Sweet and Salty Grilled Pork Collar
A satisfying main dish of pork shoulder marinated in a sweet and salty soy sauce marinade and pan-grilled until tender and budget-friendly.
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 satisfying main dish features thick pork shoulder marinated in a sweet soy sauce marinade and braised until moist. Pork scored with crisscross cuts is aged thoroughly in a marinade enriched with pear juice and kiwi syrup, bringing out a tender texture. It pairs wonderfully with a bowl of rice or as a snack with soju.
- Servings
- 3–4 servings
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Spiciness
- Not spicy
Ingredients
Ingredients
- Pork shoulder1 kg
Seasoning
- Kiwi syrup (or green plum syrup (maesil-cheong))3 tbsp
- Pear juice1 cup
- Onion juice1/2 cup
- Soy sauce (or brewed soy sauce (yangjo-ganjang))1/2 cup (jin)
- Minced garlic2 tbsp
- Mirin (cooking rice wine)3 tbsp
- Minced ginger1/2 tbsp
- Ground black pepper1/2 tsp
- For the flavors to soak in thoroughly, around 5 hours or more is best, and marinating overnight is also great.
- You can use canned pear drink instead of freshly pressed pear juice.
Steps
Prepare the ingredients
Here is pork shoulder.
It is sliced slightly thick rather than too thin.
Prep the meat
Trim off fatty parts and press with paper towels to remove any residual blood.
Pound both sides with the tip of a knife or score in a honeycomb pattern so the marinade penetrates well and the meat becomes tender.
Make the pork ribs marinade
This is a sweet and salty soy marinade used for grilled pork ribs.
Add 3 tbsp kiwi syrup (or green plum syrup (maesil-cheong)) to tenderize the meat and add sweetness, along with the rest of the marinade ingredients: 1 cup pear juice (or pear drink), 1/2 cup onion juice, 1/2 cup regular soy sauce (jin-ganjang), 2 tbsp minced garlic, 3 tbsp mirin (cooking rice wine), 1/2 tbsp minced ginger, and 1/2 tsp ground black pepper, then mix everything together.
Marinate the pork
Add the pork shoulder to the marinade and let it sit overnight.
For the flavors to soak in thoroughly, around 5 hours or more is best, so if you plan to eat it for dinner, make the marinade and marinate the meat in the morning.
Here is the pork shoulder after marinating overnight.
Cook the meat
Pour the meat and marinade liquid into a pan, cover with a lid, and flip occasionally so it cooks thoroughly all the way through.
Once the meat is reasonably cooked through, remove the lid and boil down the marinade until almost dry.
Cut into bite-size pieces.
Finish
This is sweet and salty soy-marinated grilled pork ribs style that Koreans love.
Thick grilled pork collar instead of bone-in ribs.
The rib marinade soaks in well, making it truly delicious.
Marinating overnight makes the meat incredibly soft and tender.
It goes great with lettuce wraps, pairs nicely with seasoned scallion salad (pajeori), and if you thinly slice onion and toss it in scallion salad seasoning, it cuts the richness nicely.
It pairs well with rice and is just perfect as a snack with soju.
Ppunwife's tips
- Pound both sides with the tip of a knife or score in a honeycomb pattern so the marinade penetrates well and the meat becomes tender.
- Once the meat is reasonably cooked through, remove the lid and boil down the marinade until almost dry.
FAQ
How long should I marinate the meat?
It is recommended to marinate for around 5 hours or more so the flavors soak in deeply, and leaving it overnight makes the texture even more tender.
What can I substitute if I do not have kiwi syrup?
You can use an equal amount of green plum syrup (maesil-cheong) instead of kiwi syrup.
What is the secret to grilling the collar tenderly?
Pour the meat and marinade liquid into the pan together, cover with a lid to cook it through to the center, then uncover and cook until the liquid has completely boiled down.
