In a large skillet, cook the ground beef and minced garlic over medium heat. Use a spatula or wooden spoon to break the beef into small crumbles. Continue cooking until the ground beef is no longer pink and is fully browned.

Carefully drain any excess grease from the skillet.

While the beef cooks, prepare the savory sauce. In a small bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, reduced-sodium soy sauce, sesame oil, ground ginger, crushed red pepper flakes, and black pepper until well combined.

Pour the whisked sauce directly over the cooked and drained ground beef in the skillet. Stir well to coat all the beef evenly.

Let the beef mixture simmer for just another minute or two, allowing the sauce to thicken slightly and the flavors to meld beautifully.

Serve the flavorful ground beef mixture immediately over hot cooked rice.

Garnish each serving generously with freshly sliced green onions and a sprinkle of sesame seeds.