Korean Spicy Pork Bulgogi

Bulgogi parties are the new taco night!  Load up on the meats, lay out the lettuce wraps and banchan, then let everyone build their plates with their own meat-to-veggie ratio (but let’s be real, it’s mostly meat). Fire up the grill because the smell of grilled Korean Spicy Pork Bulgogi is the ultimate 'come over' text and it’s about to be a good time!

🎥 Watch How to Make this Spicy Pork Bulgogi Recipe

🥘 What is Pork Bulgogi Made of?

Korean pork bulgogi, or Jeyuk Bokkeum, is made of thinly sliced pork marinated in a sweet soy sauce-based marinade, then grilled until it’s caramelized, charred, and has you drooling. “Bulgogi” in Korean means “fire meat” since it’s traditionally cooked over a flaming grill, BUT for convenience, you can cook it stovetop too!

• Gochujang: This Korean chili paste is actually sweet and adds umami too! If you want a spicy kick, grab the spicy gochujang variety!
• Soy Sauce: This is the base of our bulgogi marinade, so we’re going to regular soy sauce - not low-sodium/light soy sauce. 
• Mirin: This is a cooking wine that amplifies the flavors in this bulgogi marinade, but is also used in sauces too. Easily find it at any local Asian market.
• Kiwi: Traditionally, Asian pear or Korean pear is used to tenderize the meat in the bulgogi marinade, but since I can’t always find it, apples, pineapple, or kiwi are great subs! My fave are canned pineapple because you can always have it on hand & freeze leftovers. Kiwi is always easy to find and I love the flavor of golden kiwi, but green kiwi works too! Pineapple & kiwi is super acidic though so ½ kiwi is good for up to 3 pounds of meat and don’t marinate it longer than overnight, otherwise, the proteins in the meat will continue to break down and turn mushy - sadness. 

What kind of Pork Belly should I buy?

The fattiness of pork belly is where alllllll the flavors at! Plus, that melt-in-yo-mouth tender pork.... come onnnn *drool* 

Save time by buying pre-cut pork at a local Asian or Korean market labeled shabu shabu / hot pot or KBBQ meat. You can also buy the slab of skin-off pork belly or trim the skin yourself because the skin turns tough and chewy after it’s cooked. Slice the pork into ⅛-inch thin strips & the easiest way to do that is slicing while still partially frozen. If you like your pork slices thicker, just keep in mind that the thicker the slice, the longer it takes to marinate and cook!

If you prefer leaner spicy pork bulgogi, pork loin, pork tenderloin, pork shoulder, or pork butt work too, but they're not as tender since they don't have the extra fat for extra juicy tender meat. 

Not in the mood for pork? No problem! Swap out this Pork Belly Bulgogi recipe for Beef Bulgogi or Spicy Chicken Bulgogi! The marinade is also very similar to Kalbi!

See pork bulgogi recipe card below for quantities.

🔪 Instructions

Step 1. Marinate Pork 

Easily make the spicy bulgogi marinade in a blender for minimal chopping & grating. Toss in soy sauce, brown sugar, mirin, gochujang paste, peeled garlic, kiwi, peeled onion, sesame oil, & cracked black pepper. Blend until smooth then transfer the marinade to a Ziplock bag.

I prefer using a Ziplock bag because you can basically vacuum seal the meat in the marinade. If you don’t have Ziplocks, don’t sweat it, just an airtight container or bowl with plastic wrap pressed directly on top of the meat.

Add the thin slices of pork to the bulgogi marinade, mix well, then push out as much air as possible. Give that pork spa treatment with a quick massage,  marinate in the fridge for at least 1 hour or up to overnight in the fridge.

Step 2. Cook Spicy Pork Bulgogi

Heat a large skillet or pan on medium high heat with a neutral high-smoke point oil (I like using grapeseed oil). Add your spicy pork bulgogi when it’s piping hot, then spread meat into a single layer.

Work in batches if needed to avoid overcrowding, otherwise, your meat will boil instead of caramelize and char. Cook for 3-5 minutes, or until fat rendered, excess moisture has evaporated, and sugars in the marinade caramelized the meat.

Cooking times may vary slightly depending on the thickness of the pork. So keep an eye on it & use your senses to tell when it’s done. You can also fire up the grill to cook your spicy bulgogi!

Garnish with toasted sesame seeds & green onions if you're feeling fancyyyy, then serve it with hot steamy rice, kimchi, and/or lettuce or radish wraps. Got leftovers?? Repurpose them in Bulgogi Nachos or Bulgogi Quesadillas!

💭 Recipe FAQs

🥗 How to Serve Pork Bulgogi

Hot steamy rice with Korean pork bulgogi is a MUST, and if you’re looking to level up Game Day or Dinner Parties, serve a bulgogi platter with Beef Bulgogi and Spicy Chicken Bulgogi with lettuce wraps, radish wraps, and/or perilla leaves. Need more inspo for Korean side dishes? 

• Kimchi Fried Rice because (let’s be real) rice is life… plus it only takes 10 minutes to hit the table!
• Korean Cucumber Salad - it’s crunchy, tangy, and makes you feel almost like a responsible adult for getting those veggies in 😉
• Kimchi Pancakes that are crispy on the outside, fluffy on the inside, and has everyone saying, “ooo, I’m going to grab one more before they’re all gone!”
• Kimchi Soup is the warm cozy hug you didn’t know you needed until that first spoonful (and takes no more than 20 minutes to make)!
• Korean Braised Potatoes are sticky, sweet, savory, and whispering, “Come on, just one more bite!” Plus, no peeling required!

Craving more Korean recipes? I gotchu!