Easy Slow Cooker Korean Beef

My strongest culinary conviction — besides the absolute law that butter solves 90% of personality problems — is that Easy Slow Cooker Korean Beef should be declared a national holiday. Yes, a holiday. Parade optional. Nap mandatory.

I recently made this while simultaneously wrestling a toddler, a laundry mountain, and a dog who believes every kitchen counter is a personal buffet. Please, somebody hold me. Also, if you’re into breakfast hacks, you’ll laugh and then make these in shameful quantities: air fryer cheeseburger egg rolls (yes, I bought the wrappers at Trader Joe’s like a true adult).

The time Thanksgiving almost turned into a smoke signal

Remember the cranberry-jelly catastrophe of 2018? I tried to be inventive and somehow turned my cousin’s oven into a fog machine. That Thanksgiving the smoke alarm sang us a duet with Aunt Carla’s offended silence. I cried, I laughed, I learned that store-bought mashed potatoes are sometimes a kindness. (Also, never under-season stuffing; I am still mourning that year.) Cooking disasters are my emotional cardio — I sprint through them and then eat my feelings.

Once I accidentally marinated an entire roast in what I thought was soy sauce but was actually balsamic from the back of the fridge (RIP, logic). The beef tasted confused and slightly Italian. Everyone was polite. I was mortified. My neighbor, bless her, brought over pie and moral support. These are the moments that teach you patience, improvisation, and the importance of labeling.

Back to the beef: let’s refocus before I spiral

ANYWAY, before I emotionally relive every grocery trip I’ve ever made, let’s talk Korean beef. This is about comfort, sugar-salty umami that feels like a warm hug from a friend who also happens to be a chef. Also: if you’ve got a chaotic morning, toss everything in the slow cooker and live your best life. And if you need weekend baking to match dinner vibes, consider these adorable and suspiciously addictive mini banana muffins for breakfast chaos control.

What to buy (and my unsolicited Trader Joe’s hot takes)

• 2 lbs beef chuck roast
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup rice vinegar
• 2 tablespoons sesame oil
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon ginger, minced
• 1/4 cup green onions, chopped (for garnish)
• Sesame seeds (for garnish)
• Cooked rice or lettuce leaves (for serving)

Shopping mini-rant: beef chuck is a budget hero — don’t be seduced by the shiny “fancy roast” at triple the price. Trader Joe’s often has decent chuck roasts for less; Aldi is a sneaky contender too. Fresh ginger is worth it (yes, even if you once loved powdered ginger like a person with questionable life choices).

Handy cooking unit converter (so you don’t cry over teaspoons)

If you’re eyeballing conversions at 11 p.m. while starving, this little widget will save your dignity.

The glorious, messy technique — what actually happens (and what I learned the hard way)

I will not give you a rigid culinary sermon. Instead: imagine your slow cooker as a tiny, slow volcano of joy. The beef goes in, the sauce goes on, the aroma slowly takes over your kitchen like an affectionate fog. You will wander by every hour. You will sniff. You will be rewarded.

Here’s also the step list I actually follow (and sometimes read aloud like a hymn when I feel dramatic):

1. Place the beef chuck roast in the slow cooker.
2. In a bowl, mix together soy sauce, brown sugar, rice vinegar, sesame oil, garlic, and ginger. Pour the mixture over the beef.
3. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours until the beef is tender.
4. Remove the beef and shred it with two forks. Return the shredded beef to the slow cooker and stir to combine with the sauce.
5. Serve the Korean beef over rice or in lettuce wraps. Garnish with chopped green onions and sesame seeds.

Pro tip from the school of hard knocks: shredding while hot is non-negotiable. It’s like tearing through fabric that’s had too much coffee: very satisfying. Also, stir gently unless you enjoy puddles of regrets.

Why this matters — a small cry about food and memory

Cooking is how I talk to the people I love. My grandma’s lemon bars (RIP 2021 disaster, we shall not speak of you) taught me that recipes are DNA. Food is how we remember Thanksgiving with weird relatives and how we create new tiny rituals: the neighbor who brings over a jar of kimchi when you’re sick, the friend who insists on bringing extra rice because they love you more than they love balance. This Korean beef tastes like comfort and risk — both things I am inexplicably terrible at and inexplicably proud of.

Tiny anecdote — the lettuce wrap incident of 2020

I once made these and served them as lettuce wraps at a neighborhood potluck. Someone’s toddler declared them “too saucy” and used a lettuce leaf as a hat. The toddler became the unofficial life of the party. That child is now in first grade and still a menace. I adore them.

Frequently Asked Questions — chaotic, honest, and slightly opinionated

Okay, I’ll stop talking now. This recipe is easy, forgiving, and gorgeous in its mess. Trust me — or don’t — but make it anyway. You will nap better.

Daily Calorie Needs Calculator — because numbers are thrilling (sometimes)

Use this to estimate how many calories you should eat while making life decisions (or not).