Simple Korean Pork Belly Recipe

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Prep Time
10 min
Total Time
1 hr
Yield
Makes 10 – 12 servings
In this Recipe

Spicy, savory, and crunchy, this Korean Pork Belly recipe is quick to make and incredibly delicious!

Americans are coming to appreciate the complex flavors of Korean cuisine, but it can be hard to find all of the ingredients necessary to make truly authentic Korean food.

This Simple Korean Pork Belly recipe brings the combination of flavors that make Korean food so delicious together while only requiring one harder-to-find ingredient: gochujang paste.

We’ll admit this isn’t the most authentic recipe out there (if you want an authentic Korean pork belly recipe, check out this Samgyeopsal-gui recipe from Maangchi), but it brings Korean flavor to your plate in delectable, bite-sized portions!

If you’d like to learn more about pork bellies and get some tips for this recipe, read the quick Q&A below. Otherwise, scroll down to the ingredients, and get cooking!

I’m not familiar with cooking pork bellies – what can you tell me about them?

Pork bellies are best known in America for being the cut that we make bacon from. Not all parts of the world make bacon out of the belly, and there are many other great uses for pork bellies!

Pork bellies are a boneless cut of meat that come from the belly (duh!) of a pig. They are rectangular and have skin on one side that the butcher will generally remove. There is a solid layer of fat on top and then rich dark meat with streaks of fat throughout.

Pork bellies are delicious when they’re seasoned generously and then slowly cooked using a method such as oven-roasting, braising, or smoking. There are many traditional European and Asian recipes that use pork belly, or you can enjoy this American BBQ-style recipe!

What is gochujang paste, and where can I buy it?

Gochujang is a Korean pantry staple that is used as the base seasoning for a variety of soups, stews, marinades, and dipping sauces. It brings both spicy and savory flavors to a dish, and will often be counterbalanced by a sweet element, such as honey in this dish.

You can buy gochujang paste in a variety of spice levels at any Asian grocery store, or you can use our affiliate link (we get a commission, thank you) to purchase this paste from Amazon.

How do you recommend serving this simple Korean pork belly?

We like to make a meal with pork belly by serving it over steamed rice with kimchi or sauteed green vegetables. We like to garnish the pork with sliced green onion and sesame seeds for color and crunch!

You could also make incredible lettuce wraps with these pieces of pork by placing a cube of the cooked pork into a lettuce cup, then adding a little kimchi or pickled vegetable of your choice.

If you prefer, these cubes of pork belly also make for a great appetizer and can be served as finger food!

Do you have more pork belly recipes?

Yes, we do! Check out these other recipes for making pork belly:

We hope you’re excited to make this simple Korean pork belly recipe. When you need a pork belly, stop by Lake Geneva Country Meats, and we’ll be happy to cut you as big or small of a piece that you need!

Do you have tips on how to cook pork belly or thoughts on this recipe? Let us know in the comments below – we look forward to hearing from you, and we’ll see you soon at Lake Geneva Country Meats!

Ingredients

  • 2 – 3 lb LGCM Pork Belly (skinless)
  • 1/4 cup(s) Gochujang paste
  • 1 Tbsp Rice Wine Vinegar (or apple cider vinegar if you don’t have rice wine vinegar)
  • 1 Tbsp Soy Sauce
  • 3 Tbsp Sesame Oil (divided)
  • 1 tsp Honey
  • Green Onion (sliced for serving)
  • Sesame Seeds (for garnish)

Directions

  1. Cut the pork belly into approximate 1″ cubes. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and place the pork belly into the water. Boil for 5 minutes to blanch, and remove the pork and pat it dry.

  2. Combine the gochujang paste, rice wine vinegar, soy sauce, 1 tbsp seasme oil, and sauce in a large mixing bowl. Add the dried pork belly cubes and toss to coat all sides of the pork belly.

  3. Add the 2 remaining tbsp. of sesame oil to a large skillet or wok and heat to medium-high heat. Add the pork belly cubes and cook, stirring frequently, until the cubes are crispy on the outside.

  4. Once the pork belly is cooked, remove from the heat and serve with steamed rice and kimchi and garnish the pork with freshly sliced green onion and sesame seeds. Enjoy!

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