Korean BBQ Pork

eating Korean BBQ Pork from a plate using chopstick.

Print Recipe

5 from 2 votes

Korean BBQ Pork is the perfect way to enjoy a delicious and authentic Asian at home!

Prep Time1 20

Cook Time10

Total Time1 30

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American, Asian

Servings: servings (approximately 1 cup each)

Calories: 471kcal

Author: Jennifer Fishkind

Ingredients

2 pounds thinly sliced boneless pork butt
½ cup chopped yellow onion
¾ cup chopped scallions divided into ½ cup and ¼ cup
½ cup low-sodium soy sauce
¼ cup grated apple 1 small gala apple peeled and shredded
3 tablespoons seasoned rice wine vinegar
3 tablespoons Gochujang Korean chili paste
3 tablespoons light brown sugar
1½ tablespoons minced garlic
1 tablespoon grated ginger
2 teaspoons sesame oil
2 tablespoons peanut oil plus an additional 1 tablespoon if needed for extra cooking batches
¼ teaspoon sesame seeds optional garnish

Instructions

Add the thinly sliced pork butt, chopped yellow onion, and ½ cup chopped scallions in a large bowl. Set aside.
2 pounds thinly sliced boneless pork butt, ½ cup chopped yellow onion, ¾ cup chopped scallions
Make the marinade in a small mixing bowl by whisking together the soy sauce, grated apple, seasoned rice wine vinegar, Gochujang Korean chili paste, light brown sugar, minced garlic, grated ginger, and sesame oil.
½ cup low-sodium soy sauce, ¼ cup grated apple, 3 tablespoons seasoned rice wine vinegar, 3 tablespoons Gochujang Korean chili paste, 3 tablespoons light brown sugar, 1½ tablespoons minced garlic, 1 tablespoon grated ginger, 2 teaspoons sesame oil
Pour the marinade into the bowl of the pork and onions. Stir to fully coat all the pork with the marinade.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour or up to overnight to allow the pork to marinate and absorb the flavors.
Add the peanut oil to a large, heavy-duty skillet on high heat. Once the oil is very hot, add half the marinated pork. Cook for 4-6 minutes. Remove the cooked pork to a serving plate and set aside.
2 tablespoons peanut oil
Add the remaining marinated pork to the skillet (add an additional 1 tablespoon of peanut oil if needed) and cook for another 4-6 minutes or until the pork is cooked through and the marinade thickens into a glaze.
Add the second batch of cooked Korean BBQ pork to the serving plate and garnish with the remaining ¼ cup of chopped scallions and optional sesame seeds.
¼ teaspoon sesame seeds, ¾ cup chopped scallions

Notes

Storage:

To Store: You can store leftovers, in an airtight container, for up to 3 days in the refrigerator.
To Freeze: I do not suggest freezing this dish after cooking it; however, you can freeze the marinated sliced pork in a freezer-safe heavy-duty zip-top bag, with the excess air removed, for up to 1 month. Thaw completely in the refrigerator before cooking.
To Reheat: Reheat on the stovetop or microwave until heated through.

Tips:

Please don’t skip the addition of the Gochujang Korean chili paste. This unique ingredient is very hard to substitute and get a similar flavor profile for your dish. I found this in the Asian aisle of my local grocery store. I did not need to go to a specialty store to find it. It can also be found online. You can store this ingredient in the refrigerator for quite some time (be sure to check the expiration dates on your container) and use it in many Asian recipes for a more complex sweet heat that a standard hot sauce or red pepper flakes will not give.
If marinating the pork for more than 2 hours (or up to overnight), you will want to allow the bowl of marinated pork to sit on the counter for 20-30 minutes to allow the pork to come to room temperature. This will let the pork cook more evenly.
I often can only find larger cuts of pork butt (4-5 pounds), so I like to slice all of it at once. I then place half of the sliced pork into a freezer-safe, zip-top bag. I squeeze out all the air and freeze for up to 2 months. This way, I can thaw the extra sliced pork at a later date and make this quick and easy recipe.
Freezing your pork butt for 2-3 hours will help firm up the meat to make slicing it into thin slices easier. Be sure to use a really sharp knife, as this cut of pork is fatty and makes it a bit harder to slice. You do not want to freeze your pork butt solid, as this will make it too hard to slice.
I like to keep a jar of minced garlic and a tube of grated ginger (ginger paste) in my refrigerator to make quick and easy Asian marinades. The garlic and ginger do really well as shortcut ingredient items without the need to keep the fresh versions on hand.
Be sure to use seasoned rice wine vinegar in this recipe. It is lightly sweetened, making it different from regular rice vinegar. You could substitute MIRIN or dry sherry (be sure to get a good quality that you would drink) in place of the seasoned rice vinegar.

Nutrition