Use Up Leftover Steak By Transforming It Into This Classic Korean Dish

With the price of beef these days, we don't blame you for wanting to stretch your steak as far as it can go. Maybe you've already gone for a more economical cut, like flank steak or flatiron steak, but once you've had your fill, what do you do with the leftovers? You could just pop it in the microwave for a minute and have it for lunch, but there's nothing wrong with zhuzhing things up a little bit. One option is to turn that leftover steak into a delicious bibimbap.

Bibimbap is a rice dish from Korea; the name literally means "to mix rice." The bowl starts with a bed of rice topped with meat, vegetables, and soy sauce or gochujang (otherwise known as that trendy chili paste recipes from The New York Times are always telling you to use). As for the best beef for the dish, you can use whatever you happen to have leftover, but sirloin will probably be your best bet; not only does it pack a ton of beefy flavor, it's a little less expensive than something like ribeye. (Of course, if you have ribeye, you can feel free to use that, too.)

Like stew and casserole, bibimbap is a great recipe for making use of leftovers beyond just steak. If you're avoiding red meat, shredded rotisserie chicken from the grocery store can serve as an alternative protein, giving your bibimbap a milder flavor and a leaner nutritional profile. Leftover broccoli from last night's Chinese takeout works well, too, or you might add sliced carrots if you want to finish up a bag before it goes bad. 

You can easily incorporate any of those ingredients with bibimbap. As long as you have the base of rice — which the Japanese housewife-invented rice cooker will have ready for you within minutes — you can build whatever flavor profile you desire. Maybe you'll stick with gochujang for that kick of heat, or perhaps you're feeling more like doenjang, or fermented soy paste, to add some funk to your dish. Since you're in charge, you can do whatever you very well please with your leftovers — maybe even turn leftover steak into next-day pasta salad for lunch.