Name: Korean Pork Chops
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 2
Cuisine: Korean
Ingredients: 2 x 2.5cm (1 inch) thick pork chops on the bone; FOR THE MARINADE; 2 tbsp gochujang; 1 tbsp soy sauce; 1 tbsp light brown sugar; 3 clove garlic - minced; 1 x 1.25cm (1/2 inch) ginger, minced; 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar; 1 tsp sesame oil; 1/4 tsp black pepper; sesame seeds - for garnish

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My spicy Korean pork chops are a great change to the standard grilled pork chops.

This recipe is so easy yet gives great results. Give it a go! Pork chops don’t really get any tastier than this. They are so quick to make, I suggest marinading the pork chops in the gorgeous sticky, spicy marinade overnight but if you’re short on time just marinade for as long as you can manage. Half an hour will impart some of the flavour into the juicy chops.

I always buy pork chops from my local butcher as I find them far superior to those found in the supermarkets and generally not any more expensive. The supermarket chops always seem to be too thinly cut and lacking in flavour.

My finished spicy Korean pork chops.

About this recipe for Korean pork chops…

This was really just a bit of an experiment that worked! I love cooking pork chops in this way regardless of the marinade.

As the chops are quite thick, you need to get a good char on them before placing them in the oven to finish cooking. You just want a nice char but cooking them just in the pan would mean blackening them too much before the interior is properly cooked through.

What is gochujang paste and gochugaru?

Gochujang paste is commonly found in Asian shops and is readily available on line. It is crucial for this Korean pork chops recipe and there is not really a substitute. It is a red chilli paste, being both savoury and sweet in flavour.

Gochugaru is a Korean chilli powder and is used in a lot of Korean dishes. Meju powder is dried, fermented soya beans and yeotgireum is malt powder. These uncommon ingredients in the west give the marinade the great, unique flavour.

Can I use beef or lamb chops instead?

I think this recipe works best with pork chops as the marinaded seems to go well with the consistency of pork meat. By all means give the recipe a go with other meats as I’m sure it will still taste great but my preference for this recipe is pork.

Why do I rub most of the marinade of the Korean pork chops before frying?

As the paste has a lot of sugar in it, it’s a good idea to remove it. Reserve the leftover marinade for later and rub it all over the pork chops before baking them and then you won’t lose any. It’s far too good to waste!

What to serve with the spicy Korean pork chops?

There is so much flavour in this meat dish I would serve with something fairly bland. Maybe go with some boiled white rice or you might like to try making these Korean savoury pancakes.

I like to serve them with some plain broccoli or just a simple side salad.

Step by step pictures and instructions …

Step 1.

Lay out your ingredients to simplify your work.

Step 2

Mix the marinade ingredients together in a bowl big enough to fit the pork chops.

Step 3

Add the pork chops to the marinade and coat them well with it.

Step 4

Place the Korean pork chops in the hot pan.

Step 5

Fry for about 4 minutes each side

Step 6

Cover the pork chops in the excess marinade before placing them in the oven.

Step 7

Remove the pork chops from the oven to serve up!

If you like these Korean pork chops, you might like to try some of these too…

This Korean braised beef stew is to die for!
Kimchi Jjigae is a Korean favourite and it’s so easy to prepare at home too.
Who doesn’t like a good beef bibimbap? Try this one… You’ll love it.
If you want to cook up a Korean feast, you’ll want this Korean fried chicken on the table!

Yield: 2