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Slow Cooker Korean Beef

Slow Cooker Korean beef with glossy sweet soy sauce—tender, shred-easy chuck roast cooked low and slow. Finished with a quick cornstarch thickening step for a silky coating over hot white rice.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 6 hours
Total Time 6 hours 10 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Korean-American
Calories: 820
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Beef chuck roast
  • 2 lb beef chuck roast, cut into 1.5-inch pieces or use flank steak
  • flank steak optional substitution for chuck roast
Korean sauce
  • 0.5 cup soy sauce
  • 0.333 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 2 tbsp sesame oil
  • 4 garlic, minced
  • 1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
  • 1 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 0.25 tsp black pepper
Thickening slurry
  • 2 tbsp cornstarch
  • 2 tbsp cold water
Serving
  • 1 cooked white rice
  • 1 sliced green onions
  • 1 sesame seeds
  • sriracha optional

Equipment

  • 1 slow cooker

Method
 

Cook the beef
  1. Place the beef pieces into the slow cooker in an even layer.
  2. Whisk together the soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, garlic, ginger, red pepper flakes, and black pepper until the sugar dissolves.
  3. Pour the sauce over the beef so the pieces are coated as much as possible.
  4. Cook on LOW for 6-7 hours (or HIGH for 3-4 hours) until the beef is very tender and shreds easily.
Thicken and coat
  1. Remove the beef to a plate and shred it with two forks.
  2. Whisk the cornstarch with the cold water, then stir the slurry into the slow cooker sauce.
  3. Cook on HIGH for 15 minutes until the sauce thickens to a glossy consistency.
  4. Return the shredded beef to the sauce and toss to coat thoroughly.
Serve
  1. Serve the Korean beef over cooked white rice.
  2. Garnish with sliced green onions and sesame seeds, and drizzle with sriracha if using.

Notes

For the most tender texture, avoid lifting the lid during the cook time. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container up to 4 days; reheat gently on the stovetop or microwave with a splash of water. Freezing is not recommended because the thickened sauce can separate when thawed. If you want a lighter option, use flank steak (choose whichever you prefer) and shorten the shredding window slightly to prevent dryness.