Equipment
Ingredients
Pork & Marinade
- 4 bone-in pork chops, fresh
- 60 g gochujang
- 45 ml soy sauce
- 30 g brown sugar
- 15 ml toasted sesame oil
- 3 garlic, minced
- 15 g ginger, grated
- 15 ml mirin
Cucumber Relish
- 1 cucumber, diced
- 2 scallions, thinly sliced
- 30 ml rice vinegar
- 5 g sugar
- 2 g salt
- 5 g roasted sesame seeds
- 2 g gochugaru
Salad Bed
- 150 g mixed salad greens
- 10 ml vegetable oil
- 5 ml rice vinegar
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 259 kcal
- Protein
- 9 g
- Carbohydrates
- 32 g
- Fat
- 11 g
- Fiber
- 2 g
- Sugar
- 19 g
- Sodium
- 1243 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 2 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 2 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Cholesterol
- 19 mg
- Potassium
- 392 mg
- Calcium
- 98 mg
- Iron
- 1.3 mg
- Magnesium
- 32 mg
- Phosphorus
- 125 mg
- Zinc
- 1.3 mg
- Vitamin A
- 158 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 15 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.2 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 0.2 mg
- Vitamin K
- 33 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.4 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.2 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.22 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.14 mg
- Niacin
- 2.4 mg
- Folate
- 13 mcg
- Water
- 57 g
- Alcohol
- 0 g
- Caffeine
- 0 mg
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the gochujang, soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, minced garlic, grated ginger, and mirin until smooth.
Add the pork chops to the bowl, turning them to ensure they are thoroughly coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or up to 24 hours for deeper flavor.
While the pork marinates, combine diced cucumber, sliced scallions, rice vinegar, sugar, salt, sesame seeds, and gochugaru in a small bowl. Toss to combine and set aside in the refrigerator to chill.
Preheat your grill to medium-high heat or heat a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat with a splash of oil.
Remove pork chops from the marinade, shaking off excess sauce to prevent burning. Grill or sear the chops for 4-5 minutes per side, until well-charred and cooked through.
Check the internal temperature of the pork at the thickest part. It should reach at least 63°C (145°F). Remove from heat.
Let the pork rest on a board or warm plate for 5 minutes to allow juices to redistribute.
Toss the mixed greens with vegetable oil and rice vinegar. Serve the rested pork chops alongside the salad, topped generously with the cucumber relish.
Chef's Notes
- Gochujang varies in spice level. Check the container's heat indicator (usually 1 to 5) and adjust the amount or add honey if yours is very spicy.
- Scoring the fat cap on the pork chops (slicing through the fat strip on the edge every 2cm) prevents the chops from curling up in the pan.
- For the salad, a light dressing is preferred because the relish and pork are flavor-dense. A simple sesame oil drizzle is often enough.
- Make extra marinade to boil down separately as a glazing sauce if you prefer 'saucy' chops, but never use raw marinade that touched pork without boiling it first.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store pork and relish in separate airtight containers. The relish may lose crispness after 24 hours.
Freezer: 2 months — Freeze raw marinated pork. Cooked pork can be frozen but may dry out upon reheating. Do not freeze the relish.
Reheating: Reheat pork gently in a skillet over low heat with a splash of water to prevent drying out.
Troubleshooting
Marinade is burning before the meat is cooked
Cause: Heat is too high or too much sugar/paste was left on the meat
Fix: Move to a cooler part of the grill or lower the stove heat immediately; finish cooking in the oven at 180°C/350°F if the crust is already dark
Prevention: Wipe off excess marinade before cooking; cook over medium rather than high heat
Pork chops are dry and tough
Cause: Overcooking
Fix: Slice thinly and toss with extra relish juices to add moisture
Prevention: Use a meat thermometer and pull exactly at 63°C/145°F
Cultural Context
Gochujang is a fundamental ingredient in Korean cuisine, a savory, sweet, and spicy fermented condiment made from chili powder, glutinous rice, and soybeans. This dish applies classic Korean BBQ (Gogi-gu-i) flavors to a Western-style thick-cut pork chop presentation, bridging traditional fermentation techniques with modern grilling.
