add 1–2 teaspoons gochugaru or 1 tablespoon gochujang to the marinade for spicy bulgogi.

How do I adjust the sauce?

For a drier BBQ style, skip the added water. For more sauce, add up to 3/4 cup total or simmer briefly to thicken to your liking.

Is there a gluten-free option?

Use tamari or a certified gluten-free soy sauce in place of regular soy sauce.

Can I grill the beef instead of stir-frying?

Yes. Skip the added water, oil the grates, and grill the marinated beef over high heat for 1–2 minutes per side.

Bulgogi with Pear Drink (갈아만든배) — Easy 20-Minute Korean BBQ

Name: Bulgogi with Pear Drink (갈아만든배) — 20-Minute Korean BBQ
Prep time: 8 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 3–4 servings
Cuisine: Korean
Ingredients: 300 g thin-sliced beef for bulgogi, cut bite-size; 1/2 onion, thinly sliced; 1/2 large green onion (or 2 scallions), bias-sliced; 1 small carrot, julienned; 80 g enoki mushrooms (or other mushrooms); 1/4 cup (60 ml) Haitai 갈아만든배 pear drink; 3 Tbsp soy sauce; 1 Tbsp minced garlic; 2 Tbsp rice syrup or brown sugar; 2 tsp sesame oil; 1 tsp sesame seeds (optional); 1/2 cup (120 ml) water, for sauce; Up to 1 Tbsp extra soy sauce, to taste; Sesame seeds and sliced green onion, for garnish

MyFreshDash
Aug 26
3 min read

Bulgogi with pear drink (갈아만든배) title card with bowl of bulgogi and can on green background.

Bulgogi is Korea’s crowd-pleasing BBQ: thin-sliced beef kissed with soy, garlic, and a touch of sweetness, then cooked hot and fast until glossy. At home it’s usually a skillet dish—juicy and a little saucy so you can spoon it over rice. The best versions taste balanced: savory from soy, aromatic from garlic and green onion, lightly sweet, and tender enough to eat with chopsticks.

Enter the ultimate shortcut for that tenderness: 갈아만든배 (gal-ah-man-deun-bae), the classic Haitai pear drink you’ll find in Korean markets and convenience stores. It’s made with blended Asian pears (tiny pulp and all), which means you get clean pear sweetness and gentle tenderizing power without grating fruit. Pour it straight into the marinade, rest the beef five minutes, and you’re ready to cook. No blender. No strainer. No planning ahead.

Korean bulgogi meal with rice, kimchi, lettuce wraps, ssamjang, garlic, and soju.

Close-up bowl of bulgogi with onions, carrots, scallions, and sesame seeds in soy sauce.

This recipe is built specifically for 갈아만든배. The ratios below lean on the drink for both flavor and texture, giving you saucy, weeknight-friendly bulgogi with onions, carrots, and mushrooms. It’s the kind of pan dinner that disappears fast—soft beef, shiny sauce, and just the right amount of sweetness.

Haitai 갈아만든배 pear drink can with fresh Asian pear.

Haitai Crushed Pear Juice 8 FL OZ (238ml) 12 Cans

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At a glance

Serves: 3–4
Time: 20 minutes (5 min prep, 10–12 min cook, 5 min quick marinade)
Difficulty: Easy
Best for: Rice bowls, weeknights, meal-prep

Ingredients

Beef & Veg

300 g thin-sliced beef for bulgogi (ribeye, sirloin, or chuck), bite-size
½ onion, thinly sliced
½ large green onion (or 2 scallions), bias-sliced
1 small carrot, julienned
80 g enoki mushrooms, base trimmed and separated (or other mushrooms)

Bulgogi Marinade — 갈아만든배 version

¼ cup (60 ml) Haitai 갈아만든배 pear drink
3 Tbsp brewed soy sauce (양조간장)
1 Tbsp minced garlic
2 Tbsp rice syrup or brown sugar
2 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp sesame seeds (optional)

To Finish

½ cup (120 ml) water (for a glossy, spoonable sauce)
Extra soy sauce 1 Tbsp, to taste
Sesame seeds & sliced green onion, for garnish

Sempio Yangjo Soy Sauce 501 60.87 FL OZ (1800ml)

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Step-by-Step

Make the marinade.
In a bowl, whisk 갈아만든배, soy sauce, garlic, rice syrup/brown sugar, sesame oil, and sesame seeds.
Prep the veg.
Slice onion and green onion; julienne carrot; trim and separate enoki.
Quick-marinate the beef (5 min).
Toss beef with the marinade and let sit 5 minutes while the pan heats.
Sear & sauce.
Heat a wide skillet over medium-high. Add marinated beef; stir-fry until most pink is gone. Pour in ½ cup water for a light glaze.
Add vegetables.
Stir in onion, green onion, carrot, and mushrooms. Cook 3–5 minutes until veg softens and the sauce turns shiny.
Season & serve.
Taste; add up to 1 Tbsp soy for a bolder finish. Garnish with sesame seeds and more green onion. Serve hot over rice or in lettuce wraps.

Pro Tips

Built for the drink: These ratios assume Haitai 갈아만든배—no fruit grating needed.
Saucy vs. dry: Skip the water for a drier BBQ style; add up to ¾ cup total if you love extra sauce for rice.
Thin cut = tender: Bul gogi/shabu-cut beef cooks fast and stays soft.
Make-ahead: Mix the marinade in the morning; toss with beef up to 30 minutes before cooking.

Chopsticks holding a piece of bulgogi with onion and sesame over the bowl.

Extreme close-up bulgogi bite with sesame seeds held by chopsticks.

Variations

Spicy bulgogi: Add 1–2 tsp gochugaru or 1 Tbsp gochujang to the marinade.
Noodle add-in: Stir in soaked dangmyeon (sweet-potato noodles) for a bulgogi-noodle bowl.
Mushroom swap: Oyster or shiitake mushrooms boost umami if you don’t have enoki.

What to Serve With It

Steamed rice, kimchi, lettuce or perilla wraps, sliced garlic and chilies, and a spoon of ssamjang.

Storage & Reheating

Fridge: Up to 3 days in an airtight container.
Reheat: Skillet over medium with a splash of water to loosen.
Freeze: Raw beef in 갈아만든배 marinade freezes up to 1 month; thaw overnight, then cook.