Korean Doenjang-Grilled Pork Jowl
Quick answer
- Total time
- 35 min
- Level
- Easy
- Servings
- 2 servings
- Ingredients
- 8
About this dish
Hangjeongsal doenjang-gui is a Korean doenjang-marinated pork jowl dish where the meat is sliced five millimeters thick, coated in a mixture of doenjang, minced garlic, sesame oil, cooking wine, honey, and black pepper for fifteen minutes, then grilled three minutes per side over medium-high heat.
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Pork jowl carries more evenly distributed intramuscular fat than loin or shoulder, so it renders its own cooking oil from the moment it hits a dry pan without any added fat. As that fat melts across the hot surface, it merges with the fermented savoriness of the doenjang, building a concentrated, layered umami coating on every grilled face. Starting with a conservative tablespoon of doenjang and adjusting to taste prevents oversalting, since the paste's sodium concentrates further as moisture evaporates during grilling. The honey contributes a faint sweetness while encouraging a glossy caramelized crust that catches the eye and holds the seasoning. After the edges brown, reducing to medium-low for a final two minutes cooks the center through without scorching the glaze, and a finish of sliced green onion adds a sharp, fresh contrast that lifts the richness. The doenjang marinade suppresses any gamey undertone in the pork while simultaneously deepening the umami, delivering the paste's complexity through a grilling method that differs entirely from the way doenjang performs in a stew.
Ingredients
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Instructions
Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.
- 1Finish
Slice 350 g pork jowl into 5 mm pieces, then pat the surface thoroughly dry with paper towels.
Slice the green onion thinly and keep it aside for finishing so the fresh aroma stays sharp.
- 2Heat
In a bowl, start with 1 tablespoon doenjang, then mix in the minced garlic, sesame oil, cooking wine, honey, and black pepper.
Taste the marinade before adding more doenjang, using up to 1.5 tablespoons total.
- 3Heat
Coat the pork in a thin, even layer of marinade and refrigerate it for 15 minutes.
Before cooking, lightly wipe or shake off any thick clumps of paste so the honey and doenjang do not scorch quickly.
- 4Control
Heat a pan or grill well over medium-high heat, then add the pork in one layer without extra oil.
Cook for about 3 minutes, until its own fat renders and the edges turn brown.
- 5Heat
Turn the pork and cook the second side for another 3 minutes.
If the marinade darkens too fast, lower the heat slightly; aim for a glossy brown surface and a springy cooked center.
- 6Finish
When the edges are browned, reduce the heat to low and cook for 2 more minutes to finish the center without burning the glaze.
Scatter the green onion over the pork, coat it lightly in the hot fat, and serve immediately.
Practical Cooking Checks
The cues that matter most while cooking.
- Key technique
- Hangjeongsal Doenjang-gui is a fatty pork jowl dish marinated in savory fermented soybean paste.
- Finish cue
- If the marinade darkens too fast, lower the heat slightly; aim for a glossy brown surface and a springy cooked center.
- Avoid this
- Before cooking, lightly wipe or shake off any thick clumps of paste so the honey and doenjang do not scorch quickly.
- Storage and reheating
- Coat the pork in a thin, even layer of marinade and refrigerate it for 15 minutes.
Cooking decision evidence
Calculated Charim data and applicable official cooking and food safety guidance.
This recipe
35min, 8 ingredients
Category median
32min, 8 ingredients
Based on 173 recipes
Official cooking and safety guidance
-
Storage and reheating
Refrigerate leftovers in shallow containers within 2 hours and use them within 3 to 4 days. Reheat the center to 74°C.
Source: USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service. Leftovers and Food Safety
Sources checked 2026-08-03
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