Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Gochujang Marinade recipe. Super-sized Korean barbecued pork.
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This is super-sized Korean barbecue. Instead of traditional thin slices of pork, grilled quickly, I'm grill roasting whole pork tenderloin. As much as I love those thin slices, they're too much work for me on a weeknight.
Did I mention my family is addicted to Gochujang, the spicy Korean pepper paste? (I did? Sorry. Still, here's another Gochujang based recipe. I can quit any time I want.) I've been using it a lot, trying to satisfy their cravings…and my cravings.
Tips and Tricks
If there's a trick to this recipe, it is properly grilling the pork tenderloin. You can't sear tenderloin over direct heat for the whole cooking time - they will burn on the outside long before they're cooked in the middle. (And the gochujang marinade will make that worse - the sugar in the sauce burns quickly.) The key is the sear-and-move technique. Sear the outside of the tenderloin over direct heat, to get some grill marks going, then finish them over gentle, indirect heat. A remote probe thermometer makes this easy - poke the probe deep into the tenderloin, close the lid, and wait for the internal temperature to hit 145°F for medium doneness, with a hint of pink.
Equipment
- Grill (I love my massive Weber Summit 670)
- Probe thermometer (I like the ChefAlarm by Thermoworks because it has high-heat safe probes…but even then, I'm careful with them.)
Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Gochujang Marinade
- Total Time: 1 hour 23 minutes
- Yield: 6-8 servings 1x
Description
Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Gochujang Marinade recipe. Super-sized Korean barbecued pork.
Ingredients
- 2 (1.25 pound) pork tenderloins, silver skin trimmed
Marinade
- ¼ cup gochujang (Korean red pepper paste)
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
- 2 tablespoons mirin (or substitute rice wine vinegar plus 1 teaspoon sugar)
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
Garnish
- 1 minced scallion
- Toasted sesame seeds
- Extra gochujang
Instructions
- Marinate the pork: Put the pork tenderloins in a gallon zip-top bag or a baking dish. In a medium bowl, whisk the marinade ingredients - gochujang, soy sauce, toasted sesame oil, mirin, and brown sugar - until the brown sugar dissolves. Pour the marinade over the pork tenderloins. (Squeeze the air out of the bag and zip closed if using). Marinate for at least least 1 hour, up to overnight, turning the pork occasionally to even out the marinade.
- Set the grill for indirect medium heat: Set up the grill for indirect medium heat - half the grill for direct medium heat, half the grill with no heat. For my gas grill, I preheat with all burners on high for 10 minutes, then brush the grill grates clean with my grill brush. I turn half the burners down to medium, and turn off the other half of the burners.
- Sear the pork over direct heat, finish over indirect heat: Remove the tenderloins from the marinade, letting any excess drip off, and put them on the direct medium heat side of the grill. First we sear the pork as if it has four sides: grill it until there are browned grill marks on the bottom, about 2 minutes, then give the pork a quarter turn. Repeat until each side has good grill marks: grill for about 2 minutes, turn, grill for another 2 minutes, turn, and a grill for 2 minutes on the last side. Move the pork to the indirect heat side of the grill, so there are no direct flames below it. (If you have a remote probe thermometer, now is the time to poke it deep into the thickest part of the tenderloin and set it for 145°F). Close the lid and cook until the pork reaches 145°F internal in its thickest part for medium, about 15 minutes. Remove the pork from the grill and let it rest for 10 minutes. Slice, sprinkle with the minced scallions and sesame seeds, drizzle with a little extra gochujang, and serve.
Notes
I love probe thermometers, but you have to be careful with them on the grill. The thermometer probe is only rated to 400°F on less expensive thermometers - if the wire runs over the flames on a grill, it will get MUCH hotter than that. Keep the probe wire away from the high heat side of the grill and it will be fine.
- Prep Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 23 minutes
- Category: Grilling
- Cuisine: Korean
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What do you think?
Questions? Other ideas? Leave them in the comments section below.
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My other Grilling Recipes
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Nolan says
Made this tonight. Perfect flavor and spice.
Mike Vrobel says
Thanks, I'm glad you enjoyed it!
Annie M says
I made this tonight indoors with a cast iron pan. It was delicious. The sugar still got that grill burn in spots. Thanks for the recipe.
Mike from Austin says
Great recipe! Served it with your mango salsa. It's going into the regular lineup. My son is such a fan of Korean flavors that we always have a large jar of locally made kimchi in the fridge.
Andrea says
Honestly, this recipe is addictive. Five star yummy. And a few years ago, I didn't like gochujang but rocking it these days.
Karin says
I've made this twice now, it is just fantastic. Thanks for sharing.
Chris says
I made this tonight, and it was pretty good. Did not make the meat too spicy. Just added a little zip and a nice garlicky flavor.
I needed a new use for the gochujang sauce that I bought to make kimchee fried rice.
Terry Hoey says
Looks great. I have made something with a similar marinade using thin slices of pork butt and then quickly grilled.
Rita says
I love gochujang too and have a brand new carton in the refrigerator. This recipe will be perfect. Is that asparagus as your side?
Do you think it would be worth wrapping the part of the cable that will be over the heat in foil to protect it? It might be a bit awkward.
Mike V says
I run the cable out over the side of the grill without any heat. I've never tried foil to protect it, not sure if that would work.
Chris L says
Just curious, how spicy is gochujang compared to, say, sriracha? The misses can handle a medium-low tingle, but doesn't like much more than that.
Mike V says
Gochujang is less spicy than sriracha, but it still has some heat. I'd call it "medium" heat.