Korean BBQ-Inspired Beef Chili with Kimchi Fried Rice is a fusion dish that creatively blends the flavors of Korean barbecue with a classic chili, served alongside the tangy notes of kimchi fried rice. This dish is a celebration of bold and complex flavors, combining the heartiness of chili with the unique, umami-packed taste of Korean cuisine.
The chili starts with beef chuck roast, a flavorful cut ideal for slow cooking. It becomes incredibly tender and absorbs the flavors of the spices and sauces. Marinated in a Bulgogi-style marinade, which includes soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, garlic, ginger, and Korean chili paste, the chuck roast is imparted with a sweet, savory, and slightly spicy flavor profile, typical of Korean BBQ.
Bulgogi, a classic Korean BBQ dish, traditionally features thinly sliced beef marinated in a sweet and savory sauce. This dish takes that concept and applies it to beef chili, a staple in Western cuisine, especially in the American Southwest. The marinade typically includes soy sauce, sugar, sesame oil, garlic, and pear or apple, which adds a Korean flavor profile to the beef used in the chili.
The marinated beef is then cooked slowly with typical chili ingredients like onions, garlic, bell peppers, kidney beans, and diced tomatoes. More fusion aspects come into play by incorporating red pepper flakes, honey, and soy sauce, deepening the sweet, savory, and spicy elements of the marinade.
The method of slow-cooking the beef chili is more aligned with Western cooking styles, especially in the preparation of stews and chilis. This method allows the flavors of the Bulgogi marinade to deeply infuse into the beef, creating a tender and flavorful base for the chili.
What is kimchi?
Kimchi is a staple Korean side dish comprised of fermented vegetables, primarily napa cabbage and Korean radishes, seasoned with a mix of chili powder, garlic, ginger, and fermented seafood. Its fermentation process not only preserves the vegetables but also enhances their flavor and nutritional value, making kimchi rich in probiotics, vitamins, and minerals. Renowned for its distinctive spicy and sour taste, kimchi serves as a versatile accompaniment to a myriad of Korean dishes, enhancing their flavor profiles. Beyond its culinary uses, kimchi is celebrated for its health benefits, including improving digestion and boosting the immune system.
Chopped kimchi is stir-fried with day old rice, shallot, and garlic. It’s seasoned with soy sauce and chopped green onion and finished with scrambled eggs. The fried rice serves as a perfect bed for the beef chili, with its crispy texture and bold flavors complementing the rich and savory chili.
This is a significant fusion aspect as fried rice is commonly associated with Chinese cuisine. The inclusion of kimchi adds a distinctly Korean flavor.
This dish is a flavorful adventure, perfect for those who love bold and spicy flavors. The Korean BBQ-Inspired Beef Chili brings a sweet and savory richness, while the Kimchi Fried Rice adds a and tangy kick. The combination of textures – tender beef, hearty beans, and crispy rice – makes for a satisfying meal.
This dish is a perfect example of how two distinct culinary cultures can come together. By adapting traditional ingredients and cooking methods from Korean and Chinese cuisines and incorporating them into a Western-style dish, this fusion creates something new and intriguing.
Korean BBQ-Inspired Beef Chili with Kimchi Fried Rice is a delightful fusion dish that marries the deep, rich flavors of Korean BBQ with the heartiness of Western-style chili, accompanied by the spicy kick of kimchi fried rice, offering a culinary experience that is both familiar and novel.
Korean BBQ-Inspired Beef Chili with Kimchi Fried Rice
4
servings30
minutes4
hours30
minutes5
hoursKorean BBQ-Inspired Beef Chili with Kimchi Fried Rice is a fusion dish that combines tender, Bulgogi-marinated beef in a rich, savory chili, served with spicy and tangy kimchi-infused fried rice, melding the heartiness of chili with the distinctive flavors of Korean cuisine.
Ingredients
- For the Korean BBQ Inspired Beef Chili
2 pound beef chuck roast, cut into 1″ pieces
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cup bulgogi marinade
1 large onion, diced
1 large bell pepper, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon ginger, grated
1/4 cup honey
1 tablespoon red pepper flakes
1 can (28 ounces) peeled tomatoes
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 cups beef broth
1 can (15 ounces) black soy beans, drained
1 can (15 ounces) red kidney beans, drained
to taste, salt and ground black pepper
for garnish, sliced green onions
- For the Kimchi Fried Rice
2 cups day-old cooked jasmine rice
1 cup kimchi, chopped
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 small onion, diced
3 cloves of garlic, minced
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon sesame oil
2 beaten eggs
2 green onions, chopped
Directions
- Marinate the Beef:
In a large bowl, add the beef chuck roast cubes to the marinade, making sure they are well coated.
Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, but preferably overnight to allow the flavors to infuse to the max. - Brown the Beef:
Heat vegetable oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
Remove the beef from the marinade and brown the cubes in batches to avoid overcrowding. Set aside, and discard any remaining marinade. - Sauté Vegetables and Aromatics:
In the same pot, add onions, bell pepper, garlic and ginger. Cook until soft the vegetables begin to soften, 3-4 minutes. Stir in the red pepper flakes, honey, and soy sauce. Cook for another minute or two. - Combine and Simmer the Chili:
Add peeled tomatoes (and their juices), black soy beans, kidney beans, and beef broth. Return the browned beef and stir until well combined.
Bring the mixture to a boil, and then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cover the pot, and let it cook over low heat for 2 hours. - Prepare Kimchi Fried Rice:
Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet or wok over medium heat. Sauté the onion and garlic until fragrant, 1-2 minutes. - Cook Kimchi and Rice:
Add the kimchi, and cook for 2-3 minutes, until it starts to soften. Add the rice to the skillet. Stir-fry for 2-3 minutes, making sure the rice is well coated with the kimchi mixture. Add soy sauce and chopped green onion, and stir to combine. - Scramble Eggs:
Push the rice to one side of the skillet or create a space in the middle. Pour the beaten eggs into the empty space and scramble them. Once cooked, mix them into the rice. - Assemble and Serve:
Spoon a generous portion of the Kimchi Fried Rice into a bowl. Pour 1-2 cups of the Korean BBQ-Inspired Beef Chili over top. Garnish with sliced green onion.
Enjoy!