Spicy & Sweet Pork Bulgogi (Jeyuk Bokkeum) – The Golden Recipe
Spicy & Sweet Pork Bulgogi (Jeyuk Bokkeum) – The Golden Recipe
Mastering Baek Jong-won’s Jeyuk Bokkeum: A Golden Recipe for a Hearty Meal
Pork is known to be great for immunity, so I’m sharing a pork dish with every meal. With the fresh lettuce from my garden these days, I made Gochujang Bulgogi to wrap and eat. It’s as good as any restaurant!
Main Ingredients- Pork shoulder (for bulgogi, thinly sliced) 1kg
- Onion 1
- Green onion 1 stalk
- Mushrooms (e.g., shiitake) 2
- Carrot a small amount
- Minced garlic 1 Tbsp
- Sesame oil 1 Tbsp
Special Sauce- Sunchang Gochujang (Korean chili paste) 3 Tbsp
- Soy sauce 3 Tbsp
- Gochugaru (Korean chili flakes) 2 Tbsp
- Mirim (cooking wine) 3 Tbsp
- Corn syrup or rice syrup 2 Tbsp
- Plum extract 1 Tbsp
- Garlic powder or minced garlic 1 Tbsp
- Ginger powder or minced ginger a small amount
- Black pepper, a pinch
- Sesame oil 1 Tbsp
- Chicken stock 1 Tbsp (or 2 Tbsp water)
- Sunchang Gochujang (Korean chili paste) 3 Tbsp
- Soy sauce 3 Tbsp
- Gochugaru (Korean chili flakes) 2 Tbsp
- Mirim (cooking wine) 3 Tbsp
- Corn syrup or rice syrup 2 Tbsp
- Plum extract 1 Tbsp
- Garlic powder or minced garlic 1 Tbsp
- Ginger powder or minced ginger a small amount
- Black pepper, a pinch
- Sesame oil 1 Tbsp
- Chicken stock 1 Tbsp (or 2 Tbsp water)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
Prepare the pork shoulder, thinly sliced for bulgogi. About 1kg will be a generous portion.
Step 2
In a bowl, combine all the sauce ingredients: Sunchang Gochujang (3 Tbsp), Soy sauce (3 Tbsp), Gochugaru (2 Tbsp), Mirim (3 Tbsp), Corn syrup (2 Tbsp), Plum extract (1 Tbsp), Garlic powder/minced garlic (1 Tbsp), Ginger powder/minced ginger (a little), Black pepper (a pinch), Sesame oil (1 Tbsp), and Chicken stock (1 Tbsp). Mix well until the sugar is dissolved to create a delicious sauce. Add the pork to this sauce and mix thoroughly with your hands. For an even richer flavor, cover the marinated pork with plastic wrap and let it rest in the refrigerator for at least a day. This allows the marinade to deeply penetrate the meat, enhancing the taste.
Step 3
Heat a deep frying pan or wok over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of cooking oil. Once hot, add the roughly chopped green onions and minced garlic (or garlic powder). Stir-fry until fragrant and a subtle green onion oil aroma is released, taking care not to burn the garlic. This step infuses the oil with the flavors of green onion and garlic, adding depth to the dish.
Step 4
Once the green onion oil is fragrant, add the roughly chopped onion. Stir-fry quickly over high heat until the onion becomes slightly translucent. It’s important to keep the onion slightly crisp rather than fully softened. Stir vigorously, like a ‘swish swish’ motion, so the onion doesn’t wilt too much.
Step 5
Now, add the marinated pork to the pan. Stir-fry over high heat. Use chopsticks or a spatula to break up the meat as it cooks, ensuring it cooks evenly and the sauce coats the pork properly.
Step 6
When the pork is almost cooked through, add 1 tablespoon of chicken stock. If you don’t have chicken stock, you can substitute it with 2 tablespoons of water. Chicken stock is highly recommended as it significantly enhances the pork’s flavor and adds a wonderful umami taste. It makes the sauce much richer.
Step 7
Add the sliced mushrooms and carrots. Stir-fry again over high heat with a quick ‘swish swish’ motion to combine all ingredients. The key is to maintain the fresh texture and vibrant colors of the vegetables.
Step 8
Finally, taste the dish and adjust the seasoning if needed with additional soy sauce. Just before turning off the heat, drizzle in 1 tablespoon of sesame oil for a nutty aroma. Garnish with chopped green onions (or the white parts of green onions) on top. Your delicious Jeyuk Bokkeum is ready! Serve it generously with fresh lettuce wraps for a delightful meal.
