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Korean Pork Belly is a wildly flavorful main course that you can make in just over 30 minutes, including the time to marinate! Crispy on the outside and juicy within, it’s a dish you’ll crave.
Korea has a rich culinary history dating back thousands of years and is home to some of the world’s best chefs and restaurants. The country’s cuisine is influenced by its geography, climate, and culture. Korean food is known for being hearty and filling, two great words for describing unctuous pork belly. It’s also very diverse, ranging from simple dishes like kimchi (pickled cabbage) to more complex ones like Budae Jjigae (army base stew).
Table of Contents
Ingredients You Need to Make Korean Pork Belly
- Pork Belly: raw pork belly (without skin)
- Ginger: fresh ginger root
- Korean Got Pepper Paste: (gochujang)
- Korean Hot Pepper Flakes: (gochugaru)
- Soy Sauce: or tamari for a gluten free version
- Toasted Sesame Oil
- Honey
- Freshly Ground Black Pepper
- Onion: yellow onion or white onion
- Green Onions
- Toasted Sesame Seeds: for serving
This recipe is a no fuss, super simple version of Korean Pork Belly that I adapted from Maangchi’s beautiful cookbook, Maangchi’s Big Book of Korean Cooking: From Everyday Meals to Celebration Cuisine. Her recipes are easy to follow and made with simple ingredients you can find at most grocery stores. This is slightly milder than the cookbook version, uses honey instead of sugar, and adds a 10 minute marinade (or longer) for added flavor depth.
Recipe Tips
- For easier slicing, put pork belly in the freezer for 15-30 minutes before you begin.
- You can marinate the pork for a full day in the refrigerator before cooking. The meat will absorb even more flavor and you’ll be just 15 minutes away from sitting down to dinner.
- Serve with cucumber slices or on lettuce leaves for a refreshing contrast.
More great Pork Belly Recipes
- Oven Roasted Crispy Pork Belly
- Braised Pork Belly
- Easy Chashu Pork
- Pork Belly Ramen
- Pork Belly Fried Rice
- All Pork Belly Recipes
How to Make Korean Pork Belly
Combine all ingredients except for sesame seeds in a medium bowl; stir well to coat pork belly evenly and let stand 10 minutes.
Add pork belly mixture to a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat; cook, stirring occasionally until cooked through and crispy at the edges, 12 to 15 minutes.. Garnish with sesame seeds and green onion if desired and serve.
Korean Pork Belly
Video
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
- 3 tablespoons Korean hot pepper paste (gochujang)
- 1 tablespoon Korean hot pepper flakes (gochugaru)
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 pound pork belly skinless, cut into 2 to 3-inch slices that are 1/8-inch thick
- 1 small onion halved and thinly sliced
- 4 green onions cut into 2-inch pieces, plus more for garnish
- toasted sesame seeds for garnish
Instructions
- Combine first 7 ingredients in a medium bowl (ginger through black pepper) and stir to combine. Add pork belly, onion slices and green onion; stir well to coat evenly and let stand 10 minutes.
- To a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat, add pork belly mixture; cook, stirring occasionally until cooked through and crispy at the edges, 12 to 15 minutes (let cook undisturbed for a few minutes at a time between stirring for the crispiest edges). Transfer to platter and garnish with sesame seeds and green onion if desired; serve.
Notes
- This is a milder version of the recipe from Maangchi’s Big Book of Korean Cooking: From Everyday Meals to Celebration Cuisine. Add another tablespoon of Korean hot pepper paste and double the Korean hot pepper flakes (or more) for a spicier version.
- Place pork belly in the freezer for 15-30 minutes for easier slicing.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This was absolutely delicious and so easy to make. Thanks for publishing it. I upped the gochugaru x 2 but it was still pretty mild. Perhaps the gochugaru is variable in terms of heat. Just so good!
Hi Ken! I know what you mean – the gochugaru looks so rich that you think it’s going to be hot-spicy, but it’s more of a spicy depth. So glad you enjoyed it!
Made this last night for the first time and now making it again tonight absolutely love it. Thanks so much.
That’s wonderful to hear, Paul!
I marinated it overnight and it turns out so good! Everyone loved it!
That’s wonderful to hear, Zy!
loved it
I’m so glad, Rafael!
Made this but baked on a wire rack in oven at 375 for about 35-40 minutes. Crisped up nice and made a Korean barbecue sauce for dipping. It was AWESOME!.
What a fun idea! Sounds delicious, Kevin.
Love the recipe, what kind of slices do you use for the pork belly?
Thanks, Ricki! I buy a slab of raw, unseasoned pork belly and thinly slice it myself. 15 to 30 minutes in the freezer before slicing makes it a lot easier.
This recipe is perfect! I didn’t change a thing. I served it with sticky rice and Asian cucumber salad.
A keeper for sure!
That’s wonderful to hear, Laurie! Love your pairings too.
Oh my goodness this sounds incredible. Love the flavors. I have a 6+ pound slap of pork belly from when I used the other half to make chorizo. Pork belly is the bomb. (Do they still say that?!!)
Thanks, Mimi! I don’t know, but I still say it, lol. Love that you make your own chorizo!
I made this tonight and quadrupled the marinade. I’m letting the pork belly slices sit in this lovely concoction, and tomorrow I will pack all of it into jars and can it for easy meals later. The sauce is wonderful, with just the right amount of heat. I’m really excited about it.
Fantastic, Hilary! I hope you loved it!