Crock Pot Korean Beef (Printable)

Flavorful beef slow-cooked in a Korean-inspired sauce, perfect for weeknight meals with rice or lettuce wraps.

# What goes in:

→ Beef

01 - 2 lbs beef chuck roast, cut into 2-inch cubes

→ Sauce

02 - 1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce
03 - 1/3 cup brown sugar, packed
04 - 1/4 cup sesame oil
05 - 1/4 cup rice vinegar
06 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
07 - 2 tablespoons fresh ginger, grated
08 - 2 tablespoons gochujang (Korean chili paste)
09 - 1 tablespoon cornstarch
10 - 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

→ Vegetables & Garnishes

11 - 1 large onion, sliced
12 - 2 green onions, thinly sliced (for garnish)
13 - 1 tablespoon sesame seeds (for garnish)
14 - Cooked jasmine or short-grain rice, for serving (optional)

# Directions:

01 - In a medium bowl, whisk together soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, rice vinegar, garlic, ginger, gochujang, cornstarch, and black pepper until smooth and fully combined.
02 - Place the beef cubes and sliced onion in the crock pot, distributing evenly for consistent cooking.
03 - Pour the prepared sauce over the beef and onions. Stir gently to ensure all pieces are evenly coated with the Korean marinade.
04 - Cover and cook on LOW for 6-7 hours or until the beef is tender and easily shredded with a fork.
05 - Skim excess fat from the surface if desired. Shred the beef gently with two forks directly in the crock pot and mix well with the thickened sauce.
06 - Serve hot over steamed rice or in lettuce wraps. Garnish with thinly sliced green onions and sesame seeds before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The sauce does something magical over six hours, turning tough chuck roast into meat that literally falls apart at the touch of a fork
  • You get all those complex Korean flavors with about fifteen minutes of actual hands on time
  • Leftovers somehow taste even better the next day, if they last that long
02 -
  • Opening the lid during cooking adds twenty minutes to your time every single time, so resist the urge to check on it
  • The sauce will look thin when you first pour it in but thickens beautifully as it cooks down
  • Skimming the fat at the end makes a huge difference in how the final dish tastes and feels
03 -
  • Cut your beef into slightly larger cubes than you think necessary because they shrink as they cook
  • Let the beef rest for ten minutes before shredding it holds together better
  • Toast your sesame seeds in a dry pan for two minutes before garnishing

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