Spicy Pork From Korean to Mexican

You can find marinated spicy pork in most Korean grocery stores, and it is very difficult to go wrong with it. I say, cook smart, not hard. Spicy pork is one of my favorites because of its versatility. Serve it as part of a traditional, food-coma-inducing Korean spread with steamed cabbage, rice, and ssamjang for wraps. Or tuck it into tacos with fresh greens and shaved Asiago. Korean to Mexican, one pan.

If you don’t have a Korean grocery store nearby, here is my version — a recipe I’ve modified and tweaked for nearly thirty years. Yes, I’ve been making this since I was a teenager.

INGREDIENTS
[serves 3 to 4 as a main course]

one and a half pounds of sliced pork butt

one tablespoon of cane sugar

one tablespoon of gochujang

one tablespoon of tamari

one tablespoon of minced garlic

one tablespoon of green plum extract

one teaspoon of minced ginger

one teaspoon of Korean red pepper flakes

one teaspoon of sesame oil

five green onions, diced

a half of yellow onion, chopped

In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients except the pork butt and mix well. Add the sliced pork and toss until evenly coated in the marinade. Cover and refrigerate overnight, or for at least six hours.

When ready to cook, heat a wok over high heat. Add the marinated pork in batches of two or three handfuls to avoid overcrowding. Stir-fry, allowing the meat to caramelize slightly, until cooked through, about three to five minutes per batch.

_____

See my recipe box:

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