Korean Spicy Pork – Jeyuk Bokkeum (10 MINUTES Prep!)

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Do you love pork? Do you enjoy spicy food? This recipe is for you! Tender pork marinated in an incredible sweet, savory, and spicy sauce, all prepared in less than 30 minutes!

What is Jeyuk Bokkeum?

Korean spicy pork is known as jeyuk bokkeum (pork stir-fry) or dwaeji bulgogi (pork bulgogi). It consists of pork marinated in a sweet and spicy sauce, then stir-fried or even grilled. The meat should be relatively fatty, so it’s best to use pork belly, pork butt, or pork shoulder. Other cuts of pork may turn out too dry for this dish.

The spicy marinade is made with gochugaru (Korean red pepper flakes) and is balanced with sweeteners like sugar, jam (to replace maesilcheong – plum extract syrup) which add a touch of sweetness to the spicy sauce.

This dish is quick to prepare—just 10 minutes for the prep work and a minimum of 30 minutes to marinate. It’s one of fav Korean dishes together with dakgalbi! As a true pork and spicy food lover, this recipe takes me to heaven 😁 Plus, it’s so easy to make, perfect for getting an amazing dinner on the table with minimal effort.

Ingredients

• pork butt – the cut of pork you use is important. I usually use pork butt, but you can also use pork shoulder or pork belly. You need a fatty cut to ensure the meat stays tender and juicy. Avoid leaner cuts, as they will result in dry meat.
• onion – sliced onion adds sweetness and flavor to the dish.
• green onions
• sesame oil – adds a nutty, fragrant finish to the dish.
• sesame seeds – for sprinkling on top, adding crunch and a final touch of flavor.

marinade:

• garlic – I always crush my garlic using a garlic press to extract the juice, which intensifies the flavor in the marinade.
• gochugaru (Korean red pepper flakes) – adjust the quantity to match your preferred spice level. I usually add a bit more than the amount in this recipe, but the quantity listed here will suit the average spice tolerance for people who aren’t used to spicy food.
• soy sauce – I recommend using Korean soy sauce for the most authentic flavor. I once tried a Western soy sauce brand, and it made a huge difference. It was much blander compared to the depth of flavor in my usual soy sauce. And Chinese soy sauce has a stronger and distinctly different taste, so for this dish, stick with Korean soy sauce to stay true to the authentic taste.
• fish sauce – adds umami and depth of flavor.
• mirin – this sweet rice wine adds a touch of sweetness and balances the savory flavors.
• green plum jam – this is a substitute for maesilcheong (Korean plum extract) which may be difficult to find in Western countries. If you prefer a less sweet dish, you can reduce the quantity of the jam.
• sugar – you can decrease the sugar if you prefer your pork less sweet.
• black pepper powder – in Korea, for this type of dish, we typically use black pepper powder instead of freshly ground pepper. The powder blends better into the sauce and doesn’t overpower the dish with a strong peppery taste.

How to prepare Korean spicy pork?

1. Mix all marinade ingredients together in a bowl.

2. Chop the pork into smaller pieces.
3. Add the chopped pork, sliced onion, and green onions to the marinade. Massage the marinade into the pork until it’s evenly coated.

4. Let it sit for at least 30 minutes to marinate.
5. Heat a pan with some cooking oil over medium-high heat and cook the pork for 7-8 minutes, or until the pork is fully cooked.

6. Drizzle with sesame oil and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
7. Serve with lettuce.

Cooking methods

There are a few great methods you can use to cook jeyuk bokkeum, depending on what you prefer or what equipment you have available.

• Stir-frying – this is the classic method! Heat some oil in a pan over medium-high heat and stir-fry the marinated pork until it’s cooked through and slightly caramelized. Stir-frying gives the pork a nice crispy texture on the edges while keeping it juicy inside. It’s quick, easy, and super flavorful!
• Grilling – if you’re feeling a little more adventurous, you can grill the pork on a barbecue (here is one you can use at home with a gas burner). The high heat of the grill will give the pork a smoky, charred flavor that adds a nice depth to the dish. Just make sure to keep an eye on it to prevent burning since the marinade contains sugar.
• Sizzling hot plate – some Korean restaurants serve jeyuk bokkeum on a hot sizzling plate, which keeps the pork hot and sizzling as you eat. If you have a cast iron skillet, you can achieve a similar effect by cooking the pork in the skillet and serving it immediately while it’s still sizzling. This method is a fun way to enjoy the dish with a bit of flair!

Additions

• carrot – carrots are not typically used in traditional jeyuk bokkeum, but they can be added in modern or adapted versions of the dish.
• ginger – while not always included in the marinade, some versions of jeyuk bokkeum add grated ginger to the marinade for a fragrant, slightly spicy kick. This adds depth without straying too far from the traditional flavors.

Traditional No-Gos

• no heavy vegetables – while it’s tempting to add in vegetables like zucchini, mushrooms, or potatoes, traditional jeyuk bokkeum usually keeps it simple with just onions and green onions. Adding more vegetables would stray from the traditional approach.
• no non-Korean soy sauce – as mentioned earlier, stick to Korean soy sauce. Using Chinese or Western soy sauces will change the flavor profile of the dish, making it less authentic.
• no honey – honey shouldn’t be used in jeyuk bokkeum because its distinct floral taste alters the dish taste. Traditional jeyuk bokkeum relies on a more neutral sweetness from white sugar or maesilcheong, which enhances the spicy and savory flavors without adding a distinct flavor of its own.

How to serve?

You can serve it with rice and lettuce or perilla leaves to wrap around the meat. It’s also great for filling baos, tortillas, or even tacos, like in my Korean Spicy Pork Soft Tacos.

More spicy Korean recipes?

• Korean Spicy Pork Soft Tacos
• Cheese Dakgalbi – Korean Spicy Chicken Stir-Fry
• Napa Cabbage Kimchi
• Dakdoritang (Dakbokkeumtang) – Korean Spicy Chicken Stew