Name: “Culture Award” Bulgogi Breakfast Smash Burgers
Prep time: 35 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 1 lb ground beef (80/20); 1 tbsp soy sauce; 2 tsp brown sugar; 2 tsp toasted sesame oil; 2 cloves garlic, minced; 1 small pear, grated (Asian or Bartlett); 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper; 4 large eggs; 4 soft brioche burger buns; 1/2 cup quick kimchi (store-bought or homemade); 1 small cucumber, thinly sliced; 1/4 cup mayonnaise; 1 tbsp gochujang (Korean chili paste); 1 tsp rice vinegar; 1/2 cup shredded lettuce; Vegetable oil, for frying; Kosher salt, to taste

“Culture Award” Bulgogi Breakfast Smash Burgers

CookwithNewsletter

Inspired by the wild spirit of the Las Culturistas Culture Awards, this breakfast-dinner hybrid takes the Filet Mignon Award for Best Beef and mashes it with a breakfast icon: the smash burger. The beef is seasoned bulgogi-style for sweet-savory depth, smashed for max crust, and topped with a just-set egg for that runny-yolk drama. A spicy gochujang mayo, crunchy lettuce, quick kimchi, and crisp cucumber deliver chaos in every bite—playful, bold, and utterly worthy of the most extra award show. No mushrooms, just maximal flavor.

Ingredients

Instructions

In a mixing bowl, combine ground beef, soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, garlic, grated pear, and black pepper. Gently mix until just incorporated. Divide into 4 balls (quarter-pound each).
Whisk mayonnaise, gochujang, and rice vinegar in a small bowl to make the spicy mayo. Set aside.
Heat a large cast iron skillet or heavy pan over high heat until just smoking. Lightly oil the surface.
Add beef balls to the hot skillet. Smash each ball firmly with a heavy spatula or burger press until thin (about 1/2-inch thick). Sprinkle with salt. Cook undisturbed for 2-3 minutes until deeply browned and crisp at the edges.
Flip each patty and immediately crack an egg directly on top (one egg per patty), letting the white flow slightly over the sides. Cover the pan and cook 2 minutes more for a jammy yolk, or longer for a firmer egg.
While patties cook, split and toast buns (cut sides down) in a dry skillet or toaster until golden.
Spread spicy mayo generously on bottom buns. Top with shredded lettuce and a few cucumber slices.
Place bulgogi smashburger patties (with eggs) onto the buns. Top with a generous spoonful of kimchi. Close with top buns.
Serve hot, optionally with extra kimchi and cucumber on the side.