Beef & rice bowls

Glaze of Glory — Gochujang beef with green beans and broccoli

Gochujang coats browned beef in a savory, gently sweet sauce, with green beans and broccoli cooked separately so they keep some bite. Ginger and garlic go in after the beef has colored. Serve over jasmine rice and scatter the scallion greens on at the table.

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Cook the vegetables first

Brown the green beans and broccoli, then take them out of the pan. The beef needs its own turn against the hot skillet. A brief covered steam with a splash of water can soften stubborn broccoli without leaving the whole dish watery.

Gochujang is the sauce base

The optional mild Korean chile powder adds chile flavor; it does not replace the gochujang. Brown sugar or honey supplies the small added sweetness specified in the recipe. Let the sauce turn glossy and cling to the beef before returning the vegetables.

A cold side helps

The source suggests cucumber with a little rice vinegar for a sharper contrast, or a fried egg for a more substantial bowl. Keep any cucumber alongside the hot mixture, where it can stay crisp.


Kit Mercer

Glaze of Glory — Gochujang beef with green beans and broccoli

Gochujang ground beef with browned green beans, broccoli, ginger and garlic in a glossy sauce. Serve over jasmine rice with scallion greens.

Ingredients
  

  • 1 pound ground beef, preferably 85/15 to 93/7
  • 12 ounces fresh green beans, trimmed and cut in half
  • 12 ounces broccoli florets, cut into bite-size pieces
  • 3 scallions, thinly sliced, whites and greens separated
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, finely grated or minced
  • 3 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons gochujang
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar or honey
  • 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1 teaspoon neutral cooking oil, plus more as needed
  • kosher salt and black pepper
  • 1/2 to 1 teaspoon mild Korean chile powder, optional
  • cooked jasmine rice, for serving
  • sesame seeds, optional, for serving

Method
 

  1. Start the jasmine rice so it is ready when the skillet mixture is done.
  2. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat with 1 teaspoon neutral oil. Add the green beans and broccoli, season with a generous pinch of kosher salt, and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, tossing occasionally, until browned in spots and crisp-tender. If the broccoli needs help softening, add a splash of water and cover for 1 minute. Transfer the vegetables to a bowl.
  3. Return the skillet to medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook, breaking it into crumbles, until well browned with some darker crisp edges rather than merely gray steamed meat. Drain excess fat only if there is a large amount.
  4. Add the garlic, ginger, and scallion whites. Cook for about 30 seconds, just until fragrant.
  5. Stir together the soy sauce, gochujang, brown sugar or honey, rice vinegar, sesame oil, water, and optional Korean chile powder. Pour the sauce into the skillet and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, until glossy and clinging to the beef.
  6. Return the green beans and broccoli to the skillet. Toss until coated and heated through, then taste and adjust with salt, pepper, or a little more gochujang if wanted.
  7. Serve over jasmine rice. Finish with scallion greens and optional sesame seeds.

Notes

Brown the green beans and broccoli, then take them out of the pan. The beef needs its own turn against the hot skillet. A brief covered steam with a splash of water can soften stubborn broccoli without leaving the whole dish watery. The optional mild Korean chile powder adds chile flavor; it does not replace the gochujang. Brown sugar or honey supplies the small added sweetness specified in the recipe. Let the sauce turn glossy and cling to the beef before returning the vegetables. The source suggests cucumber with a little rice vinegar for a sharper contrast, or a fried egg for a more substantial bowl. Keep any cucumber alongside the hot mixture, where it can stay crisp. Displayed preparation and cooking times, where supplied, are source estimates rather than measured kitchen-test results. A reliable serving count is not specified in the source fields. Overall preparation and cooking times are not specified; use the method’s individual cues.

What to cook next

For cooling and reheating guidance, read the cooking notes. Choose another meal from weeknight dinners or the comfort-food collection.

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