Korean Grilled Soy-Doenjang Pork
Maekjeok-gui is a traditional Korean grilled pork dish with roots tracing back to the Goguryeo dynasty, made by marinating thick-cut pork neck in a paste of doenjang, soy sauce, rice syrup, minced garlic, ginger powder, sesame oil, and black pepper. The fermented soybean paste fuses with the pork's intramuscular fat during grilling, producing a deep, savory intensity, while the viscous rice syrup transforms into a shiny glaze under heat. Shallow scoring on both sides of the pork allows the marinade to reach the center of each thick slice, and lowering the heat for the final glaze application prevents the doenjang from burning and turning bitter. Resting the meat for two minutes under sliced green onion before cutting lets the juices redistribute evenly.
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Instructions
- 1
Slice pork neck to 1.5cm thickness and score lightly so marinade penetrates well.
- 2
Mix doenjang, soy sauce, rice syrup, garlic, sesame oil, ginger powder, and pepper into a marinade.
- 3
Coat the pork evenly with marinade and rest for 15 minutes.
- 4
Grill on a preheated pan over medium-high heat for 4–5 minutes per side, then sear the edges.
- 5
Lower to medium heat, brush a thin layer of remaining marinade, and cook 2 more minutes for glaze.
- 6
Top with sliced green onion, rest for 2 minutes, then slice and serve.
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