Black bear bulgogi lettuce wraps are a great starter and the perfect dish to introduce friends and family to new proteins. Preparing the meat as Korean bulgogi is a great way to boost flavours, even when cooked to well done.

Bulgogi is broken down to understand its meaning in Korean, with “bul” being fire and “gogi” being meat. Fire meat is a good way to describe the charred and browned proteins. When a meat browns, there are a series of chemical reactions from sugars that react with the proteins and give the meat a tantalizing char and aroma. This is known as the Maillard reaction.

Ground black bear is high in protein, and the fats help generate the Maillard reaction for outstanding flavours that leave you wanting more. Creating bear “fire meat” is easy and pairs well with fresh lettuce, pickled vegetables, and spices.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb ground black bear
• 2 tsp roasted sesame oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 Tbsp fresh ginger, minced
• 2 Tbsp soy sauce
• 2 Tbsp mirin
• ¼ of an Asian pear, grated
• 1 tsp ground chili paste (sambal or sriracha)
• 1 tsp sugar
• ½ tsp salt
• 4 green onions, chopped
• 1 Tbsp sesame seeds
• 2 Tbsp cooking oil
• 1 head bib, green leaf, butter, or iceberg lettuce
• 1 package of bean, pea, or alfalfa sprouts
• 1 bunch cilantro, roughly chopped

Pickled Vegetables

• 1 large carrot, chopped matchstick
• 1 daikon radish, chopped matchstick (substitute white turnips or parsnips)
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ tsp red chili flakes (optional)
• 1 cup boiling water
• 1 cup vinegar
• 1 Tbsp honey

Directions:

 

Pickled Vegetables

1. Place the carrots, daikon radish, garlic, salt, and red chili in a quart jar or sealable container. Add the hot water, vinegar, and honey, then seal and set aside for 30 minutes or more.

Black Bear

1. Place the ground meat in a large bowl. Add sesame oil, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, mirin, Asian pear, chili paste, sugar, salt, green onions, and sesame seeds and mix well.
2. Heat the cooking oil in a wok over high heat. Add the meat mixture to the wok and press it flat with a spatula. Turn the meat after it chars and gets crisp on the bottom. Char the second side, then break up the meat with the spatula. Continue cooking until meat is fully cooked through.
3. Take a lettuce leaf and add charred meat, pickled vegetables, cilantro, and bean sprouts. Fold the lettuce into a wrap and eat immediately.