Dwaeji Bulgogi (Spicy Pork Bulgogi)
Updated Dec. 19, 2023
- Total Time
- 35 minutes
- Prep Time
- 15 minutes
- Cook Time
- 20 minutes
- Rating
- Notes
- Read community notes
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Ingredients
Yield:6 to 8 servings
- ½Asian pear, peeled and cored
- 1small yellow onion, peeled
- 10garlic cloves, peeled
- 1(2-inch) piece ginger, peeled
- ¼cup gochugaru (see Tip)
- ¼cup toasted sesame oil
- ¼cup gochujang
- ¼cup maesil cheong (green plum syrup; see Tip)
- ¼cup soy sauce
- 2tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2tablespoons Sriracha
- 3pounds thinly sliced pork butt or shoulder (see Tip)
- Neutral oil, such as canola, for cooking
- Salt
- Perilla leaves or any mix of red leaf, romaine and butter lettuces, for serving
Preparation
- Step 1
In a food processor or blender, purée the pear, onion, garlic, ginger, gochugaru, sesame oil, gochujang, maesil cheong, soy sauce, sugar and Sriracha until smooth. Add to a large bowl, along with the sliced pork, and mix well to coat. Cover and refrigerate overnight or up to 24 hours. (After that, the meat will tenderize too much.)
- Step 2
Heat a large skillet or griddle over medium-high, and add enough oil to generously coat the bottom. Working in batches, lay the pork in a single layer and cook, stirring once or twice, until firm but juicy and no longer opaque, about 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt.
- Step 3
Serve immediately with perilla leaves or lettuce leaves to wrap the pork for the juiciest, most aromatic bundles.
Tips
- Gochugaru, a flavorful Korean red-pepper powder, ranges from a fine dust to tiny coarse flakes. Try to buy the coarse variety, both for deeper, sweeter flavor and for color, a gleaming crimson. You can find gochugaru at Korean and other Asian supermarkets and at many grocery stores, as well as online.
- You can find maesil cheong, or green plum syrup (also labeled an extract), online or in Korean supermarkets. Add a splash to a mug of hot water and drink it as tea, or mix it into salad dressings, marinades and stews as an aromatic sweetener with a touch of fruity tartness. It’s worth seeking out, but if you can’t find it, use a splash of apple juice or an extra pinch of sugar instead.
- You can find perfectly sliced pork, for shabu shabu and bulgogi dishes such as this, in the meat section of Korean or other Asian grocery stores. Otherwise, freeze a block of pork until firm enough to cut clean, ⅛-inch-thick slices with a very sharp knife.
Private Notes
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Cooking Notes
YoonShin Kim
If you have little ones or serving those who aren't comfortable with spicy food, cut the gochujang in half and substitute with oyster sauce. You may want to play with the ratio between the two to strike a balance to the palate.
lucidwisdom
Any meat, chicken, beef, bison, can be used for this recipe. I usually serve it with julienned veges such as cucumber (to cool the spiciness), carrots/ radish (for crunchiness) and red/yellow bell pepper (for colors). Guests and pick and choose which veges (or “go-myong” in Korean) to include in each bite (“ssam” -wrapped). For people who are not good with chopsticks, provide mini tongs.
Spudoo
Yes, but it would taste like it was made with chicken.
AndrewPollock
Super simple. Remarkable taste following recipe for first time with no modifications other than i did not marinate overnight. Guests were stunned with delight, even our judgmental college junior chef extraordinaire. We all loved the aftertaste.
Tim L.
Holy smokes, this is really good. Make it now.
PatC
Sliced pork and beef can also usually be found in the frozen meat cases of Costco. In many areas similar sliced meat is also sold for “steak sandwiches”—and not just around Philly. I’ve found it on Cape Cod!
Nicole
Very tasty and VERY spicy. Made the mistake of cooking this for my 5 and 7 year old...the flavor was great but after a couple of bites they "couldn't handle it" (the spice) anymore. Will omit the sriracha next time and maybe even cut the gochugaru in half. Great flavors, though!
Patrick
It was really good; very flavorful. But I think step 2 needs some amending. I kept the pan on medium low and significantly burned it. It ended up being a big mess. It would be nice if there were some guidance on preventing a burned pan.
Ferguson
This was fabulous. My pork cooked in only two minutes, perhaps because it was sliced very thin. If you live in central NJ, I found all the ingredients at Woo Ri Market in Princeton Junction.
Su
Asian pears aren't always available where I live and tend to be expensive when they ARE available, so I find it reassuring to know that I can make this recipe with a western pear when needs be, with the same tenderizing effect and similar flavor.
Tomi
I wonder how an apple would work? The pear I used (from H-mart) had a crunch and light sweetness to it that reminded me of a softer apple.
JR
Fantastique
H Hignight
Enjoyed this recipe, and would add one suggestion which I took from another bulgogi recipe I learned from a Korean friend--add anywhere from a tablespoon to a quarter cup of red wine to the marinade. The tannins draw out the depth and character of the spicier elements. Last night I had a leftover cabernet and so used that, but lighter reds have been fine in the past.
Tim L.
Holy smokes, this is really good. Make it now.
AndrewPollock
Super simple. Remarkable taste following recipe for first time with no modifications other than i did not marinate overnight. Guests were stunned with delight, even our judgmental college junior chef extraordinaire. We all loved the aftertaste.
PatC
Sliced pork and beef can also usually be found in the frozen meat cases of Costco. In many areas similar sliced meat is also sold for “steak sandwiches”—and not just around Philly. I’ve found it on Cape Cod!
lucidwisdom
Any meat, chicken, beef, bison, can be used for this recipe. I usually serve it with julienned veges such as cucumber (to cool the spiciness), carrots/ radish (for crunchiness) and red/yellow bell pepper (for colors). Guests and pick and choose which veges (or “go-myong” in Korean) to include in each bite (“ssam” -wrapped). For people who are not good with chopsticks, provide mini tongs.
YoonShin Kim
If you have little ones or serving those who aren't comfortable with spicy food, cut the gochujang in half and substitute with oyster sauce. You may want to play with the ratio between the two to strike a balance to the palate.
Anne
Could I do this with chicken instead?
Spudoo
Yes, but it would taste like it was made with chicken.
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