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Korean Pork Belly with Gochujang Glaze and Asparagus

Korean pork belly in a gochujang glaze, it is cooked twice, first, it is simmered and then stir-fried with asparagus until perfectly cooked.

This recipe takes around 45 minutes to cook and tastes as though you have put in far more effort than you actually have!

Korean pork belly with a gochujang glaze and asparagus.

Gochujang Pork Belly

You will find food with influences from all over the world on my site and the emphasis is on “influences”.

I don’t pick up other recipes and tweak them, I pick up ingredients and cook with them. The ingredients that we have in the pork belly recipe are very much Korean.

I may or may not have put them together in a Korean way, I have however put them together in a tasty way.

The initial cooking technique for the pork belly here is fairly reminiscent of my sticky pork belly and pineapple.

The pork is simmered to get the cooking process started. It is then stir-fried and finished with asparagus, and finally a pretty simple glaze of brown sugar, gochujang, soy and mirin.

For those not familiar, gochujang is a Korean fermented chilli and bean paste.

I am a relative newbie at cooking with it, but it is one ingredient that is featured in lots of my cooking of late.

Not least in this delicious and really rather simple steamed Korean chicken breast and my Korean chicken wings and kimchi chicken recipes.

Another great way to cook pork belly is braising, a technique that I use in my Indonesian babi chin, Sri Lankan influenced pork belly curry and Vietnamese pork belly recipes, real stunners!

Close up Korean pork belly with a gochujang glaze and asparagus.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use another cut of pork?

I honestly wouldn’t, the unique layers of meat and fat in pork belly are what make this recipe work.

You could use some pork blade or Boston butt, however it will lack much that makes this recipe special!

Is there a substitute for gochujang?

No. It is a unique fermented ingredient made from chilli, rice, soy bean flour and malted barley powder.

Don’t worry about having loads left over I have loads of recipes using it. I have mentioned a few above but if you want a couple more check out my gochujang tofu stew and quick Korean salmon!

Can I use something else other than Mirin?

Yes, you can sub in dry sherry as a like-for-like sub, it is not identical but gives a similar vibe. You can also mix together rice wine vinegar with a generous pinch of salt and add that instead.

Why cook the pork twice?

This is a common way to cook pork belly in many East Asian cuisines.

It is often said that it removes impurities, in reality, it removes some of the blood and protein deposits, which form a foam as they cook.

They are not unhealthy, but by removing them during the cooking process you end up with a really shiny glaze on the meat.

Overhead Korean pork belly with a gochujang glaze and asparagus.

Serving Suggestions

I serve this Korean pork belly over some simply cooked rice.

It is simple, neutral and carries all of the flavours from the main dish throughout the meal! You could also add egg fried rice if you have a second wok to cook it in!

If rice is not your mojo then serve it with something like these seasoned Mung Bean Sprouts, Korean carrot salad or this stir-fried radish.

But sides… erm aside, this recipe begs to be played with!

Asparagus appears in this recipe because it is asparagus season, later in the summer, I will add some french beans or runner beans. You could also use snap peas or mangetout.

In winter I have been using broccoli or cauliflower, just cut them into fairly small 1-1.5cm florets.

I have made this with Brussels sprouts, but you do need to parboil them for a couple of minutes first.

Twice cooked Korean pork belly with a gochujang glaze and asparagus.

Equipment Used

I only mention specific brands of equipment if I think that they make a material difference to a recipe. If you have any questions feel free to ask them in the comments section below the recipe.

  • Stovetop.
  • Sharp kitchen knife.
  • Chopping board.
  • Weighing scales and or measuring cups and spoons.
  • 24cm or 10″ frying pan.
  • Wok, I use a large, well-seasoned, carbon steel wok.
  • Sieve or large slotted spoon.
  • Mixing bowl and or prep bowls.
Twice cooked Korean pork belly with a gochujang glaze and asparagus.
Yield: 2 Servings

Twice Cooked Korean Pork Belly Recipe

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes

Korean influences are at the centre of this stunning pork belly recipe that features gochujang, sesame oil, mirin and fuses it with very European asparagus.

Ingredients

  • 350g (12 oz) Pork Belly
  • 25g (1-2 Tbsp) Gochujang
  • 15g (1¼ Tbsp) Soft Brown Sugar
  • 1 Tbsp Soy Sauce
  • 1 Tbsp Mirin
  • 1 Tsp Sesame Oil
  • 2 Garlic Cloves
  • 2 Tbsp Cooking Oil
  • 1 Mild Red Chilli Pepper
  • 300g (12-18) Asparagus Stems
  • Pinch of Salt

Instructions

  1. Cut the pork belly into cubes roughly 1cm x 2cm in profile and then place it in a 24cm (10") frying pamn and just cover it with water.
  2. Turn the heat under the pan to medium-high and bring it to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes skimming off any foam that rises to the surface.
  3. Mix together the gochujang, soy sauce, mirin and brown sugar.
  4. Mince one of the garlic cloves and mix through the sauce.
  5. Snap the woody base from the asparagus stems, then cut it into 5cm lengths.
  6. Slice the second garlic clove as finely as you can.
  7. Cut the chilli pepper into 2-3mm (⅛") thick rings at a 45° angle to the pepper.
  8. Drain the pork and allow it to cool and continue to drain for 10 minutes.
  9. Heat a wok over a medium-high heat and when it is hot add the cooking oil and then throw in the pork.
  10. Cook for 10 minutes tossing around in the pan every few minutes, you will need to drain off the fat 2 or 3 times.
  11. Add the asparagus, sliced garlic and sliced chilli pepper and stir fry for 2 minutes.
  12. Pour over the sauce and cook for a final 2 minutes.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

2

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 785Total Fat: 55gSaturated Fat: 15gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 37gCholesterol: 147mgSodium: 1052mgCarbohydrates: 28gFiber: 5gSugar: 18gProtein: 47g

Calorific details are provided by a third-party application and are to be used as indicative figures only.

Did you make this recipe?

If you made this recipe, I'd love to see what you did and what I can do better, share a picture with me on Instagram and tag me @krumplibrian and tell me how it went!

Pete

Monday 26th of September 2022

Hi Cooked twice now. The belly pork Yummie. The glaze is a bit thick and heavy. How could I lighten the glaze please? Maybe honey or rice wine?

Brian Jones

Monday 26th of September 2022

Hey Pete, glad you like it... if I wanted to loosen up the glaze and make the dish a little more "saucy" I would use a little light stock, pork would be awesome, but chicken stock would work fine. You could even use a little of liquid used to cook the pork the first time round if you get rid of any impurities by straining it well. If you go too far and want to thicken it up again use a little cornflour and water to bring it back together. Using honey or rice wine would change the flavours significantly and change the balance.

Enjoy

Brian

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