Korean BBQ Sweet & Spicy Pork Bulgogi (돼지 불고기)

Dweji Bulgogi (돼지 불고기) or Korean spicy pork BBQ is a must-order item whenever we went to Korean barbeque restaurant. Mouth-watering, tender, juicy pork with lots of well-balanced flavor – sweet, savory, spicy, garlicky, gingery, you name it. Definitely an absolute must-have dish in every of our Korean food outings, besides Korean short ribs (Galbi).

Little did I know that this Korean spicy pork bbq (dweji bulgogi)is actually very simple to make. You just ‘throw’ all the marinade sauce ingredients to the blender. Marinate the meat with the sauce and add onion and scallion. Mix them and let the marinade works its charm on the meat. Then, grill or stir fry. Easy peasy, right?

I think the key to making a delicious Korean spicy pork bbq is the right amount of ginger and garlic. Also, use the pork cut that have some fat on it. I find pork shoulder and pork belly are great for making dweji bulgogi.

Tip: You can make a big batch and freeze the marinated meat for later use. It can be stored for up to 4 months or so. Make sure it stays marinated for at least an hour before putting in the freezer. To use it later, de-froze and let it thaw in the fridge a night before, and then cook/grill it.

Ingredient:

• 2 lbs pork shoulder – thinly sliced or you can buy the pre-sliced meat
• ½ lbs pork belly – thinly sliced or you can buy the pre-sliced meat
• 1 medium-sized onion – sliced
• 5 stalks scallion

Marinade Sauce

• 1 whole bulb garlic – peeled
• 2-inch ginger
• ½ Asian pear (or apple)
• 5 tablespoons Gochujang (Korean chili pepper paste)
• 1 tablespoon Gochugaru (Korean chili pepper flake)
• 3 tablespoons light soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons mirin
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 3 tablespoon honey
• 2 tablespoons sesame oil

Direction:

• Add all the marinade ingredients in a blender. Blend until all are mixed thoroughly.
• Add sliced pork shoulder, sliced pork belly, onion, scallion, and marinade sauce in a large mixing container and mix thoroughly until all meat surfaces are covered with the sauce.
• Marinate for at least an hour. At this point, you can freeze some meats – after marinating for an hour – for later use, if you make a big batch.
• Turn your grill on or heat up your pan over medium high heat. You do not need to add oil as there will be natural oil comes out of the meat and the marinade sauce has some sesame oil. However, if need to, you can add a tablespoon of sesame oil.
• Cook until the meat is done, and the onion is slightly caramelized. Don’t forget to stir or keep turning the meat over during the cooking process.
• Serve it with steamed rice and your favorite side dishes. Enjoy!