Slow Cooker Korean Beef is an easy crock pot dinner recipe that makes tender, sweet and spicy slow cooker beef. Great roast recipe with tons of flavor!
I have a lot of kitchen gadgets, but there aren’t too many that I would really miss if I didn’t have them. My slow cooker is one of the few that I would really miss. I use it year-round, and I may even use it more often when it’s hot out to keep from heating up the house.
Aside from the ease, one of the reasons I love using my slow cooker so much is that I can make so many different recipes with it – like this Slow Cooker Korean Beef recipe.
This delicious Korean beef is amazing! It’s the slow cooker version of my popular Instant Pot Korean beef. It has so much flavor and is so tender!
I use 2 tablespoons Gochujang sauce to give it just a little spice. Feel free to use more, though, as Gochujang sauce is a great mix of sweet and spicy.
Or, you can try my Korean ground beef with similar flavors for a quick weeknight dinner.
How to make slow cooker Korean beef
Here you’ll find step-by-step directions showing how to make this recipe. The full recipe with ingredients is given below.
Step 1: In a medium bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup beef broth and next 9 ingredients (up to roast).
Step 2: Place cubed roast into a slow cooker. A 4 or 5 quart slow cooker works well.
Step 3: Pour sauce over cubed meat.
Step 4: Cover and cook on low heat for 6-8 hours.
Step 5: In a small bowl, whisk together cornstarch and remaining 1/4 cup broth.
Step 6: Stir cornstarch mixture into the slow cooker.
Step 7: Cover and cook on high heat for an additional 30 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened.
Recipe Tips!
- Cut of beef: It’s important to use a chuck roast like you would use to make pot roast. The fat in the roast helps to keep the meat tender while slow cooking. I don’t recommend using a lean cut of meat, like flank steak, as it won’t give you juicy beef.
- Gochujang sauce: be sure to get gochujang sauce, not paste. The paste is more concentrated and will give you a much spicier result.
- Gochujang substitute: I highly recommend buying a bottle of gochujang sauce. If you can’t gochujang sauce (or just don’t want to purchase it), you can substitute a mixture that consists of a combination of soy sauce, a little Sriracha, and a little additional brown sugar to taste instead.
Serving suggestions
- I top the beef with sliced green onions and a sprinkle of sesame seeds just before serving, and I serve this slow cooker Korean beef with either white rice or brown rice and steamed veggies, like steamed broccoli or snow peas, to soak up all the yummy sauce.
- You could also use the beef to make Korean beef tacos. Just serve the beef in flour tortillas and top with cabbage slaw.
- Or use the beef to make Korean beef bowls, and serve it over rice with julienned carrot and thinly sliced cucumber.
Storage
This beef reheats well, and it makes great leftovers. Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. The beef will keep for up to 4 days when properly stored.
More slow cooker beef recipes!
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Slow Cooker Korean Beef
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup reduced-sodium beef broth divided
- 1/2 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
- 1/3 cup brown sugar packed
- 5 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger
- 1-2 tablespoons Gochujang sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 3-4 pound boneless beef chuck roast cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1-2 tablespoons cornstarch depending on desired sauce thickness
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup beef broth and next 9 ingredients (up to roast).
- Place cubed roast into a slow cooker. A 4 or 5 quart slow cooker works well.
- Pour sauce over cubed meat.
- Cover and cook on low heat for 6-8 hours.
- In a small bowl, whisk together cornstarch and remaining 1/4 cup broth.
- Stir cornstarch mixture into the slow cooker.
- Cover and cook on high heat for an additional 30 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened.
Video
Notes
- I find Gochujang sauce near the Sriracha in my local supermarket. If you can’t find it, you can substitute a mixture that consists of a little Sriracha, a dash of additional soy sauce, and a little additional brown sugar to taste instead.
- Nutrition facts are estimates.
Nutrition
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Originally published 8/11/17.
Reader Interactions
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Comments & Reviews
carol r haddon says
would love this in a recipe for two please
Kate says
If you hover over the servings, you can adjust the number of servings. I don’t know that I would go less than 4 servings, though. Also, you may need to adjust the cooking time accordingly.
sarah says
This was a definite win. Made as directed, and will add it to a regular rotation. All three of my kids ate it with no complaint.
Kate says
I’m so glad to hear that! Thanks for commenting!
Ian says
Love this recipe! I am making it for the third time tonight. Delicious over rice or on tacos with some cabbage slaw! Also great as a stand alone with a fried egg!
Kate says
Thank you so much! =)
Kelly says
I love this recipe, I tried it in my IP and now I want to try and slow cook in the oven. How would you cook this in the oven? I appreciate all your recipes and posts!!
Kate says
Thank you so much! I’m hesitant to give you oven instructions without having tried it myself because chuck roasts can cook anywhere from around 300F-350F and for different lengths of time.
Iain Dunsmore says
Super tasty! Everyone agreed they even prefer this to Chinese beef which is a family favourite
Kate says
Thank you so much! I’m glad it was a hit!
Renee says
This looked so good, but was tasteless to me.
Kate says
Did you make any changes to the recipe?
Marian says
Amazing
Kate says
Thanks! Glad you liked it!
Melissa Jones says
This meal was AMAZING! My family loved it!
Kate says
Thank you! I’m so happy that it was a hit. Thanks for commenting!
Terry says
Loved this!
Kate says
Thank you! I’m so happy to hear this!
Sarah says
Amazing. So delicious and tender. My mouth is watering just thinking about it again.
I didn’t have any of the Gochujang so I used a big spoonful of Sriracha. Could’ve made it spicier for hubby and I but I had to think of the kids. I mixed some cream into theirs when serving.
Absolute yummy recipe, thank you!!
Kate says
Thank you! I’m so happy to hear that it was a hit. =) Thanks for taking the time to comment!
Dorothy says
I serve the Korean Beef on a burrito, which I spread with a sour cream that I mix with a siritchie sauce, add the beef and top with Cole slaw. It is just amazing.
Kate says
Sounds amazing!! I love that you put your own twist on it. Thanks for commenting!
Alina says
What is siritchie sauce?
Kate says
I think she’s referring to Sriracha.
Bronwyn says
I loved this!!! Thank you so much.
Mine came out a little greasy, so I removed the beef from the crock pot and put it on a cookie sheet and put it in the broiler for about 8 minutes, perfection!!
The flavor is wonderful, we ate it all.
Kate says
Yay!! I’m so happy to hear that it worked out well for you! Thanks for commenting!
Ben says
Hi I accidentally added an extra cup of beef broth. Is there anything I can do to fix the added amount,
Kate says
Hi! You can double the other sauce ingredients to up the flavor in the sauce, and that will balance out the extra beef broth. You’ll also want to increase the amount of cornstarch to thicken the sauce. Hope that helps!
Me! says
Absolute deliciousness!
Kate says
Thank you! I’m so glad that you liked it. Thanks for commenting! =)
Angie says
This recipe was fantastic! We will add it to our regular rotation! Thanks for sharing!
Kate says
Thank you! I’m so glad that you enjoyed it. =) Thanks for commenting!
Heather says
family LOVED recipe, it will become a go to recipe for me, thankyou for sharing Kate
Kate says
I’m so glad to hear that! Thank you for taking the time to comment! =)
Mardie says
I was gifted a slow cooker last week and yesterday I made this recipe for the first time! I did add a little more gochujang because we like it spicy. The beef was absolutely tender and delicious with the typical Korean taste of sesame, garlic and gochujang. Will definitely write this one in my recipe book.
Kate says
Yay!! My slow cooker is one of my kitchen essentials, and I’m so glad that you found a recipe that you like to make in your new slow cooker. =)
Becky O says
Is there a difference in consistency between making this in the slow cooker and using your IP recipe?
Kate says
The only difference is that the sauce is a little thicker with the slow cooker method because of the cornstarch that’s added in at the end to thicken it. Please let me know if you have any other questions!
Lisa Jackson says
Tasted Great! My family loved this dish!! Thanks for sharing with us.
Kate says
Thank you! I’m glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for coming back to comment.
Rob says
Mmmm mmmm good. Sooo delicious!
Kate says
Thanks! So glad you liked it!