Gochujang is Korean red pepper paste. It has the color of ketchup, spreads like tomato paste, and has a fiery afterburn. I tasted it, then had to restrain myself from eating it straight out of the tub.
If you like trendy ingredients, get in on Gochujang now. I think it is going to be the next big breakout flavor, like chipotles in adobo, or sriracha.
Gochujang is the main ingredient in Korean barbecue's spicy marinades, and their accompanying dipping sauces. It can be found at most Asian markets. (Or on the internet, of course.) I hear Sunchang brand mentioned a lot, but my experience is limited to the one tub I'm slowly using up.
Pork Belly is traditional in Korea's Daeji Bulgogi. Get thin sliced pork belly from your Asian market, or give your local butcher a call. My Asian market had ultra-thin sliced pork belly in the freezer case. It was cut like bacon, about 1/16th of an inch thick…which was a pain. I had to be careful to keep it from tearing as I worked with it on the grill. Next time I'm going to ask my butcher to slice pork belly for me, cutting it thicker - like thick cut bacon - between ⅛th and ¼th of an inch thick.
Call your butcher ahead of time for thin cut meat. They need to put the pork belly in the freezer to firm it up before they slice it.
If you can't find pork belly, thin-sliced boneless pork shoulder is an acceptable substitute. But pork belly is worth hunting for - doesn't sweet, spicy grilled bacon sound like a good idea? Either way, get some lettuce for wrapping, make rice for stuffing, shred some scallions, and fire up the grill. Korean barbecue is a short step away!
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📖 Recipe Card
Grilled Korean Pork Belly Lettuce Wraps (Daeji Bulgogi)
- Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Description
Thin-sliced pork belly marinated in a spicy gochujang sauce, grilled until crispy, and wrapped in lettuce with rice, scallions and kimchi.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds thin-sliced pork belly (1/16 to ¼ inch thick)
Marinade and dipping sauce
- ½ cup gochujang (Korean red pepper paste)
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- ¼ cup mirin (or rice vinegar plus 1 teaspoon sugar)
- ¼ cup pear juice
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
To serve
- 1 head Bibb lettuce, separated into leaves
- Cooked white rice
- Shredded scallions
- Kimchi
Instructions
- Marinate: Put the pork belly in a gallon zip-top bag. Whisk the marinade ingredients, set aside 1 cup for dipping, and pour the rest into the bag. Massage the marinade into the pork, seal, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to overnight, turning now and then.
- Preheat the grill: Set up the grill for direct medium heat. On a gas grill, preheat with all the burners on high for 15 minutes, brush the grate clean, then turn the burners down to medium.
- Prep the sides: While the grill heats, separate the lettuce leaves and cook the rice. Shred the scallions: trim the roots and dark green tops, cut the rest into 3 inch lengths, split them lengthwise, and slice lengthwise as thin as you can (or use a scallion cutter).
- Grill: Grill the pork over direct medium heat, flipping every 2 minutes, until browned and crispy, about 10 minutes. Very thin pork needs only a flip or two; thicker pork may need four or five. Stay at the grill; there will be flare-ups.
- Serve: Serve everything separately so everyone can build their own wraps, with the reserved marinade in small bowls for dipping.
Notes
Don't like spicy? Leave out the gochujang and use the rest of the marinade.
Pear juice can be hard to find. Look in the baby food aisle. Apple juice is an acceptable substitute.
Inspired by Joshua Bousel's Grilling Daeji Bulgogi at Serious Eats.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Marinate: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
What do you think? Questions? Other ideas? Leave them in the comments section below.
Related Posts:
Kalbi - Korean grilled beef short ribs
Bulgogi - Korean grilled beef lettuce wraps
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Mike V @ DadCooksDinner says
Thank you!
Alice Choi says
Looks delicious!!!