Dwaeji Bulgogi 돼지 불고기
If you hear anyone talking about dwaeji bulgogi you’ll usually find that they’re referring to a spicy dish made from marinated pork. But the interesting thing about that is the name bulgogi itself refers to a marinated beef dish that’s savory with a touch of sweetness. The description is truthful even when “spicy” is not included in the name. This is one of the examples where I’m finding comfort knowing that sometimes things are named with cultural agreement instead of a literal translation.
Part of my expedition on this blog has been about showing how traditional Korean recipes have formed my own way of cooking. Reading Priya Krishna and Yewande Komolafe's conversation “When Did Recipe Writing Get So...Whitewashed?” really has me thinking about how I share my own recipes. Even with measurements, there’s an obsession of accuracy and not ever straying from the directions, even if that leads to food waste and higher expenses. It’s one of the reasons I’m showing that I made this with pork loin chops, instead of a whole cut of pork shoulder. The chops were on sale. That’s a legitimate start to any recipe.
To me, the goal of a recipe made by a home cook for fellow home cooks is to give a starting point for a dish that becomes your own. That’s what making food for yourself means. That’s what home cooking is about: using the resources you have, knowing how to improvise, and making what you actually want to eat. Restrictions and critics be damned!
Dwaeji Bulgogi 돼지 불고기 Spicy Marinated Pork
Ingredients
About 2 servings with rice
1 lb pork loin (chops) or pork shoulder
2 TBSP gochujang
1 TBSP gochugaru
1 TBSP brown sugar
1 TBSP minced garlic
1 tsp minced ginger
1 TBSP sesame oil
1 TBSP soy sauce
1 tsp salt
Steps
1. Freeze the pork loin 30 min so it’s easier to handle. Slice into thin pieces, about an inch in width.
2. Grate the garlic and ginger, or finely chop, then mix all of the ingredients together. Marinate for 4 hours to overnight.
3. Cook the pork on a medium-high heat pan for about 5-7 minutes, when bits of char starts to show.
Notes
- You can put the marinating pork straight into the freezer. Make sure the pork is thawed before cooking.