Grilled Gochujang Pork With Fresh Sesame Kimchi

By Kay Chun

Updated July 7, 2022

  • Andrew Purcell for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Carrie Purcell.
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Total Time
15 minutes
Rating
4(472)
Comments
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Pork shoulder is often prepared as a large roast, requiring hours of cooking until it’s tender. But if you slice it thinly and pound it, the meat quickly absorbs this savory gochujang marinade and cooks up in no time. The spicy pork is balanced by a cool and crisp sesame kimchi, eaten fresh like a salad rather than fermented like traditional preparations. Baby bok choy stands in for the usual napa cabbage, and it’s coated in a vibrant sauce of garlic, ginger, gochugaru, fish sauce and nutty sesame oil. Tuck any leftover pork and kimchi into sandwiches the next day, garnished with tomatoes and mayonnaise.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings

  • 2 tablespoons gochugaru (Korean red chile flakes)

  • 2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar 

  • 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil

  • 3 teaspoons grated garlic 

  • 2 teaspoons grated peeled ginger

  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal), plus more for seasoning

  • ½ teaspoon fish sauce

  • 1 tablespoon plus ½ teaspoon granulated sugar

  • 1 ½ pounds baby bok choy, quartered lengthwise

  • 3 scallions, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced on the diagonal

  • 2 tablespoons gochujang (Korean chile paste)

  • 2 tablespoons neutral oil, such as safflower or canola

  • 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce

  • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper, plus more for seasoning

  • 2 pounds pork shoulder, thinly sliced crosswise and pounded ⅛-inch-thick (see Tip)

  • 1 large white onion, peeled and sliced into ¼-inch-thick rings

  • Steamed rice, for serving

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

35 grams carbs; 161 milligrams cholesterol; 791 calories; 21 grams monosaturated fat; 10 grams polyunsaturated fat; 16 grams saturated fat; 52 grams fat; 5 grams fiber; 1162 milligrams sodium; 46 grams protein; 9 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    In a large bowl, combine the gochugaru, vinegar, sesame oil, 1 teaspoon of the garlic, 1 teaspoon of the ginger, 1 teaspoon salt, the fish sauce and ½ teaspoon of the sugar; mix well. Add bok choy and scallions, and toss with your hands, working the sauce in between and all over the leaves.

  2. Step 2

    Heat a grill to medium-high or heat a stovetop griddle pan over medium-high. In a large bowl, combine the gochujang, neutral oil, soy sauce, 1 teaspoon black pepper and the remaining 2 teaspoons garlic, 1 teaspoon ginger and 1 tablespoon sugar; mix well. Very lightly season the pork with salt and pepper. Add pork and onion to the marinade and toss, gently massaging the marinade all over the meat (The meat does not need to rest in the marinade before it is grilled, but it can be marinated for up to 3 hours.)

  3. Step 3

    Grill the pork and onion, in batches if necessary, until nicely charred and caramelized around the edges, and the pork is cooked through, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a serving platter.

  4. Step 4

    Serve the grilled pork and onions with the fresh sesame kimchi and rice on the side.

Tip

  • You don’t need to be precious about how you slice the meat. The pieces themselves do not need to be the same size, just the same thickness. Slice crosswise as best as possible, then rely on pounding to even everything out.

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Ratings

4 out of 5
472 user ratings
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Comments

David W.

No pork here, so I wonder if this recipe might work with boneless, skinless chicken thighs. Looks feasible.

Sam

Three modifications: 1. I bought thin-cut pork chops instead of pork shoulder (less work) 2. I don’t like the idea of eating raw cabbage, so I marinated and cooked the Bok Choi together with the pork. 3. Couldn’t find the Korean Chili laste, so i used Chinese chili paste instead.

John

Why use low sodium soy sauce and then add salt?

CBC

the bok choy situation is really interesting. I first made this with "baby" bok choy from an american grocery store. I wish I had cooked it, it was too stringy. Then I made it with baby bok choy from an asian grocer. That baby bok choy was significantly smaller and fresher. I cooked it in boiling water for 30 seconds. That was too much. It should have been raw.

Marinate longer?

Can you leave the pork in the marinade longer? Overnight?

Catherine WL

Am I missing something? Where are the instructions for cooking the bok choy?

AJS

The baby bok choy is left raw as a fresh kimchi. The instructions for preparing it are in Step 1.

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