A weeknight-friendly dinner made in 30 minutes: Spicy Korean Pork or Jeyuk Bokkeum! A fast and easy stir fry made with thinly sliced pork and a spicy marinade. A complete meal in one pan and one of those Korean recipes that’s very easy to make. Serve with rice and kimchi.
What is Spicy Korean Pork?
Korean Spicy Pork, also known as Jeyuk Bokkeum, is a popular Korean dish with thin pork slices and a spicy sauce that is stir-fried. An easy way to enjoy BIG Korean flavors, FAST!
At Korean restaurants, Jeyuk Bokkeum is served on a hot sizzling plate or in an earthenware bowl over rice. Spicy, smoky, and absolutely delicious.
Although this dish seems intimidating, it’s quite easy to make at home. Thin slices of pork belly (or pork shoulder) are coated with a spicy marinade. Then everything is tossed in a hot pan with sliced onion and cabbage.
The key ingredients are pureed onion and pureed Korean pear. In Korean cuisine, they are classic marinade ingredients because they absorb into the meat quicker than big chunks. They also add a nice texture. The spicy flavor comes from Gochujang (Korean chili paste) and Gochukaru (Korean dried chili flakes).
The combination of thinly sliced meat with the flavorful marinade makes for a fast and easy dish. Everything is tossed together and cooked quickly. A great 30 minute meal with savory flavors and a kick of spice. The easiest, best stir fry in my humble opinion! Perfect for busy weeknights, too.
Ingredients:
- Thinly Sliced Pork. Use thinly sliced (1/8-inch thick) pork belly, pork shoulder, or pork butt. Look for this pork cut at Asian grocery stores or the Korean market. Sometimes, it can be found in the freezer section. Or, buy a large slab of pork belly or pork butt and thinly slice it at home. (For easier slicing, freeze for 20-30 minutes first).
Pork Belly tastes best for this dish. However, it can be quite fatty. If you prefer a leaner Spicy Korean Pork, use pork shoulder or pork butt.
- Onion. Grate half into a juicy pulp. Chop the other half into thick slices.
- Garlic + Ginger. Essential aromatics. Don’t skimp on the amounts!
- Gochujang. Fermented Korean chili paste. Lots of umami, spicy-sweet flavor in this thick paste!
- Gochukaru. Korean chili flakes. Adds heat.
- Korean Pear. Adds sweetness and texture. Can be swapped with a ripe, juicy pear or sweet apple.
- Sugar. Sweetness to balance all the spice.
- Mirin. Sweet cooking wine.
- Soy sauce. Lots of umami depth.
- Sesame oil. Nutty fragrance and flavor.
- Black Pepper. Earthy spice.
- Cabbage. A neutral vegetables that soaks up all the good flavor.
- Green onions. Optional. Adds color and adds sweet onion flavor when cooked down.
How to make Jeyuk Bokkeum:
- Marinate pork. In a large mixing bowl, add grated pear and grated onion. Add minced garlic and ginger, Add gochujang paste, gochukaru, soy sauce, sugar, mirin, sesame oil, and black pepper. Mix with a spoon until well combined. Add thinly sliced pork and using your hands, mix well until the pork is coated with the marinade.
- Cook pork. Heat the wok on medium-high heat. When the wok is hot, add 1-2 Tbsp oil. Swirl to coat the bottom of the wok. Add the marinated pork and lightly spread out into a thin layer. Leave the pork undisturbed, for 1-2 minutes, to get a good sear on one side. Cook, stirring with a long-handled metal spatula, until pork is cooked through, about 5-6 minutes.
- TIP: Cook the pork in batches, making sure not to crowd the pan. Transfer the cooked pork onto a plate and then wipe down the wok with a paper towel before cooking the next batch.
- Add cabbage and onion. Move the pork to the side and add the cabbage and onion. Stir together until the cabbage and onion are wilted, about 1-2 minutes. Add the previously cooked pork as well, if cooking in batches. Stir well to combine and scrape down the sides of the wok.
- Add green onion. Add the green onion and continue cooking until wilted, another 1-2 minutes.
- Serve. Transfer to a serving platter. Serve immediately with rice, kimchi, and lettuce wraps. Enjoy!
PRO Tips:
- Heat the wok properly. For crispy, smoky Jeyuk Bokkeum, make sure the wok is hot. The wok should be slightly smoking before the oil is added.
- Adjust the heat. While cooking, feel free to adjust the heat. The wok should be hot enough to sear the meat (not steam) but not too hot as the marinade can easily burn and scorch. Adjust the heat from medium high heat to high heat.
- Freeze extra portions. Makes a great freezer-friendly meal. After marinating the pork, divide into 2-person portions and transfer to medium ziploc baggies. Transfer to the freezer where it will keep for up to 1 month. Defrost by transferring to the fridge overnight. Cook, as per usual.
- Use a food processor. If you prefer, use a food processor to puree the onion and Korean pear for the marinade. Makes it easier and faster.
Helpful Kitchen Tools:
- Wok. A carbon steel wok is the ideal cooking tool. The deep well makes it easy to toss the spicy pork around. Also, it conducts heat well to give Jeyuk Bokkeum that smoky char. *You can also use a cast iron skillet or large non-stick frying pan.
- Large metal spatula. For tossing and turning the spicy pork. I like a large fish spatula (affiliate) as it’s very sturdy and makes it easy to scrape the sides.
- Box Grater. To puree the onion and pear.
- Food preparation gloves. *Optional but nice to have. Makes it easier to mix the pork and marinade together.
How to serve:
There are so many ways to enjoy this easy Korean recipe!
- Weeknight Dinner. Serve with rice, kimchi, and lettuce wraps for an easy dinner.
- Gimbap. Roll up in a big sheet of nori with rice, cucumber, and perilla leaves.
- Rice Bowls. Add to a heated Korean earthenware pot with a serving of rice and a fried egg on top.
- Add more side dishes. To make a bigger meal, serve with small Korean side dishes (banchan). Some suggestions: Korean Potato Salad, Fluffy Steamed Egg, Korean Broccoli Side Dish, Spicy Korean Fish Cake, or Silken Tofu with Korean Dressing.
FAQ
Gochujang can be found in Korean grocery stores or in the international aisle at regular grocery stores. There are different spice levels but I usually choose medium spicy.
Gochujang keeps best in the fridge. Make sure it’s tightly sealed so it doesn’t dry out. It will keep in the fridge for a long time, like ketchup.
For this recipe, the spice level is medium or moderately spicy. Adjust the spice level to your liking, by adding more or less Gochukaru (Korean red pepper flakes) and Gochujang (Korean red pepper paste).
More easy Korean dinner ideas:
- Korean Beef Bulgogi
- Carbonara Tteokbokki with Bacon
- Spicy Pork Belly Bulgogi (BBQ Style)
- Ramdon (Chapaguri) with Steak
Looking for more? Start with Easy Korean Recipes for Beginners. Or check out my Easy Guide to Gochujang.
Spicy Korean Pork Stir Fry (Jeyuk Bokkeum) recipe
Equipment
- Wok
- Large metal spatula
- Large Bowl
- Box Grater
- Foor preparation gloves *optional
Ingredients
- 1.5 lb thinly sliced pork belly *pork butt or pork shoulder are also good
Marinade:
- 1/2 onion, grated
- 1/2 Korean pear, grated
- 6 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 inch ginger, minced
- 3 Tbsp Gochujang Korean chili paste
- 3 Tbsp Gochukaru Korean chili flakes
- 3 Tbsp soy sauce
- 2 Tbsp mirin Sweet cooking wine
- 2 Tbsp sugar
- 1 Tbsp sesame oil
For Stir Frying:
- 1/2 medium onion, grated
- 1 cup cabbage, cut into thick chunks
- 2 green onions, chopped into 2-inch chunks
Instructions
- Make marinade. In a large bowl, add gochujang, grated onion, grated pear, soy sauce, garlic, ginger, mirin, sugar, and sesame oil.
- Mix together. Add pork and sliced onion to bowl. Mix well until everything is well combined.
- Stir Fry. Heat up a wok or skillet on high heat. When it's slightly smoking, add 1-2 Tbsp of neutral oil. Swirl so the oil covers the bottom of the wok. Add marinated pork and onion. Cook until pork is cooked through and some parts are crispy-looking, about 6-8 minutes. Use a spatula to mix the pork around.
- Garnish and enjoy. Transfer pork to a serving plate. Garnish with green onion and sesame seeds, if desired. Serve with lettuce wraps and rice for a complete meal. Ssamjang and kimchi are also nice additions.
Notes
- Heat the wok properly. For crispy, smoky Jeyuk Bokkeum, make sure the wok is hot. The wok should be slightly smoking before the oil is added.
- Adjust the heat. While cooking, feel free to adjust the heat. The wok should be hot enough to sear the meat (not steam) but not too hot as the marinade can easily burn and scorch. Adjust the heat from medium-high heat to high heat.
- Freeze extra portions. Makes a great freezer-friendly meal. After marinating the pork, divide into 2-person portions and transfer to medium ziploc baggies. Transfer to the freezer where it will keep for up to 1 month. Defrost by transferring to the fridge overnight. Cook, as per usual.
- Use a food processor. If you prefer, use a food processor to puree the onion and Korean pear for the marinade. Makes it easier and faster.
Love this recipe! Easy, fast and yummy! Highly recommend!
Thanks, Karen! So glad you enjoyed this dish!!