Tender, Non-Greasy Jeyuk Bokkeum (Stir-Fried Pork)
A one-dish meal of pork shoulder marinated in a soy sauce seasoning, stir-fried over high heat until dry, and served with vegetables.
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 →
This jeyuk bokkeum features thinly sliced pork front shoulder marinated in a sweet and savory soy seasoning, then stir-fried over high heat until completely dry without any leftover liquid. The vegetables stay crisp, and the Cheongyang chili pepper keeps it from feeling greasy. Serving 3 to 4 people, it is wonderful as a main dish or with drinks.
- Servings
- 3–4 servings
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Spiciness
- Mildly spicy
Ingredients
Ingredients
- Pork front shoulder400 g
- Cabbage100 g
- Onion1/2
- Large green onion (daepa)1/2 stalk
- Cheongyang chili pepper (hot green chili)2
Seasoning
- Regular soy sauce (jin-ganjang) (or brewed soy sauce (yangjo-ganjang))3 tbsp
- Minced garlic1 tbsp
- Minced ginger1 tsp
- Mirin (cooking rice wine)2 tbsp
- Corn syrup (mulyeot) (or green plum syrup (maesil-cheong))2 tbsp
- Sugar1/2 tbsp
- Ground black peppera little
- Toasted sesame oila little
- Toasted sesame seedsa little
- You can also use thinly shaved pork belly.
- Press the pork firmly with paper towels to remove any residual blood so it will not have any gamey odor.
- It is best to let the meat marinate for about 30 minutes so the flavors absorb and the meat becomes tender. If using thinly shaved pork belly, you can season and stir-fry right away; simply adjust the marinating time depending on the thickness so the seasoning absorbs well.
Steps
Prepare the ingredients
The meat for this stir-fry is pork front shoulder sliced thinly as for bulgogi.
You can also use thinly shaved pork belly.
Here are the cabbage, onion, large green onion (daepa), and Cheongyang chili pepper (hot green chili).
Slice the ingredients
Press the pork firmly with paper towels to remove residual blood so there is no gamey smell.
Cut all the vegetables into bite-sized pieces.
Season the pork
Add 3 tbsp regular soy sauce (jin-ganjang), 1 tbsp minced garlic, 1 tsp minced ginger, 2 tbsp mirin (cooking rice wine), 2 tbsp corn syrup (mulyeot) (or green plum syrup (maesil-cheong)), 1/2 tbsp sugar, and a little ground black pepper to the pork, and mix well so the seasoning coats evenly.
It is best to let it marinate for about 30 minutes so the flavors absorb and the meat tenderizes.
If using thinly shaved pork belly, you can season and stir-fry it right away; adjust the marinating time based on thickness so the seasoning penetrates properly.
Stir-fry
Drizzle a little oil into a pan, add the pork, and stir-fry over medium heat; as it cooks, it becomes juicy.
Cut it into bite-sized pieces with kitchen shears, and...
As the meat cooks and the juices start to release, turn the heat to the highest setting and stir-fry.
Stir diligently and stir-fry until the liquid is boiled down, caramelized, and the pork turns golden brown.
Add the cabbage and stir-fry until slightly wilted and deepened in color...
Add all the remaining vegetables and stir-fry until slightly wilted.
Taste and season with salt if it is too mild, turn off the heat, and finish with a little toasted sesame oil and a little toasted sesame seeds.
Finish
This is jeyuk bokkeum stir-fried dry without any sauce in a bulgogi seasoning.
The crisp texture and aroma of the lightly wilted vegetables are also wonderful.
While eating, briefly wilt some water dropwort (minari) in the pan where the pork was cooked to serve alongside it—it feels like kicking off a fragrant second round.
Have a wonderful day.
Ppunwife's tips
- Stir-frying quickly over high heat to give it a smoky flavor makes the front shoulder so tender you will wonder if it really is front shoulder, bringing out much better flavor.
- As the meat cooks and the juices start releasing, turn the heat up to the highest setting and stir-fry.
- While eating, briefly wilting water dropwort (minari) in the pan where the meat was cooked to accompany it feels like starting a fragrant second round.
FAQ
Can I use another cut instead of pork front shoulder?
You can also use thinly shaved pork belly.
How long should I marinate the meat?
It is good to marinate it for about 30 minutes so the seasoning penetrates and tenderizes the meat; thinly shaved pork belly can be stir-fried right away without marinating.
How do I prep the meat to reduce gamey odors?
Thoroughly blotting residual blood by pressing the pork firmly with paper towels before cooking prevents gamey odors.
Is there a substitute for corn syrup?
You can substitute green plum syrup (maesil-cheong) in the same amount in place of corn syrup.
