Korean Pork Chops

Korean marinated pork chop on plate with sauce.

5 from 5 votes

Korean pork chops are one of my favorite quick dinners when I want something sweet, spicy, and totally satisfying. I marinate the pork chops in a simple mix of soy sauce, honey, garlic, ginger, toasted sesame oil, and a little gochujang for just about 20 minutes. Then I sear them in a hot pan for a beautiful caramelized glaze and finish cooking with the marinade for extra flavor. Serve with rice or mashed potatoes.

Prep Time10

Cook Time10

Marinating Time2

Total Time2 20

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Korean

Servings: People

Author: Katie Workman

Cost: $20

Ingredients

4 (1 1/2-inch thick) boneless pork chops (2 to 2 1/2 pounds total)
½ cup less-sodium soy sauce
3 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
2 teaspoons Gochujang paste (or Sriracha sauce)
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Hot cooked rice (or mashed potatoes; to serve)

Instructions

In a medium-sized bowl, combine the soy sauce, honey, garlic, sesame oil, ginger, and gochujang paste or Sriracha sauce. Place the pork chops in a shallow dish or container and pour the marinade over the pork chops. Turn to coat well and marinate in the fridge for at least 2 hours and up to overnight.
Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy skillet (such as a cast iron pan) over medium-high heat. Remove the pork chops from the marinade, reserving the marinade, and place them in the pan. Cook for about 5 minutes until the bottom is browned with a nice crust, then turn the pork chops and cook for another 5 minutes, until the bottom is also nicely browned, but the chops are still a bit pink inside. Pour the remaining marinade into the pan and bring to a simmer, cooking until the chops are just cooked, with an internal temperature of 145 F (use an instant-read thermometer).
Serve the pork chops, whole or sliced, with the rice or mashed potatoes, spooning over a bit of the sauce from the pan.

Notes

Storage

Store leftover pork chops in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat in a 350 oven for about 5 minutes, just until warm, so they don't dry out. Brush them with some of the simmered marinade before using.

Nutrition