Korean Steak Tartare with Pear & Perilla

I remember the first time I tried Korean steak tartare aka “yukhoe” at Gwangjang Market in Seoul. The clean flavor of high quality beef combined with the rich egg yolk and the garlic, sesame, and soy seasoning was so delicious that I couldn’t stop eating until the plate was licked clean. But for some reason, enjoying this dish made me kind of emotional.

Yukhoe is an ancient dish dating back to the Goryeo Dynasty from over a millenia ago, eaten only by royal families and reserved for special occasions. But it was just one generation ago when my parents were growing up in the aftermath of the Korean war that meat was so scarce, they couldn’t have even imagined that now in 2024, their daughter would be living in such abundance, enjoying a delicacy such as yukhoe for weeknight dinner.

So as I reflect on the history of South Korea and the incredible progress it has made in the last seven decades, I bring you this simple and easy yet decadent and luxurious recipe: Korean beef tartare at home with crunchy, crispy seaweed. Let me know on Instagram if you give it a try!

Korean Steak Tartare (4 servings):

For the beef:

• 14-16 oz high quality sirloin (about 1 lb)
• 3-4 garlic cloves, microplaned or finely minced
• 4 TBSP perilla oil (you can sub sesame oil)
• 2 TBSP soy sauce
• 1 TBSP salt
• 2 TBSP sugar
• 2 scallions, green parts only, sliced
• 1 tsp sesame seeds, crushed

For plating:

• Cooked rice
• 1/2 Korean pear, sliced julienne
• 4 egg yolks (optional)
• Micro cilantro or pea shoots
• Unseasoned seaweed sheets, cut into small rectangles for serving

Step 1. Freeze the beef for about an hour to make it easier to slice into thin strips. After slicing, add beef to a medium bowl and season with garlic, perilla oil, soy sauce, salt, and sugar, tasting to adjust. Add green onions and sesame seeds and mix to combine. Store in the fridge to keep cold as you prep for the rest of the ingredients.

Step 2. In a bowl, plate rice and flatten gently into a disc shape. Top with tartare and flatten to make an indent in the middle. Add Korean pear matchsticks on top along with the micro cilantro or pea shoots. Add yolk to the center of the beef. You could skip the yolk but…really, don’t. Top with sesame seeds and another drizzle of perilla oil if you please.

Step 3. Wrap the beef tartare with a little bit of everything on the plate into the seaweed sheets and eat each roll in one bite. Enjoy!