Bool Kogi is a Korean inspired boneless beef rib by Trader Joe’s. It is both flavorful and tender which makes it very versatile. Eat it with rice, in a salad, as tacos, or even put it in a sandwich. It will go great with it all.
The average weight of the package is 1.5 pounds. At $11.99 per pound, you are looking at roughly $18 dollars per package of Bool Kogi. This meat is located in the refrigerated section and was purchased at the Claremont location in Southern California.
Overall we rated this meat a 3/5. I will definitely be buying it again in the future to try it in new recipes. I decided to eat it with a small rice vinegar salad and a side of rice.
Continue reading below for a full breakdown of Trader Joe’s Bool Kogi.
Trader Joe’s Bool Kogi Quick Look
| Where to Find | Refrigerated Section |
| Price | $11.99 per lb. |
| Cook Time | 8-10 Minutes |
| Food Allergens | Contains Soy, Wheat, Sesame |
| Our Rating : 3/5 | 1- Bad 2- Tolerable 3- Good 4- Love it 5- Must Try It |
What Does Trader Joe’s Bool Kogi Taste like?
The first bite reminded me of being at my favorite All You Can Eat Korean BBQ Restaurant. It has a similar taste to Korean Bulgogi. The meat has a nice sweet, but savory taste to it. However, it is not as sweet as original bulgogi.
The meat was tender and easy to eat and paired really well with rice and a small rice vinegar dressing salad. There is quite a bit of fat on this meat, which is the main reason to why it is so tender.
Much of the fat rendered off during cooking, but you are still left with small amounts here and there which gives it a nice flavor since it is infused with the marinade.
This is definitely a delicious Korean inspired dish and I would buy it again.
How Do You Cook Trader Joe’s Bool Kogi?
On the bottom of the package there is indeed cooking instructions. The recommended method to cook Trader Joe’s Bool Kogi is on the grill. They estimate that it will take about 5 minutes per side to be fully cooked.
For an instructional video on how to cook Trader Joe’s Bool Kogi, check out my video by clicking here.
Start by simply preheating your grill to about 400-450 degrees Fahrenheit, this will help get a good char on the meat. Oil your grill grates with avocado oil, or any other high smoke temp oil.
Place all the meat on your grill and space them out. Cook them on each side for about 4-5 minutes and use your instant read meat thermometer to accurately check for the doneness of your meat.
This meat can overcook quickly because it is quite thin so we recommend checking the temperature a few times before the total cooking time is up.
The most accurate way to know if your bool kogi is fully cooked is by using a meat thermometer. Once the internal temperature of the meat reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit, it is fully cooked.
It’s good practice to remove the meat about 5 degrees sooner than the desired temperature as the meat will continue to cook even once it is removed from the grill.
We recommend using an instant read meat thermometer like this one by Alpha Grillers from Amazon.
Trader Joe’s Bool Kogi Nutrition Information
Each vacuum sealed bag of Trader Joe’s Bool Kogi yields a different amount of meat and is priced accordingly at $11.99 per pound of meat. Each serving size equals 4 oz. of meat, or 112g.
Each 4 oz. serving contains 340 calories, 26g of total fat, 10g of total carbohydrates, and 17g of protein. Since this is a marinated meat, the sodium content is quite high as well coming in at 860mg of sodium per serving.
Overall, this is a fatty cut of beef since it contains almost 30g of fat per serving. The protein to fat ratio is poor and we do not recommend this cut of meat if you are watching your macronutrients as you can reach your daily fat intake fairly quickly with about 3 servings of this meat.
Trader Joe’s Bool Kogi Ingredients
- Boneless Beef Ribs, Water, Seasoning (soy sauce powder [soy sauce (soybeans, wheat, salt), maltodextrin]
- Sugar, Dehydrated Garlic, Salt, Dehydrated Onion, Wine Powder [maltodextrin, natural flavor],
- Sesame Seeds, Caramel Color, Sesame Oil, with no more than 2% silicon dioxide as anticaking agent), Sodium Lactate, Sesame Oil
Contains Soy, Wheat, Sesame
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Bool Kogi?
Bool Kogi is Trader Joe’s korean inspired version of boneless beef ribs in a sesame marinade. Similar to “bulgogi“, this is a marinated beef dish that is cooked on the grill with a savory-sweet sauce.
How Do You Eat Bool Kogi?
Bool Kogi can be eaten in a number of ways. First, you can simply eat it with rice as a rice bowl. You can also use lettuce to create a delicious and flavorful beef wrap.
The meat can also be put into tortillas to make Korean inspired tacos, or you can put it into a ciabatta bun for a savory sandwich.
The possibilities are endless.
How Long to Cook Trader Joe’s Bool Kogi?
These boneless beef ribs are fairly thin so they do not need much cook time. Cook each side for about 4-5 minutes to ensure that it is fully cooked.
Final Thoughts
Overall, we gave the Trader Joe’s Bool Kogi a 3/5 rating. The marinade could be a little bit sweeter, and the price is also on the high side.
The meat is tender, juicy, and tastes great. It provides a sweet and savory taste which is similar to that of your favorite Korean BBQ restaurant. It can also be paired with a number of side dishes and can even be used in main dishes like tacos, salads, and more.
The preparation of this dish requires the use of a fire grill in order to get the best flavor. While it can be prepared in a skillet on the stovetop, the preferred method is on the grill which can be a limiting factor to some households.
