Slow Cooker Korean Beef with just 10 minutes of prep makes the easiest weeknight meal with so much flavor from the garlic, ginger and sesame oil.
It seemed only natural that we explored the world of turning the recipe into a slow cooker version since the flavors have been such a huge hit. Originally I tested the recipe with a large cut of chuck roast and it ended up tasting sort of like Korean pot roast, but once I cut it into chunks and browned them first the results have been amazing! 
Tender small bites of Slow Cooker Korean Beef simmered in a flavorful sauce full of garlic, ginger, sesame oil, brown sugar and soy sauce makes the most delicious meal with such a small amount of prep! 
Tools Used In This Slow Cooker Korean Beef Recipe:
Slow Cooker: Love this slow cooker and how programmable it is, it has been a workhorse for me… until…
My New Slow Cooker: This recipe was made in this slow cooker. For larger roasts I also brown the meat in the insert and not lose a bunch of the flavor by transferring the meat and leaving the browned bits behind. If you’re thinking of a new slow cooker, consider it if your budget is open.
Sesame Oil: The flavor of sesame oil in this dish is unmistakeable and not really able to be substituted. Some Asian grocery stores will try and sell less expensive options that aren’t actually sesame oil, so just be sure the one you’re buying is authentic sesame oil.
Slow Cooker Korean Beef
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- 3 pounds chuck roast , cut into 1 inch cubes
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup lite soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 4 cloves garlic , minced
- 1 tablespoon minced ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red peppers
- 2 tablespoons corn starch mixed with 2 tablespoons water
- diced green onions , for garnish (optional)
- sesame seeds , for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- In a cast aluminum slow cooker insert (or another skillet if your slow cooker has a ceramic insert) add the tablespoon of canola oil and brown the beef on high heat.
- Make sure the pan is hot, you don't need to worry how done the meat is, you're just going for color.
- Add the beef, brown sugar, lite soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic, ginger and crushed red peppers to the slow cooker.
Cook on low for 6-7 hours or on high for 3-4 hours.
Add in the cornstarch slurry and cook and additional 20-30 minutes while you cook your rice and vegetables to thicken the sauce.
- Garnish with green onions and sesame seeds if desired
The beef was fall-apart tender after 5 hours on low and the sauce was delicious especially the combo of ginger and sesame oil. Dumped in a batch of roasted broccoli and green beans after the meat was done cooking and served with jasmine rice, wonderful meal.
Sounds amazing!
I made Sabrina’s Korean BBQ for Mother’s Day 2020, and it was out-of-this-world good. I used a 3-pound USDA Prime rump roast which I cubed and browned as called for in the recipe. Adding low salt beef broth–1 cup–and whisking three tablespoons of corn starch and water thickened the sauce nicely. The meat was beautifully tender and the aroma fabulous. The flavor was just a bit of heat with a sweet, tangy overtone. TWO THUMBS UP!!
Love it!! Thanks so much for the 5 stars, Rob.
Have made this twice. My whole family loves it!
So happy to hear that!
This looks wonderful, can it be cooked in a Instapot?
I’ve not tested it but I’m sure you could find a recipe online with similiar ingredients using an Instant Pot to use as a guideline.
This was so good. Even my picky 8 year old who normally takes only a nibble on beef had seconds. Everyone asked me to make this a part of our regular rotation. I was concerned that it would be too sweet with whole cup of sugar, but it was perfect.
I love winning over the picky eaters!! That always feels like a true victory!
Made this for company. . We served it with an Asian slaw and tortillas. The company asked for the recipe.
Fantastic! So glad everyone loved it!
Amazing! Simply amazing my whole family enjoyed this meal.
I’m so glad you guys enjoyed it! Thanks for coming back to let me know!
I have a rump roast. Could I cut it into chunks and use it? Also could I add a cup of beef bone broth?
You can use it but it’s not going to be as tender. Also, adding the beef bone broth will thin out the sauce and adjust the flavor. If you decide to try, I’d love to know how it turns out for you.
I made this but used 2lbs stew meat and it was amazing! Will make again for sure!
Awesome, Becky! Thanks for the 5 star rating!
SOOOOO good. Made this today in my Crock Pot Express Cooker and it was super easy. Browned meat on saute setting, added sauce ingredients and switched to slow cooker (6.5 hours on low was perfect for me), added slurry then back to saute to thicken. This recipe is a keeper for sure! Sauce is perfect balance of sweet and heat.
Fantastic! Thank you so much for taking the time to come back and let me know!
Spectaular! I made this last night and it was a home run! Smelled delicious. I sis not cube beef. I just put roast in Crock-Pot, poured the sauce over it, shredded the beef in the drippings and served it with rice. Yum! And easy!
Thanks for dropping by to let me know! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
I cooked this tonight and it was amazing. So flavorful and incredibly tender. I loved it, thank you! I didn’t get as much sauce from it as my husband likes. Would you suggest using more soy sauce?
Nope, I would add a cup of beef stock, and then at the end you can thicken with an extra amount of the cornstarch/water slurry (1 tbsp of each whisked together). More soy sauce would be very salty. Also, add an extra 50% of the garlic and ginger to keep the flavors bold 🙂
if we have ground ginger instead of minced ginger, how much would you suggest using??
Standard practice is to use 1/4 teaspoon of ground ginger for each tablespoon of fresh grated ginger as a substitute. 🙂 But minced fresh ginger is awesome so if you can use it the flavors will be much brighter and fresher.
I definitely want to try this…that sauce sounds amazing! I love the fact that there isn’t much prep work!
This sounds & looks amazing! And you can’t beat how quick the prep is for this recipe! 🙂
Nice take on a delicious dish. Love utilizing my slow cooker beyond roasts and soups.
I love Korean ground beef…one of my favorites! And now I’ve got to try this slow-cooker Korean beef-it looks fantastic!
I bet the house smells amazing all day long when this is cooking! This looks like something my whole family will enjoy, a definite must-try.