Sweet and Savory Grilled Pork Collar
Thick-cut pork shoulder scored and marinated in an apple juice soy sauce marinade, then pan-braised until glazed and tender.
Translated from Korean by AI and not yet checked by a native speaker. Amounts and numbers are taken directly from the original recipe. Read the Korean original →
Clear, strained apple and onion juice eliminates any pork odor while adding gentle sweetness. After scoring the meat finely and marinating it for at least 2 hours to let the flavors soak in, cook it over low heat until cooked through, then turn up the heat to glaze it to a rich shine.
- Servings
- 6 servings
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Spiciness
- Not spicy
Ingredients
Ingredients
- Pork shoulder1 kg
Seasoning
- Regular soy sauce (jin-ganjang)6 tbsp
- Green plum syrup (maesil-cheong) (or corn syrup (mulyeot), sugar)2 tbsp
- Mirin (cooking rice wine)2 tbsp
- Minced garlic3 tbsp
- Ginger juice1/2 tbsp
- Toasted sesame oil1 tbsp
- Ground black pepper1 tsp
- Apple juice1 cup
- Onion1/2 cup
- Ground toasted sesame seeds1 tbsp
- Pounding the tendon areas with the back of a knife to sever them tenderizes the meat, and scoring shallow cuts on both sides lets the marinade penetrate much better for far superior flavor.
- If you have Korean pear, you can use just pear, or you can use only apple. Prepare it according to what you have in the fridge.
- Pour the marinade over the pork shoulder; if you plan to eat it for dinner, it is great to marinate it in the morning. You can marinate it overnight, or give it at least 2 hours.
Steps
1. I prepared thick-cut pork shoulder. Originally I wanted to make grilled pork ribs, so I was going to use LA-style ribs, but I made a sudden pivot to pork shoulder so we could eat mostly meat.
Prepare 1 kg, pound the areas with tendons with a knife to sever them for tenderness, and score fine, shallow cuts on both sides so the marinade penetrates well and tastes far better.
2. Add all the marinade ingredients and mix well.
Adding some ground toasted sesame seeds gives a nice nutty aroma, but I forgot to add them.
If you have Korean pear, you can use just pear, or you can use only apple. Prepare it according to what you have in the fridge.
If you are making this as a snack for drinks or another purpose rather than a side dish for rice, slightly reduce the amount of soy sauce to keep it milder.
3. Adding fruit juice to meat marinades acts as a tenderizer and adds natural fruit sweetness, which helps cut back on artificial sweeteners.
Especially for beef marinades, pear juice and onion juice are great to add, and for pork with a stronger odor, fragrant apple juice along with onion juice works wonderfully.
When adding fruit juice, grate it finely and strain it through a sieve or squeeze it tightly in a cheesecloth so you only use the clear juice; that way, the meat stays neat and clean without burning messily when grilled or steamed.
Also, when meat is tough, you can grate and add kiwi or pineapple, but do not add them if you are marinating overnight or for several hours—add them 30 minutes to 1 hour before cooking so the meat does not turn to mush.
These fruits have very strong tenderizing enzymes, so if you keep this in mind, you can enjoy delicious, tender meat.
4. If you portion out 1/2 cup or 1 cup into bags, squeeze out as much air as possible, tie them tightly, and keep them in the freezer, you cannot imagine how handy they are when you need them.
This applies to out-of-season or bland fruit, seasonal fruit, and onions too.
Preparing them in advance when prices are low is smart homemaking that you all know even better than I do.
5. Pour the marinade over the pork shoulder; if you plan to eat it for dinner, it is great to make and marinate it in the morning.
You can marinate it overnight, or give it at least 2 hours.
Thicker cuts like pork shoulder or ribs need time to marinate so the seasoning penetrates deeply and tastes delicious.
6. I pack meal-sized portions together with the liquid in the freezer, and pull them out whenever I need a quick grilled meat dish or crave it.
7. Seasoned garlic chives: 50 g garlic chives (a handful), 1/3 onion, 1 tbsp regular soy sauce (jin-ganjang), 1 tbsp vinegar, 1 tbsp gochugaru (Korean chili flakes), 1/2 tbsp sugar, toasted sesame oil, toasted sesame seeds.
Shredded green onion salad is great too, but there are so many good garlic chives out these days.
Today I tossed just garlic chives, but try adding thinly sliced onion as well.
If using garlic chives alone, prepare about one and a half handfuls (80 g) and season them.
8. Place the meat in a pan, cover with a lid, and cook over low heat until cooked through to the center.
When the meat is almost completely cooked, remove the lid, raise the heat slightly, and glaze it down thoroughly until the liquid evaporates and the meat turns rich brown.
As soon as you cook it in the pan, slice it into bite-sized pieces, and set it out generously with seasoned garlic chives and leafy wraps for a complete meal.
Ppunwife's tips
- If you are making this as a snack for drinks or another purpose rather than a side dish for rice, slightly reduce the amount of soy sauce to keep it milder.
- When adding fruit juice, grate it finely and strain it through a sieve or squeeze it tightly in a cheesecloth so you only use the clear juice; that way, the meat stays neat and clean without burning messily when grilled or steamed.
- When meat is tough, you can grate and add kiwi or pineapple, but do not add them if you are marinating overnight or for several hours—add them 30 minutes to 1 hour before cooking so the meat does not turn to mush.
- Place the meat in a pan, cover with a lid, and cook over low heat until cooked through to the center. When the meat is almost completely cooked, remove the lid, raise the heat slightly, and glaze it down thoroughly until the liquid evaporates and the meat turns rich brown.
FAQ
How should I prepare the fruit juice for the marinade?
Finely grate the apple or onion and strain through a sieve or cheesecloth to squeeze out only the clear juice. Adding clear juice without pulp keeps the surface of the meat neat and prevents it from scorching or looking messy while grilling.
How long should the meat be marinated?
Because pork shoulder is a thick cut, it should marinate for at least 2 hours. Marinating it in the morning to cook for dinner or letting it sit overnight allows the seasonings to penetrate evenly for much better flavor.
How do I grill marinated meat without burning it?
Place the meat in a pan, cover with a lid, and cook over low heat to cook the interior through first. Once the inside is fully cooked, uncover, turn the heat up slightly, and glaze the meat down until the sauce reduces and turns rich brown.
How do I adjust the seasoning when serving it as a bar snack?
When serving it as a snack for drinks or as a standalone meat dish rather than a side dish with rice, reduce the amount of regular soy sauce slightly to keep the flavor mild.
