Pork, beef & lamb· DF

Gochujang Beef

Name: Gochujang Beef
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 2 h 55 min
Total time: 3 h 15 min
Cuisine: Korean
Ingredients: 700g beef joint (topside, silverside or brisket); 2 (250g) onions, sliced; 300g carrots, matchsticks; 1 (150g) ripe pear, grated; 60g (3 tbsp) gochujang; 40ml soy sauce; 15g light brown sugar; 25g fresh ginger, grated; 5 cloves (25g) garlic; 10g cornflour; 15ml sesame oil; 15ml rice vinegar; 4 (60g) spring onions, sliced; 10ml rapeseed oil; 400ml water

Korean-style shredded beef braised in gochujang, soy, ginger and grated pear, finished with carrot and sesame.

makes 18 blocks, about 61p each

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BatchJoy

batchjoy.com/recipes/gochujang-beef/

Illustration of a bowl of Gochujang Beef

Time: 3 hr 15 min20 min prep · 2 hr 55 min cook
Makes: 18 blocks
Cost per blockPer block: 61p
Calories per blockCalories: 105 kcal
Spice: 3 of 5

You’ll need

Batch size

blocks

700gbeef joint (topside, silverside or brisket)
2 (250g)onions, sliced
300gcarrots, matchsticks
1 (150g)ripe pear, grated
60g (3 tbsp)gochujang
40mlsoy sauce
15glight brown sugar
25gfresh ginger, grated
5 cloves (25g)garlic
10gcornflour
15mlsesame oil
15mlrice vinegar
4 (60g)spring onions, sliced
10mlrapeseed oil
400mlwater

Allergens: Gluten, Sesame, Soya. Check the labels on stock cubes, sauces and pastes, as brands vary.

Serve it

Sticky rice with a fried egg · Lettuce wraps with cucumber · Udon or ramen noodles

Method

Step 1: Cut the joint into 4 large pieces and brown all over in the oil in a casserole. Lift out. (10 min)
Step 2: Soften the onions for 8 minutes, then add the garlic and ginger for 1 minute.
Step 3: Stir in the gochujang, soy, sugar, pear and water. Return the beef, cover and braise at 150°C fan, or on a low hob, until it shreds. (2 hr 30)
Step 4: Lift out and shred the beef. Add the carrots to the sauce for 8 minutes, then the cornflour mixed with 2 tbsp cold water.
Step 5: Return the beef and simmer uncovered until sticky. (10 min) Off the heat, stir in the sesame oil, rice vinegar and spring onions. Cool and freeze.

Hotter: add an extra tbsp of gochujang and 1 tsp gochugaru.

Nutrition (estimated)
	kcal	protein	carbs	fat	fibre	salt
Per block	105	9g	7.8g	4.2g	1.2g	0.62g
Per 3 blocks	315	27g	23.4g	12.6g	3.6g	1.86g

Cook’s notes

Gochujang heat varies by brand; start with 2 tbsp and add more at the end.
Topside is lean, so keep the lid on and the heat low.
Slow cooker: 8 hours on Low after browning, then step 4.

Serve it

Sticky rice with a fried egg · Lettuce wraps with cucumber · Udon or ramen noodles.

Freeze, reheat and serve

Freeze: Cool it within two hours, portion it into 70g blocks in a silicone tray, then bag and label them. It keeps for 3 months.
Reheat: Microwave 3 blocks, covered, for 1 minute, stir, then heat for another 1 to 2 minutes until piping hot all the way through. Or warm them in a pan with a splash of water. Never refreeze thawed blocks.
A portion: 3 blocks (210g) make a dinner for one adult: about 315 kcal and 27g protein before rice, bread or potatoes.

Gochujang Beef questions

Why is there pear in it?

Grated pear melts into the sauce, adding a gentle fruity sweetness and body that balances the gochujang and soy. A ripe apple works if you have no pear.

What if I can't find gochujang?

Nothing matches its sweet, fermented heat exactly. At a push, mix 2 tbsp miso with 1 tsp chilli flakes and 1 tsp sugar; it won't taste the same but gives a similar savoury, sweet heat.

Can I use beef short ribs?

Bone-in short ribs make it richer and very tender. Brown them the same way, braise until the meat falls off the bone, then discard the bones and skim off excess fat before adding the carrots.