Photo courtesy of Yumbii.
This week, we’re sharing Yumbii’s bulgogi Philly recipe. Even if you haven’t tried the sandwich at Yumbii, you may have seen it on the Food Network this spring, when the restaurant appeared on “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.”
Yumbii co-founder Carson Young didn’t just bring a Guy Fieri-approved sandwich to television (the celebrity chef especially loved the cucumber kimchi’s cooling profile and even sampled a few extra bites). Young became the first deaf chef featured on the show, making Food Network history.
Young, who runs Yumbii with his wife, Katy, said the bulgogi Philly was inspired by his food truck crew and was a longstanding secret menu item.
“We originally created it on the truck as a family meal for the team,” Young said. The hefty Philly was both satisfying and unique after a hard day of preparing tacos.
Young prefers sourcing the sandwich’s ingredients at H-Mart and Buford Highway Farmers Market. When he first started the food truck, he purchased most of his Korean ingredients, such as Asian ribeye beef and gochujang paste, directly from that market.
“Our family is obsessed with H-Mart. We make it a family outing with our boys,” he said. “They are huge fans of Asian cuisine, but it might be the toy section at the end that they like most.”
The homemade kimchi in this recipe must ferment for 48 hours, so this isn’t the type of dish to make on a whim. Young also recommends not overlooking the sriracha queso. “Make a double batch and put some aside in the fridge” he said. “It easily warms and is great with chips as an appetizer.”
This recipe has been adapted for home cooks.
Yield: 4 cheesesteaks
Active time: 30 minutes
Total time: Includes 48-hour prep
Marinated beef ingredients
2 lbs sliced ribeye or bulgogi-style beef
1/2 cup red onions, thinly sliced with a mandolin
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup pineapple juice
1 Tbsp fresh garlic, finely chopped
1 Tbsp scallions, finely chopped
2 Tbsp granulated sugar
1/4 cup water
Sriracha queso ingredients
1 cup queso blanco (American melting cheese), grated or cubed
1/2 cup half & half
1 tsp sriracha
Cucumber kimchi ingredients
1 cucumber, thinly sliced with a mandolin
1/8 cup red onions, thinly sliced with a mandolin
1/2 Tbsp kosher salt
1/4 cup white vinegar
1/2 Tbsp gochujang (Korean chili paste)
2 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp sesame oil
1 Tbsp gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)
Assembly and garnish
4 Philly rolls (10-inch)
1/4 cup red onions, chopped
1/4 cup scallions, chopped
Neutral cooking oil (e.g. olive oil)
Prepare the cucumber kimchi (48 hours ahead)
Toss cucumbers and red onion slices with kosher salt and gochugaru in a bowl and let sit.
In a separate bowl, mix gochujang, vinegar, sesame oil, and sugar into a smooth paste.
Combine paste with cucumber mix until evenly coated.
Transfer to a sealed jar or vacuum bag and refrigerate for at least 48 hours. Use within 7 days.
Marinate beef (prepare 2 to 24 hours ahead)
In a bowl, whisk together soy sauce, pineapple juice, garlic, scallions, sugar, and water.
Place beef and sliced red onions in a shallow dish. Pour marinade over top. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, and up to 24 hours.
Day of cook and assemble
Melt cheese, half & half, and sriracha in a small saucepan over low heat. (Tip: grated cheese melts faster.)
Chop red onions and scallions for garnish. Set aside.
Toast Philly rolls in a dry skillet over medium-high heat until edges are golden. Set aside.
In the same skillet, add a little oil. Sear marinated beef and onions, turning often, until caramelized and cooked through.
Assemble
Place beef on a toasted roll, about 8 ounces per sandwich.
Ladle warm queso over the meat and top with cucumber kimchi (1/4 cup or to taste).
Sprinkle with chopped onions and scallions
Dining and Cooking