I used to think a slow cooker was a lazy person’s crockpot, and I’d be honest: I said it out loud, more than once. Then the night I tossed a slab of flank steak into mine, walked away, and came back to a pot of beef that fell apart at the look of it. That was the moment I stopped being smug.
This is a high-protein, set-and-forget dinner. The gochujang sauce turns the meat juicy and tender, and it comes together with rice and fresh, crunchy sides. It’s the good kind of simple, and I mean that as the highest compliment I know.
Why this works
Flank steak is a lean cut that’s usually seared fast over high heat. Cooking it low and slow is the exact opposite of what it wants, and it works remarkably well. The long, gentle heat breaks the fibres down until the meat shreds by itself, and because the cut is lean, the finished dish never feels greasy or heavy.
Picking the beef
I went to the butcher wanting chuck or short ribs. Closer inspection: both cut too thinly, loaded with fat, and the chuck was on the bone. I left with flank steak instead (it’s also called bavette) and it looked beautiful. If you can find chuck that’s been trimmed of its fat, or leaner short ribs, those work wonderfully too. Just avoid anything that’s going to make you chew through a fence.
The sauce
The whole thing is built on gochujang, the fermented Korean chilli paste that gives the dish its warmth and depth. It’s not aggressively hot. It’s a complex, slightly sweet heat that mellows out once the shredded meat soaks it all back up. If you want more fire, add an extra tablespoon. If you’re cooking for kids or someone who’s sensitive to heat, drop it to a tablespoon and a half.
Soy sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar, fresh ginger, crushed garlic, and a little brown sugar round it out. Star anise is optional but it adds a subtle warmth that plays really nicely with the beef. When everything goes in, the liquid looks like a lot. Trust it. By the time the meat shreds and gets tossed back through, it absorbs beautifully and the sauce coats every strand.
Don’t skip the fresh stuff
The beef is rich and intensely flavoured, and without something cool, crunchy, and clean on the plate it can feel heavy. I served it with basmati rice, sliced spring onions, a quick cucumber salad, steamed bok choy, and a simple carrot salad. Jasmine rice is lovely here too. Kimchi is the classic condiment and worth including if you can find it; any quick pickle works as well. Those fresh elements aren’t optional garnishes. They finish the dish.
Make it ahead
This is a strong batch-cooking candidate. You can make it up to two days ahead and reheat it gently on the stovetop or in the microwave. It freezes well too. Make a full batch, freeze half in portions, and you’ve got an easy high-protein dinner ready to go on a weeknight. No decisions required, which is exactly what a Wednesday night needs.
The recipe
10 minutes of prep, start to finish, including the chopping. Then four hours of the machine doing the work.
Ingredients
- 1.3 kg beef flank steak (bavette), or chuck trimmed of fat
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, finely grated
- 2.5 to 3 tablespoons gochujang (Korean chilli paste)
- 3 cloves garlic, crushed
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil (drop to 1 teaspoon if using a fattier cut)
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 200 ml beef stock
- 1 star anise pod (optional)
To serve: basmati or jasmine rice, sliced spring onions, steamed bok choy, cucumber salad, quick carrot salad, and kimchi or any pickle you like.
Method
- Place the beef in the base of the slow cooker. If the pieces are large, cut them so they fit in a single layer.
- Mix the ginger, gochujang, garlic, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, brown sugar, and beef stock until well combined. Pour it over the beef and add the star anise if you’re using it.
- Cook on low for 4 hours, or until the meat shreds easily when pulled with two forks. Slow cookers vary, so use the shred test, not the clock.
- Remove the star anise. Shred the meat right in the pot with two forks, then toss it through the sauce until every strand is coated.
- Serve over rice with the spring onions, bok choy, salads, and kimchi alongside.
A note on storage: it keeps in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days, and the flavour actually improves overnight. Reheat gently on the stovetop over low heat with a splash of water or stock to loosen the sauce, or in the microwave until piping hot. To freeze, let the shredded beef cool completely, then freeze in an airtight container or zip-lock bag for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Questions I get asked
Can I use a different cut? Yes. Beef chuck trimmed of excess fat is the most natural substitute and gives a slightly richer result. Leaner short ribs work well too.
What on earth is gochujang? A Korean fermented chilli paste made from red chilli, glutinous rice, fermented soybeans, and salt. It has a complex, slightly sweet, deeply savoury heat that’s quite different from other chilli pastes. You’ll find it in most large supermarkets, Asian grocery stores, and online. It keeps in the fridge for months once opened.
Can I do this in the oven instead? Yes. Put the beef and sauce in a lidded casserole dish and cook at 160°C (325°F) for 3 to 4 hours until the meat shreds easily. Check occasionally and add a splash of water or stock if the sauce reduces too much.
How do I know when it’s ready? When it shreds easily with two forks. If it’s still resisting, lid back on and keep going. Flank steak on low typically takes 4 hours, but every slow cooker runs a little differently, so trust the shred test over the clock.
Is it spicy? Mildly to moderately, depending on how much gochujang you use. At 2.5 to 3 tablespoons it has a pleasant warmth rather than aggressive heat, and that mellows further once the meat soaks up the sauce. Drop to 1.5 tablespoons for a milder result, or go higher for more heat.
Trade-It Tip
No gochujang in your pantry? A tablespoon of sriracha plus a teaspoon of brown sugar gets you most of the way there, but gochujang is worth hunting for. It’s the backbone of this dish, and once you’ve got a jar it keeps for months.
If it doesn’t fit a Tuesday night, it doesn’t get published.
— Grace