Dwaeji Bulgogi – Spicy Korean pork

spicy korean pork

This spicy pork is yummy! It is marinated in a spicy red pepper sauce and served in crisp lettuce leaves.  It is my favourite way to eat pork.

I am always nervous when making spicy food. Is it spicy enough? Is it too spicy? Will it make my guests ears burn and have them guzzling water? Will my Yobo find it too mild? Will the kids be able to handle the heat?

As a result, I am forever second guessing myself when I am making it.  Should I add more spice?  Should I add more of all the other ingredients in the sauce to make it less spicy? Should I cook it really long to calm down some of the heat?  Should I start over?

But this fabulous dish is worth all the anxiety!

The recipe:

How much time you need:

prep: 10 mins (+ marinating time) cooking: 20 mins

What you need:

  • 1 lb thinly sliced pork belly / side
  • 1/2 onion sliced
  • 3 or 4 green onions thinly sliced
  • 1 carrot thickly sliced
  • lettuce leaves washed (for serving)
  • 3 tbsp gojujang (red pepper paste)
  • 1 tsp gojugaru (red pepper flakes) – to adjust the heat increase or omit these flakes
  • 2 tbsp rice wine
  • 2 tbsp sugar
  • 1 tbsp sesame oil
  • 1 tbsp minced garlic
  • 1 tbsp minced ginger
  • 1/8 tsp black pepper

The how to:

  • mix together in a bowl the last 8 ingredients
  • cut the pork belly into pieces (2 – 2.5 inches long)
  • add the onions and carrots to the pork
  • combine all the ingredients making sure all the pork is well coated
  • allow to sit as long as you have time (the longer the better).  Since I usually decide what I am having for dinner at 5pm, my pork doesn’t get to marinate as long as I would like.
  • there are three options for cooking this that are all delicious.
  1. heat a pan on medium high heat and fry the pork (no need to add oil to the pan as it is a fatty pork). Fry until all the pork is cooked and the sauce starts to caramelize
  2. preheat the oven at 400f. Heat a skillet on medium high heat and quickly fry the pork for 5 minutes or so. Cover with foil and transfer the skillet to the oven to cook for 45 minutes or so.  Check on it occasionally to ensure it isn’t burning on the bottom
  3. barbeque!
  • serve with lettuce leaves and rice

Say “kimchi”!

blog jan 2013 011   blog jan 2013 012

Recipe from www.koreanbapsang.com


4 thoughts on “Dwaeji Bulgogi – Spicy Korean pork

    • I buy the pork in handy little packages from Beltrame Meats (a local butcher) called sliced pork side. It is like a thick uncured bacon cut.

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