Spicy Korean Ground Beef with Cucumber Salad

Bright, spicy, and fast, this Spicy Korean Ground Beef delivers sweet-salty umami paired with a fresh cucumber salad.

Ground beef (500 g / 1 lb), preferably 80/20 blend
Gochujang (2 tbsp / 30 g)
Soy sauce (60 ml / 4 tbsp)
Rice vinegar (30 ml / 2 tbsp)
Brown sugar (25 g / 2 tbsp)
Sesame oil (10 ml / 2 tsp)
Garlic (3 cloves, minced / ~9 g)
Ginger (1 tbsp / 6 g, minced)
Vegetable oil (15 ml / 1 tbsp)
Cucumbers (2 medium / about 400 g)
Scallions (2, thinly sliced)
Toasted sesame seeds (1 tbsp / 9 g)
Optional: Cooked rice or steamed greens for serving

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Make the sauce by whisking gochujang, soy sauce, rice vinegar, brown sugar, sesame oil, minced garlic, and minced ginger in a bowl until smooth.
Prepare the cucumber salad by slicing cucumbers into thin ribbons; toss with rice vinegar, sugar, kosher salt, and sliced scallion.
Heat a skillet over medium-high heat with vegetable oil; add ground beef and cook until browned, about 4–5 minutes, stirring.
Remove excess fat from the skillet, leaving some to carry flavor; add minced garlic and cook until fragrant.
Pour the sauce over the beef, stirring to coat, and cook until the sauce thickens slightly, about 1–2 minutes.
Assemble by spooning beef over cooked rice or greens, topping with cucumber salad and sesame seeds. Serve immediately.

Use Diamond Crystal kosher salt for accuracy; avoid overcrowding the pan for better browning.