This Bulgogi Burger is a spin on the flavors of Korean Beef Bulgogi. It packs a PUNCH of flavor!! Ground beef is mixed with a bread panade that is flavored with Asian Chili Paste, Soy Sauce and Sesame Oil. It is grilled and then topped with an amazing Chili Lime Aioli and Quick Pickled Cucumbers and Onions.
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It makes an amazing dinner when you want some thing other than a traditional burger from the grill!
What is Bulgogi
Bulgogi is a Korean dish made of thin, marinated slices of meat, most commonly beef, grilled on a barbecue or on a stove-top griddle. It is marinated in a super flavorful mixture of soy sauce, sugar or honey, sesame oil, garlic, and onion. It is also often stir-fried in a pan in home cooking. Sirloin and rib eye are frequently used cuts of beef for the dish. Wikipedia
Ingredient Details
Ground Beef: I definitely recommend using an 80/20 or 85/15 lean ground beef or ground chuck for your hamburgers. The 15-20% fat content is just the right amount to keep your grilled burgers super flavorful and juicy.
Bread – a white or wheat bread is perfect for your burger. Avoid any breads that are overly seedy, grainy or nutty. If your bread has a thick crust remove that before adding to your burger mixture.
Soy Sauce, Sambal Oelek and Sesame Oil – flavor country! All these things can be found in the Asian aisle at the grocery store. These are the liquids that will be added to the bread to make a panade. They all add a nice Asian flavor to the burger.
Panade
A panade is a mix of a starch, usually bread, bread crumbs or crackers, and a liquid, usually stock, water or milk, to keep a ground meat recipe moist. We use this technique in all our burgers, meatballs and meatloaf recipes.
Brown Sugar – the sugar balances all the savory and salty flavors in the burger. It also helps caramelize the outside of the burger on the grill.
Ginger & Garlic – more flavor! We love to use the frozen ginger cubes from Dorot Gardens. You can find them in the freezer section of your grocery store, most likely near the veggies. (available at Trader Joe’s too)
Condiments
When it comes time to make and serve the Bulgogi Burgers, you will also want to check out the two recipes below for serving. The Chili Lime Aioli is the perfect sauce for this burger, and don’t skip the Pickled Cucumbers and Onions – they add an amazing vinegary crunch and flavor!
How To Make A Bulgogi Burger
Make the Cucumber Pickle.
If you are using the Cucumber Pickle and Chili Lime Aioli, make those first.
They can both be made 24 hours in advance if you are planning ahead.
Mix the panade + ground beef.
Place the bread pieces in a large bowl and add the soy sauce, Sambal, sesame oil, ginger, and garlic. Let soak for about 5 minutes, then mash.
Add the ground beef and mix gently.
Make patties and grill.
Form the burger mixture into 5 large patties. Press a divot in the center of each patty. This helps prevent the burgers from shrinking too much on the grill.
Make the burgers about 1 inch larger than the bun you plan to serve them on.
Serve.
Toast the buns on the grill. Then build the burgers with the Chili Lime Aioli, Pickled Cucumbers and Onions and lettuce, Tomato… all your favorite burger toppings.
Burger Temps
Everyone likes their burgers at different temperatures! The very best way to check the internal temperature of your burgers is by using an instant read thermometer. “Instant Read” is important on the grill because you don’t want to hold your hand above the HOT grill for an extended amount of time.
By USDA standards any ground beef dish under 160 degrees Fahrenheit is considered unsafe. But for your guidelines, here are the temps from rare to well done:
- Well Done: 160°F to 165°F – This will be cooked through to the center. It is the recommended temperature if you use store bought ground beef.
- Medium Well: 150°F to 155°F – This burger will have a small amount of pink in the center.
- Medium: 140°F to 145°F – Slight pink throughout the inside of the burger.
- Medium Rare: 130°F to 135°F – If proper precautions are taken, and you are making your own ground meat, you can cook and eat at this temperature.
- Rare: 120°F to 125°F – It is recommended that you never cook and eat a burger at this temperature for safety reasons.
Side Dishes for Bulgogi Burgers
Nothing more classic than burgers and fries. I love to bake up some sweet potato fries (just frozen ones from the grocery store). Then season them up with cinnamon, clove, cumin, smoked paprika, garlic and salt. They are also amazing dipped in the chili lime aioli.
Corn on the cob and watermelon are also great side dishes for these Bulgogi Burgers!
More Burger Recipes!
When you need killer burger recipes, always remember to come back to Mom’s Dinner!
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Grilled Bulgogi Burger Recipe
Equipment
- Grill (gas or charcoal)
Ingredients
Bulgogi Burger
- 1 ½ pounds ground beef - 85/15 or 80/20
- 1 slice white or whole wheat sandwich bread - cut into very small cubes
- 2 Tbsp. soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp. Sambal Oelek - Asian Chili Sauce
- 1 Tbsp. toasted sesame oil
- 1 Tbsp. brown sugar
- 1 tsp. fresh ginger - very finely minced
- 2 cloves garlic - minced
Serving Assembly
- 5 Buns
- Chili Lime Aioli
- Quick Pickled Cucumbers
- lettuce and tomato
Instructions
Chili Aioli and Pickled Cucumbers
- You can make the aioli and pickled cucumbers a day in advance or 1 hour before you eat the burgers.
Bulgogi Burger
- Preheat the grill to high heat.
- In a large bowl combine the bread cubes, soy sauce, Sambal Oelek, sesame oil, brown sugar, minced ginger and minced garlic.1 slice white or whole wheat sandwich bread, 2 Tbsp. soy sauce, 1 Tbsp. Sambal Oelek, 1 Tbsp. toasted sesame oil, 1 Tbsp. brown sugar, 1 tsp. fresh ginger, 2 cloves garlic
- Let sit for approx. 5 minutes and then use a fork to mash the mixture into a smooth paste.
- Add the ground beef and mix until well combined.1 ½ pounds ground beef
- Divide the mixture into 5 equal patties. Make the patties about 1 inch larger than your serving bun, after shrinking they will be the perfect size. Also make a divot in the center of each patty. This helps prevent the burgers from shrinking too much on the grill.
- Place the patties on the grill over high direct heat and cook approximately 4-5 minutes on each side until desired doneness is reached.
- Toast the buns on the grill until golden brown.
Serving Assembly
- Spread a generous amount of chili lime mayo over the top and bottom bun, add lettuce and tomato if using, then the burger topped with pickled cucumbers.
- Excellent served with sweet potato fries seasoned with cumin, cinnamon, smoked paprika, garlic red pepper flakes and salt. Add some corn on the cob and watermelon on the side.
Susie Weinrich
The most flavorful burger I’ve had. The pickled cucumbers and onions were over the top.