Recipe: Bulgogi Ssambap

Simon Kim refers to his wildly-popular Cote in Manhattan’s Flatiron District as a gogijib—"gogi" means meat in Korean, and "jib" means house. Indeed, the Michelin-starred eatery blends together the communal Korean barbecue experience with that of a traditional New York City steakhouse.

Executive chef David Shim’s straight-forward cooking focuses on procuring the best ingredients while utilizing the dry-aging room located downstairs (now adjacent to the restaurants new ultra-hip Undercote bar).

“I like to provide what I grew up with—stuff that comes from my heart and my background. Being Korean and my experience in New York kitchens,” Shim says. “It’s a gateway to Korean cuisine in a sense, because a lot of the steakhouse lovers get to try kimchi or pickles at other traditional restaurants.”

Tomorrow, the announcement of the MICHELIN Guide New York City 2019 selection will be celebrated high above Manhattan at the iconic Rainbow Room on the 65th floor of Rockefeller Center. (Tickets can be purchased here.) For the occasion, Shim will be on hand cooking his take on classic bulgogi, accented with American wagyu rib eye, sesame leaf, rice, pickled radish and ssamjang.

Bulgogi Ssambap

Courtesy of Executive Chef David Shim, Cote, New York City

Ingredients

450 milliliters soy sauce
250 milliliters mirin
1 liter water
250 milliliters pear juice
250 milliliters orange juice
60 milliliters onion juice (of grated white onions)
25 milliliters garlic juice
10 milliliters ginger juice
160 milliliters sesame oil
300 grams masil syrup (Korean plum syrup)
200 grams granulated sugar
8 grams salt
10 grams ground black pepper
4 pounds rib eye, cut to 1/8-inch slices
Vegetable oil, for searing
White rice or lettuce, for serving.

Method

1. Mix soy, mirin, water, juices, sesame oil, masil syrup, sugar, salt and pepper together. Marinate the meat in the mixture for a minimum of 1 hour, being cautious not to tear the meat apart while marinating.

2. Add some vegetable oil to a thick pan over medium-high heat; sear beef until caramelized and flip, being careful not to burn it.

3. Serve over white rice or with lettuce.

Photo courtesy of Cote Facebook page.