Korean Gochujang Pork Bulgogi
Quick answer
- Total time
- 25 min
- Level
- Easy
- Servings
- 2 servings
- Ingredients
- 10
About this dish
Gochujang dwaeji bulgogi is a Korean main course that marinates sliced pork neck in a sauce of gochujang, gochugaru, soy sauce, plum syrup, and minced garlic before stir-frying over high heat.
Read more
The fermented heat of gochujang provides depth and a slow burn, while the plum syrup contributes a bright tanginess that prevents the sweetness from feeling flat. Onion softens and releases its natural sugar into the sauce during cooking, rounding out the overall flavor profile. Green onion adds a fresh, pungent note throughout. Perilla leaves are added at the final moment before the heat is off, preserving the herb's volatile oils so its distinctive grassy aroma and slight bitterness remain intact. That herbal character is what cuts through the richness of the pork fat and brings the dish together. Served over rice or wrapped in lettuce leaves with rice, both presentations make a filling and well-seasoned main.
Ingredients
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Instructions
Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.
- 1Season
Slice 380 g pork neck about 0.5 cm thick and pat off excess moisture so the marinade coats evenly.
Mix gochujang, soy sauce, Korean chili flakes, minced garlic, and plum syrup, then marinate the pork for 10 minutes.
- 2Prep
Slice 120 g onion into 0.5 cm strips and cut the green onion into 5 cm lengths.
Fold the 8 perilla leaves, roughly slice them, and keep them separate so they can be added only at the end.
- 3Control
Heat the pan well over high heat, then spread the marinated pork in one layer.
Leave it untouched for 1 minute so the edges darken and the surface browns instead of releasing too much liquid.
- 4Season
Turn and loosen the pork as you stir-fry for about 2 minutes.
When the sauce begins to stick to the pan, lower the heat to medium-high, add the onion, and mix it through the pork.
- 5Control
Stir-fry for 2 more minutes, until the onion turns translucent and its sweetness blends into the sauce.
Add the green onion, toss for 1 minute until fragrant, then reduce the heat to low.
- 6Finish
Add the perilla leaves and toss for only 10 seconds so their color and aroma stay fresh.
Turn off the heat, drizzle 1 teaspoon sesame oil over the pork, and serve with rice or lettuce leaves.
Practical Cooking Checks
The cues that matter most while cooking.
- Key technique
- Plum syrup balances the fermented heat of gochujang in this classic spicy pork main course.
- Finish cue
- Stir-fry for 2 more minutes, until the onion turns translucent and its sweetness blends into the sauce.
- Avoid this
- When the sauce begins to stick to the pan, lower the heat to medium-high, add the onion, and mix it through the pork.
Cooking decision evidence
Calculated Charim data and applicable official cooking and food safety guidance.
This recipe
25min, 10 ingredients
Category median
25min, 8 ingredients
Based on 220 recipes
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