Slow Cooker Korean Beef (Sweet & Sticky Gochujang Sauce)
Slow Cooker Korean Beef (Sweet & Sticky Gochujang Sauce) is so good, people go crazy for it (no exaggeration!). It is a true set-it-and-forget-it dinner - just simmer an economical chuck roast until it is fall apart tender, toss in a sweet, sticky, and slightly spicy gochujang sauce. Serve it over rice, watch the sauce sink in, and watch it disappear!
Servings: 6 people
Calories: 487kcal
Equipment
Ingredients
Slow Cooker Asian Beef
- 3-4 lb chuck roast trimmed slightly if excessively fatty, but otherwise untrimmed
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1.5 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1.5 teaspoon onion powder
- 1.5 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 1 cup beef broth
Gochujang Sauce
- 1 tablespoon ginger grated
- 2 teaspoon garlic minced
- ½ cup honey
- ⅓ cup soy sauce regular, not low sodium
- ¼ cup gochujang I love Trader Joes brand, but have used other brands successfully when I don’t have time to go to TJs
- 2 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
Instructions
- Pat the meat dry with paper towels if needed. Coat both sides with oil, then sprinkle the salt, onion powder, garlic powder, and pepper evenly across both sides. Heat a 12 inch skillet (I use cast iron) on high heat. Once hot, sear each side for 4-5 minutes, until nicely golden brown, then place it in a 6qt slow cooker.3-4 lb chuck roast, 2 tablespoon olive oil, 1.5 teaspoon kosher salt, 1.5 teaspoon onion powder, 1.5 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon pepper
- Pour the broth in the hot skillet and simmer for 60 seconds, scraping up the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Then pour the liquids on top of the meat in the slow cooker. Cover with the lid and cook on low for 8-10 hours or on high for 4.5-5 (low always seems to yield more tender meat, but it can work both ways).1 cup beef broth
- Once the meat is tender, whisk together the sauce ingredients in a microwave safe bowl (I like to use a glass measuring cup that is deep to avoid overflow). Microwave on high heat in 30-60 second increments, stirring well between each one, until it is thickened, 3-4 minutes total.1 tablespoon ginger, 2 teaspoon garlic, ½ cup honey, ⅓ cup soy sauce, ¼ cup gochujang, 2 tablespoon rice vinegar, 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- Carefully remove the meat from the slow cooker and place onto a cutting board. Discard the cooking juices. Gently separate the meat from the fatty sections (discarding the fat) and shred the meat into large-ish chunks (it will fall apart into smaller chunks in the next step).
- Place the meat back into the empty slow cooker and pour the sauce on top. Stir gently until the sauce is evenly coating the meat, then serve over rice.
Notes
Tips & Tricks
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- If the meat isn’t super tender, it simply needs to cook longer. Cook for an additional 30-60 minutes, or until it easily shreds.
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- If you don’t have a microwave, you can make the sauce in a small saucepan on the stove over medium heat, whisking often for 3-4 minutes.
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- The more you stir, the more it will break into little pieces. I like to shred it into slightly bigger chunks when originally shredding since I know it breaks down smaller when you stir in the sauce.
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- This makes a very saucy meat, which is how I like it (packed with flavor!). However if you prefers less sauce, it can absolutely be made with half the amount of sauce.
Nutrition
Calories: 487kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 51g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 156mg | Sodium: 1621mg | Potassium: 1013mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 25g | Vitamin A: 40IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 50mg | Iron: 6mg
