Easy Homemade Bulgogi-Style Thinly Sliced Pork Belly with Scallion Salad
Easy Homemade Bulgogi-Style Thinly Sliced Pork Belly with Scallion Salad
Generous Scallion Salad Meets Our Special Marinated Thin Pork Belly: A Recipe
I recently hosted a housewarming party after a long time! For this special occasion, I’m sharing my easy-to-make, delicious thin pork belly recipe featuring a generous amount of scallion salad. It’s perfect as a main dish and surprisingly simple to prepare!
Main Ingredients- 500g thinly sliced pork belly (daepae samgyeopsal)
- 1 large scallion (generous amount)
- 1/2 onion
Special Pork Marinade- 2 Tbsp Gochujang (Korean chili paste)
- 2 Tbsp Gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)
- 2 Tbsp Soy Sauce (jin ganjang)
- 1 Tbsp Cooking Wine (mirin or similar)
- 1 Tbsp Sugar
- 2 Tbsp Corn Syrup or Oligosaccharide
- 1 Tbsp Minced Garlic
- 1 Tbsp Sesame Oil
- Pinch of Black Pepper
Refreshing Scallion Salad Dressing- 1 Tbsp Gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)
- 1 Tbsp Soy Sauce
- 1/2 Tbsp Sugar
- 1/2 Tbsp Sesame Oil
- Sesame Seeds (for garnish)
- 2 Tbsp Gochujang (Korean chili paste)
- 2 Tbsp Gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)
- 2 Tbsp Soy Sauce (jin ganjang)
- 1 Tbsp Cooking Wine (mirin or similar)
- 1 Tbsp Sugar
- 2 Tbsp Corn Syrup or Oligosaccharide
- 1 Tbsp Minced Garlic
- 1 Tbsp Sesame Oil
- Pinch of Black Pepper
Refreshing Scallion Salad Dressing- 1 Tbsp Gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)
- 1 Tbsp Soy Sauce
- 1/2 Tbsp Sugar
- 1/2 Tbsp Sesame Oil
- Sesame Seeds (for garnish)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, wash the large scallion thoroughly and slice it into very thin strips. In a bowl, combine all the ingredients for the refreshing scallion salad dressing: 1 Tbsp gochugaru, 1 Tbsp soy sauce, 1/2 Tbsp sugar, 1/2 Tbsp sesame oil, and a pinch of sesame seeds. Add the julienned scallions to the dressing and gently toss with your hands until evenly coated. Let it marinate for a few minutes.
Step 2
Next, we’ll quickly blanch the thinly sliced pork belly to remove any gamey odors and help it absorb the marinade better. Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil with a bay leaf and a few peppercorns. Once boiling vigorously, carefully add the pork belly slices one by one, making sure they don’t clump together. Blanch for just 30 seconds to 1 minute. This step is crucial for a cleaner taste and ensures the pork cooks quickly without burning when stir-fried with the sauce later.
Step 3
Now, let’s prepare the special marinade for the pork. In a separate bowl, combine 2 Tbsp gochujang, 2 Tbsp gochugaru, 2 Tbsp soy sauce, 1 Tbsp cooking wine, 1 Tbsp sugar, 2 Tbsp corn syrup, 1 Tbsp minced garlic, 1 Tbsp sesame oil, and a pinch of black pepper. Whisk everything together until you have a smooth, flavorful marinade.
Step 4
In a large pan or bowl, add the blanched thinly sliced pork belly and the thinly sliced onion. Pour the prepared special pork marinade over them. Put on disposable gloves and gently mix everything together with your hands, ensuring the pork, onion, and marinade are well combined. It’s important to do this mixing step *before* turning on the heat, allowing the flavors to meld and penetrate the meat.
Step 5
Once everything is well-coated with the marinade, it’s time to stir-fry over high heat. Since the pork has already been blanched, it doesn’t need to cook for long. Stir constantly to prevent burning, and cook for about 3-5 minutes, just until the pork is heated through and the sauce is fragrant. Cooking quickly over high heat keeps the pork tender and juicy.
Step 6
When the pork is nicely cooked, place the marinated scallion salad generously on top of the stir-fried pork. You can serve it as is, with the scallions on top, or for easier eating, gently toss the scallions with the pork. The refreshing crunch of the scallions with the savory, slightly sweet and spicy pork is absolutely divine!
Step 7
Ideally, this dish is best made with very thin cuts of pork belly (daepae samgyeopsal). On this occasion, I couldn’t find the super-thin cut and used pork belly that was slightly thicker. If I had used an even thinner cut, the marinade would have penetrated even more deeply, resulting in an even more delicious outcome. I’ll definitely look for the thinnest cut next time!
Step 8
Transfer the finished dish to a serving plate and sprinkle some sesame seeds on top for a beautiful presentation. Despite its simple preparation, this dish is incredibly flavorful and satisfying. It makes a wonderful main course for any meal, or as I did, a stunning dish for a housewarming party that guests will surely rave about! Enjoy your delicious meal!
