Description
The hamburger version of Korea's famously delicious bulgogi beef. Once you try this recipe, you may never make burgers any other way.
Recipe adapted from Cooking Light
Ingredients
- 1 bunch of radishes, ends trimmed and very thinly sliced
- 1 medium red onion, peeled, sliced into very thin rings, rings separated
- 1 1/2 cups distilled white vinegar
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise (I recommend Hellmann's)
- 2 tablespoons miso paste (brown rice miso from Whole Foods is my favorite)
- 1/4 teaspoon sriracha (hot sauce)
- 2 1/4 pounds ground beef
- 1/2 cup scallions (5-6), root end and 2 inches of green end trimmed off, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons (packed) dark brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon Asian sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic (2-3 cloves)
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped ginger root (1 1/2 inch chunk)
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 6 hamburger buns (I recommend potato burger buns)
- 6 leaves from a head of green leaf lettuce, washed, ends trimmed
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Instructions
- Put sliced onions and radishes into a bowl. Combine vinegar, water, sugar and salt in a small sauce pan and bring to a boil. Lower to a simmer and cook just until salt and sugar dissolve. Pour the hot mixture over the onions and radishes and stir. Cool for 15-20 minutes. Cover pickled onions and radishes with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour and up to two weeks.
- Combine miso, mayo and sriracha in a small bowl and stir until combined. Miso mayonnaise can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.
- In a large bowl, combine ground beef (2 1/4 pounds), scallions (1/2 cup), soy sauce (2 tablespoons), sugar (2 tablespoons), sesame oil (1 tablespoon), garlic (1 tablespoon), ginger (1 tablespoon) and black pepper (1/2 teaspoon). Use your hands to mix everything together. Shape into 6 burgers. (Burgers can be made up to 24 hours ahead and refrigerated until ready to cook)
- Heat the grill to medium-high. Grill burgers for about 6 minutes per side for medium rare. Toast the buns on the grill for a minute or so.
- Spread miso mayo on the buns, top with burgers, pickles and a lettuce leaf. Serve immediately.
Notes
Miso Substitute: If you can't find miso, here's a good substitute that comes close: In a small saucepan, simmer 2 tablespoons of brown sugar with 2 tablespoons soy sauce for 2 minutes, until it gets thick and syrupy. To make the miso mayonnaise, wait until the mixture has cooled and mix it with 1/2 cup of mayonnaise and 1/4 teaspoon of Sriracha hot sauce.
[This post first appeared on Panning The Globe in July 2013. It was updated in May 2020 with a new photos, clarifying details in the written post and clearer instructions in the recipe. It was refreshed again Feb 24, 2022 with added serving suggestions and a shorter title (the title used to include the pickled onions and miso mayonnaise). The same delicious recipe!]
- Prep Time: 55 mins
- Cook Time: 15 mins
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: grill
- Cuisine: Korean