Korean Gochujang Grilled Pork Ribs

Quick answer

Total time: 55 min
Level: Hard
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients: 10

About this dish

Gochujang dwaeji-galbi-gui is a Korean grilled pork rib dish that starts by soaking the ribs in cold water for thirty minutes to remove blood, followed by at least one hour in a marinade of gochujang, soy sauce, sugar, Asian pear juice, garlic, sesame oil, cooking wine, and black pepper.

The pear juice works on two levels: its natural enzymes break down the muscle fibers to tenderize the meat, and its fructose provides a clean sweetness that tempers the fermented heat of gochujang. Because the marinade carries a high concentration of sugar, it catches and burns quickly on a hot surface. Each side is grilled four to five minutes over medium heat before the flame is reduced to finish the interior without incinerating the glaze. After cooking, resting the ribs for three minutes off the heat allows the juices to redistribute inward, so that when the pieces are sliced, every cut reveals a moist, tender interior beneath the deeply caramelized, glossy crust that is the hallmark of the dish.

Ingredients

servings

IngredientAmountUnit

Pork ribs900 gg

Gochujang3 tbsptbsp

Soy sauce2 tbsptbsp

Sugar1½ tbsptbsp

Minced garlic1 tbsptbsp

Sesame oil1 tbsptbsp

Asian pear juice120 mlml

Cooking wine2 tbsptbsp

Black pepper½ tsptsp

Cooking oil1 tbsptbsp

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Instructions

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

6 steps

1

Step

Soak 900g pork ribs in cold water for 30 minutes to draw out the blood, then pat dry with paper towels.
2

Season

Combine 3 tbsp gochujang, 2 tbsp soy sauce, 1.5 tbsp sugar, 1 tbsp minced garlic, 1 tbsp sesame oil, 120 ml Asian pear juice, 2 tbsp mirin, and 0.5 tsp pepper. The pear juice tenderizes the meat.
3

Season

Coat the ribs evenly with the marinade and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, ideally 2.

The longer it marinates, the deeper the seasoning penetrates to the bone.
4

Control

Heat a pan or grill to medium heat and coat lightly with 1 tbsp oil.

Place the ribs and grill 4-5 minutes per side.
5

Finish

Brush on the remaining marinade thinly and grill 1-2 more minutes for a glossy finish.

Watch closely as the sugar in the sauce can burn quickly.
6

Finish

Remove from heat and rest for 3 minutes to let the juices settle.

Cut between the bones and arrange on a serving plate.

Practical Cooking Checks

The cues that matter most while cooking.

Key technique: Gochujang Dwaeji Galbi Gui uses Asian pear juice to tenderize pork ribs before high-heat grilling.
Finish cue: Brush on the remaining marinade thinly and grill 1-2 more minutes for a glossy finish.
Avoid this: The sugary marinade burns easily, so finish on lower heat.
Storage and reheating: Coat the ribs evenly with the marinade and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, ideally 2.