Korean Braised Pork with Garlic Chives

Quick answer

Total time: 55 min
Level: Easy
Servings: 2 servings
Ingredients: 10

About this dish

Pork shoulder is steamed with garlic chives in a seasoning of soy sauce, gochugaru, and cooking wine.

The shoulder cut has fat distributed evenly through the muscle, so it stays moist during steaming and pulls apart naturally along the grain rather than turning dry or stringy. Garlic chives are piled generously over the pork before the lid goes on; as they steam they release moisture and a sweet, garlicky aroma that seeps down into the meat. Soy sauce penetrates deeply through the slow steam, and gochugaru gives the finished dish its red color and moderate heat. A finish of sesame oil and black pepper adds nuttiness and a sharp edge. The combination of savory depth and mild spice makes it a natural partner for plain steamed rice.

Ingredients

servings

IngredientAmountUnit

pork shoulder400 gg

garlic chives120 gg

onion½ eaea

soy sauce4 tbsptbsp

Korean chili flakes1½ tbsptbsp

minced garlic1 tbsptbsp

cooking wine2 tbsptbsp

sesame oil1 tbsptbsp

black pepper¼ tsptsp

water180 mlml

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Instructions

Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.

6 steps

1

Season

Cut 400 g pork shoulder into bite-size pieces.

Coat it with 1 tbsp cooking wine and 1/4 tsp black pepper, then let it stand for 10 minutes so the seasoning softens the aroma before braising.
2

Prep

Cut 120 g garlic chives into 5 cm lengths and slice 1/2 onion thinly.

Keep the chives separate because they go in near the end, when the pork is already tender.
3

Season

In a bowl, mix 4 tbsp soy sauce, 1.5 tbsp Korean chili flakes, 1 tbsp minced garlic, the remaining 1 tbsp cooking wine, and 180 ml water. Stir until the chili flakes are evenly hydrated.
4

Control

Spread the onion in the pot, place the pork on top, and pour in the braising sauce.

Bring it to a boil over medium heat, then stir once so the pork does not stick to the bottom.
5

Control

Once boiling, lower the heat and cover the pot slightly ajar.

Simmer for about 20 minutes, until the pork is cooked through and the liquid has reduced by roughly half, then taste for saltiness.
6

Finish

Add the garlic chives on top and braise for 5-7 more minutes, just until they wilt lightly and smell fresh.

Turn off the heat, mix in 1 tbsp sesame oil gently, and serve right away.

Practical Cooking Checks

The cues that matter most while cooking.

Key technique: Buchu dwaejigogi jjim steams pork shoulder fat directly into a bed of fresh garlic chives.
Finish cue: Simmer for about 20 minutes, until the pork is cooked through and the liquid has reduced by roughly half, then taste for saltiness.
Avoid this: Bring it to a boil over medium heat, then stir once so the pork does not stick to the bottom.