30 Minute Korean Beef Rice Bowls with Not Your Mama’s Canning Book

The perfect balance of sweet and savory, the secret to these 30 Minute Korean Beef Rice Bowls is the Korean Barbecue Sauce from my friend and fellow food blogger, Rebecca Lindamood.

If you’re a long time reader of Mountain Mama Cooks then you know I do a ton of canning and preserving throughout the year. Nothing makes me happier than busting into a jar of canned summer tomatoes mid January and I’ll argue anyone that my homemade preserves beat anything you can buy off the shelf. When you’re canning produce that’s in season and at it’s best, the end result is unparalleled. It’s why I continue to can year after year. It’s time consuming, yes, and my kitchen always looks like a tornado went through it when I’m done but the payoff is exponential. Plus I love giving canned goods out around the holidays and as hostess gifts!

With that being said, I tend to can the same recipes over and over sometimes varying the basic recipe slightly but mostly sticking to the basics. Partly out of habit but I also know I like what I like. I’m a creature of habit if you will. But what if you try something new and not only do you like it but you fall madly in love and wonder how you’ve never made it before? That’s pretty much what happened when I tried this Korean Barbecue Sauce from the new canning cookbook, Not Your Mama’s Canning Cookbook.

It’s sooooooo time to step up my preserving game, folks.

A few weeks ago, I sat on the couch, drinking wine, sort of watching the Olympics and perused Rebecca’s new book. I realized two things. First, I’m kind of boring when it comes to my canning endeavors. Second, this book is exactly what the canning world needed. Not Your Mama’s Canning Book is filled with so many inventive and creative recipes that if you’re a seasoned canner looking to shake it up a bit, this will be your new favorite book.

Rebecca so kindly sent me an advance copy of her book and I ear marked no less than a dozen recipes to try. Up this week I’m making her famous Candied Jalapeños because every review I’ve ever read about them is a rave one and you know I’m going to slather all the tacos with them! Also, a batch of the Chili Garlic Chicken Stock is happening soon because I really believe homemade stock is the ultimate kitchen healer and this flavor profile is off the charts.

When Rebecca sent her book along, she also sent a jar of this Korean Barbecue Sauce. In five words, the sauce is: savory, sweet, garlic-y, addicting, omg-good. (totally a word, fyi) It’s everything you guys. Do yourselves a favor and order the book. For no other reason, to make this sauce. It is that good. It would be awesome on a roast pork tenderloin, grilled flank steak, tacos, slow cooker chicken…..you get the idea. It’s a sauce that will now forever be a staple in my pantry because it’s as versatile as it is delicious.

I love the idea of being able to grab a jar of this sauce and know dinner will be on the table in minutes. These Korean Beef Rice Bowls came together in the time it took to steam the rice. I simply sautéed some ground beef and stirred the sauce in. While that was simmering and the rice was cooking I made a simple cucumber salad. In 30 minutes dinner was on the table and it was legit. And bonus that it was only two dishes to clean when all said and done! See the recipe below for the full canning instructions. If you’re afraid of canning it’s time to cowboy up. Period. Otherwise, if intimidation won’t work, simply half the recipe and freeze the leftovers. Just make the sauce.

Have a great week!

Korean Barbecue Sauce + Korean Beef Rice Bowls

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Ingredients

For the Korean Barbecue Sauce:

• 3 cups (700 ml) reduced-sodium soy sauce
• 3 cups (660 g) light brown sugar, packed
• 1 cup (240 ml) plus ¼ cup (60 ml) water, divided
• 1 cup (240 ml) soju or sake
• ½ cup (105 g) gochujang
• ½ cup (120 ml) mild honey
• ⅓ cup (80 ml) rice wine vinegar
• ¼ cup plus 2 tbsp (57 g) minced garlic
• ¼ cup (57 g) grated fresh ginger root
• 4 scallions, trimmed off the root end, thinly sliced
• 1 ripe pear, peeled, cored and grated on the finest side of a box grater
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp Korean chili pepper powder or crushed red pepper flakes
• 3 tbsp (29 g) Clear Jel, ThermFlo or other canning starch (See Resources [page 212] for where to order)

For the Korean Beef Rice Bowls:

• 1 cup uncooked rice
• 1 english cucumber, thinly sliced
• 1 carrot, shredded
• 2–3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
• 1–2 teaspoons sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
• pinch salt
• 1 lb ground beef
• 1/2 pint of Korean Barbecue Sauce

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Instructions

1. Combine the soy sauce, light brown sugar, 1 cup (240 ml) water, soju or sake, gochujang, honey, rice wine vinegar, garlic, ginger root, sliced scallions, grated pear, black pepper and chili powder or crushed red pepper flakes in a large stainless stockpot or preserving pot. Stir well while bringing to a boil. Boil for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
2. In a small measuring cup or bowl, use a fork or small whisk to combine the canning starch with the ¼ cup (60 ml) of water until it is evenly dispersed. While stirring the barbecue sauce vigorously, pour the water mixture in a steady stream. Return the barbecue sauce to a boil and boil for 1 minute or until thickened.
3. Ladle into sterilized pint or 24-ounce (475-ml) jars, leaving ½ inch (13 mm) of headspace at the top of the jar. Moisten a paper towel with vinegar and wipe the rims of the jars clean. Place lids on the jars and fasten appropriately whether it’s turning a ring to fingertip tightness or fixing clamps in place.
4. Use canning tongs to transfer the jars to a canner full of boiling water that covers the jars by 2 inches (5 cm). Put the lid of the canner in place, return the water to a boil and process for 15 minutes. Carefully transfer the jars to a towel-lined counter or wire cooling rack and allow them to cool completely, preferably overnight, before removing the rings, wiping the jars clean and labeling.
5. Store the jars in a cool, dark place for up to 1 year. Once opened, it will be good for up to 3 weeks when stored in the refrigerator.

To make Korean Beef Rice Bowls:

1. Cook rice to manufacturers directions and keep warm.
2. In a small bowl, combine sliced cucumbers, shredded carrots, vinegar, sesame oil, sugar and salt; set aside and let marinate while you cook beef.
3. In a large sauté pan, cook ground beef over medium heat until cooked through. Drain fat and return meat to pan. Add barbecue sauce and simmer on low for 15 minutes or until rice is done.
4. To serve, plop a big ‘ol scoop of rice in a bowl and top with barbecue beef and a helping of cucumber and carrots. If desired, top with sesame seeds and a lime wedge.

Notes

COOK’S NOTES
• Be sure to use low-sodium soy sauce and not regular soy sauce. If you use regular soy sauce, it is probable that the resulting barbecue sauce will be unpleasantly salty.
• Gochujang—the thick, brick-red, spicy, ubiquitous Korean paste—is becoming much easier to purchase in many places now. It is most commonly sold in a rectangular tub with a flip top lid. If you can’t buy it locally, buy it through Amazon or online sellers of Asian foods.