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Slow Cooker Korean Beef

Slow cooker Korean beef with sweet soy sauce and ginger-garlic flavor that turns fork-tender and shreds easily. Finish with a cornstarch slurry for a glossy, clingy sauce served over white rice with green onions and sesame.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 6 hours
Total Time 6 hours 10 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Korean-American
Calories: 720
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

beef
  • 2 lb beef chuck roast, cut into 1.5-inch pieces (or flank steak)
korean sauce
  • 0.5 cup soy sauce
  • 0.333 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 2 tbsp sesame oil
  • 4 garlic, minced
  • 1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
  • 1 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 0.25 tsp black pepper
thickener
  • 2 tbsp cornstarch
  • 2 tbsp cold water
serving
  • 1 cooked white rice
  • 1 sliced green onions
  • 1 tbsp sesame seeds
  • 0.5 sriracha (optional)

Equipment

  • 1 slow cooker

Method
 

Add beef and mix sauce
  1. Place the beef into the slow cooker in an even layer.
  2. Whisk together soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, garlic, ginger, red pepper flakes, and black pepper until the sugar dissolves and the mixture looks glossy.
  3. Pour the sauce over the beef so most pieces are coated.
Slow cook until tender
  1. Cook on low for 6–7 hours, or on high for 3–4 hours, until the beef is very tender and shreds easily when pressed with a fork.
Shred and thicken the sauce
  1. Remove the beef and shred with two forks until you have strands.
  2. Whisk cornstarch and cold water together, then stir the slurry into the sauce in the slow cooker.
  3. Cook on high for 15 minutes until thickened, with the sauce looking smooth and clinging to a spoon.
  4. Return the shredded beef to the sauce and toss to coat until everything is evenly glazed.
Serve
  1. Serve the Korean beef over cooked white rice.
  2. Garnish with sliced green onions, sesame seeds, and a drizzle of sriracha if desired.

Notes

For the most even shredding, let the beef rest in the slow cooker on low for 5 minutes after cooking, then shred right away. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 4 days; reheat gently in the microwave or on the stovetop with a splash of water to loosen the sauce. Freezing is yes—freeze sauced beef up to 3 months, then thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat until hot. For a lower-sugar option, use a packed brown sugar substitute (or a 1:1 blend made for cooking) to keep the sauce caramelized while reducing sugar.