Slow Cooker Korean Beef: Easy Family Dinner (Print Version)

Whip up tender Slow Cooker Korean Beef for an easy weeknight meal. Flavorful, fall-apart beef with minimal effort. Perfect for busy evenings!

# Recipe Info:

Prep Time: 15 Minutes minutes
Cook Time: 6-8 Hours minutes
Total Time: 21 minutes
Servings: 6 Servings
Difficulty: Beginner
Cuisine: Korean
Dietary: Dairy-Free

# Ingredients:

→ Main Ingredients

01 - 3-4 lb chuck roast, trimmed and cut into 2-3 inch chunks
02 - 1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce
03 - 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
04 - 2 tbsp sesame oil

→ Flavor Boosters

05 - 6 cloves garlic, minced (or more, if you're like me!)
06 - 1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
07 - 2 tbsp rice vinegar

→ Finishing Touches

08 - 3 green onions, sliced (for garnish)
09 - 1 tbsp sesame seeds (for garnish)

→ Optional Extras

10 - 1-2 tsp gochujang (Korean chili paste), for heat
11 - 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes, for extra spice

# Instructions:

01 - First things first, grab your beautiful chuck roast. I usually pat it dry with paper towels—it helps with any searing later, but honestly, for the slow cooker, it's more about getting rid of excess moisture. Then, I cut it into a few large chunks, maybe 2-3 inch pieces. Don't fret too much about perfection here; it's all going to fall apart into glorious shreds anyway. This is where the anticipation builds, you can almost smell the deliciousness to come, even though it's just raw meat!
02 - Now for the magic potion! In a medium bowl, whisk together your soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, minced garlic, grated ginger, and rice vinegar. Give it a good, enthusiastic whisk until the sugar is mostly dissolved. This is the heart of your dish, so make sure it’s well combined. I always take a little sniff at this stage; it’s such a vibrant, aromatic mix. I once forgot the brown sugar, and let me tell you, the sauce was a bit too aggressive, a definite oops moment!
03 - Place your beef chunks into the slow cooker. Pour that glorious sauce right over the top, making sure every piece of beef gets a good coating. Give it a gentle stir to really marry those flavors. Then, pop on the lid. Set it to low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours. Honestly, I prefer the low and slow method; it just makes the beef incredibly tender and flavorful. The whole house starts to smell absolutely incredible after an hour or two – that's when you know it's working!
04 - Once the cooking time is up, the beef should be incredibly tender, practically falling apart if you poke it. Carefully remove the beef from the slow cooker and place it on a cutting board or in a large bowl. Grab two forks and start shredding! It should be super easy, like butter. If it's not, just pop it back in for a bit longer. Don't worry if it's a little messy; that's just part of the fun of making this dish. This step always makes me so happy, seeing all that hard work (or rather, the slow cooker's hard work) pay off.
05 - Once shredded, return all that beautiful, tender beef back into the slow cooker with the sauce. Give it another good stir, making sure all those shredded bits are swimming in that savory goodness. Let it sit on the 'warm' setting for about 15-20 minutes, or just keep it on low for a bit. This allows the beef to really soak up all that incredible flavor. I've rushed this step before, and while still good, that extra soak makes all the difference, trust me.
06 - Finally, it's time for the finishing touches! Ladle your tender beef into bowls or over rice. Sprinkle generously with fresh sliced green onions and a handful of sesame seeds. The vibrant green and toasted white against the rich brown of the beef? Pure visual delight! Take a deep breath and enjoy that amazing aroma before diving in. It’s truly a satisfying moment, seeing everyone dig into a meal you put so much love (and minimal effort, thanks to the slow cooker) into!

# Notes:

01 - Don't overcrowd your slow cooker; give the beef space to cook evenly and soak up the sauce.
02 - Resist the urge to lift the lid too often; every time you do, you add about 30 minutes to the cooking time.
03 - If your sauce seems too thin at the end, you can thicken it slightly by mixing a tablespoon of cornstarch with a tablespoon of cold water, then stirring it into the hot sauce in the slow cooker for the last 30 minutes.

# Equipment Needed:

01 - Slow cooker (6-quart or larger)
02 - large bowl
03 - whisk
04 - cutting board
05 - two forks

# Nutrition (Per Serving):

Calories: 450 kcal
Total Fat: 25g
Total Carbohydrate: 25g
Protein: 35g

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