Step 1 of 10
Beef and Veggie Bibimbap
Mince the garlic. In a large bowl, combine the garlic, applesauce, sesame oil, soy sauce, and sugar. Add the beef and use your hands to massage the marinade into beef. Let marinate for 30-60 minutes at room temperature, or up to 24 hours in the refrigerator.
PRO TIP Shop at an Asian market or grocery store with a service butcher counter for very thinly sliced beef about 1/10-inch thick. It may be labeled as sukiyaki or beef for hotpot. Applesauce helps tenderize the meat.
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Step 2 of 10
Beef and Veggie Bibimbap
To make bibimbap sauce: Mince the garlic. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the garlic, gochujang, brown sugar, sesame oil, water, and rice vinegar. Cover and set aside in the refrigerator.
PRO TIP Gochujang is a Korean hot pepper paste; you can buy it at well-stocked grocery stores, Asian markets, and online.
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Step 3 of 10
Beef and Veggie Bibimbap
Cook the rice with water according to package instructions. When done, set aside and keep warm.
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Step 4 of 10
Beef and Veggie Bibimbap
Peel the carrots and cut crosswise into 3-inch pieces. Cut the pieces lengthwise into 1/4-inch slices. Stack a few slices at a time and cut into long 1/4-inch matchsticks.
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Step 5 of 10
Beef and Veggie Bibimbap
Heat a large cast-iron skillet or other heavy frying pan over medium-high heat. Add half of the oil and swirl to coat the pan. Add the carrots and half the mirin, salt, and soy sauce. Cook, stirring often, until carrots are tender-crisp, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl and cover with foil to keep warm. Repeat the process with the spinach, using the remaining oil, mirin, salt, and soy sauce. Add a third of the spinach at a time (pan will be very full), and turn with tongs until spinach wilts, 5-10 minutes total. Transfer spinach to a bowl and cover. Set vegetables aside.
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Step 6 of 10
Beef and Veggie Bibimbap
Drain any liquid from the cast-iron skillet. Add the oil over medium-high heat. Swirl to coat the pan, then reduce heat to medium. Quickly fluff the cooked rice with a fork, then add to pan, pressing it in for maximum contact over the bottom and 1-inch up the side. Let the rice cook undisturbed until it starts to crisp up and turns golden underneath, 8-10 minutes.
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Step 7 of 10
Beef and Veggie Bibimbap
Meanwhile, heat the oil in a medium nonstick frying pan over medium heat. Crack the eggs into pan, spacing them a little apart. Cook until whites are set and yolks reach desired level of doneness, 4-5 minutes for softly set. As the eggs cook, tilt the pan once or twice and spoon oil over yolks. Remove from heat.
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Step 8 of 10
Beef and Veggie Bibimbap
Divide the rice among serving bowls. Tent with foil and set aside.
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Step 9 of 10
Beef and Veggie Bibimbap
Scrape out any bits of rice from the cast-iron skillet. Heat pan over medium-high heat. Add half the oil and swirl to coat the pan. Add half of the marinated meat, lifting it with tongs to drain off some excess marinade. Cook meat in a single layer, turning once or twice, until lightly browned and just cooked through, 1-3 minutes. Transfer to a plate and repeat with remaining oil and beef.
PRO TIP To brown meat, not steam it, make sure the pan is quite hot before adding the beef, and cook the meat in batches so the pan isn't overcrowded. You don't need much oil in the pan since the marinade includes oil.
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Step 10 of 10
Beef and Veggie Bibimbap
Arrange the beef, carrots, and spinach separately on top of the rice bowls. Put a fried egg in the center of each bowl and drizzle with a little reserved bibimbap sauce. Serve more sauce on the side.