Korean Style Pork Chops
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These tasty, tender, and juicy Korean Style Pork Chops are bursting with a trilogy of spicy, sweet, savory flavors! First marinated in a delicious combination of soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic, and gochujang chili paste, the chops are then browned in a hot skillet before being roasted to perfection in the oven. It’s an incredibly easy main dish with almost no prep that you can make in 40 minutes!
I love all types of Asian food and Korean cuisine is one of my favorites! From a classic Bibimbap Rice Bowl to Korean Beef Bulgogi, all the different Korean spices and sauces that go into making these dishes create such phenomenal flavors. So this Korean style pork chops recipe is inspired by all my favorite Korean ingredients. It’s savory and sweet with just the right amount of spice to liven up your taste buds in every delicious bite.
And this recipe is the definition of an easy main dish! There is almost no prep involved. You just have to mince a bit of garlic and grate some ginger. Then whip a simple marinade together and let the chops sit for a bit to absorb some yummy Korean flavors. After that, they are then seared until brown before being baked in the oven to finish. That’s it!
But my favorite part about this Korean pork chops recipe is the gochujang chili paste which is what gives the chops their spice. It’s quite popular in Korean cooking and used in many dishes like Korean Fried Chicken. It really gives these tasty pork chops a nice kick! However, you can use any type of hot sauce you’d like in this recipe. Heck, you can even omit it altogether and make the chops mild. They are unbelievably good, spicy or not!
Why You’ll Love These Korean Style Pork Chops
- Weeknight Recipe! This simple recipe is a great weeknight main dish that requires very little effort with almost no prep. You just simply marinate the chops for a bit, cook, and serve.
- Korean Inspired Flavors! The added touch of Korean gochujang hot sauce makes the soy sesame flavor profile with lots of garlic and a pinch of ginger unbelievably good.
- Easy Asian Dish! You don’t need any special skills or fancy cooking equipment to make this Korean inspired dish. This recipe is a fantastic intro to working with Asian ingredients.
- Pork Chops – You will need boneless pork chops that are about 1 inch thick. Ideally, they should all be about the same size so that they cook more evenly.
- Olive Oil – I used olive oil, but you can use any type of vegetable oil like canola, grapeseed, or soybean.
- Soy Sauce – Low-sodium soy sauce is the best choice to control the saltiness of the chops. But regular soy sauce and gluten-free tamari work as well.
- Honey – Adds a bit of sweetness that rounds out the soy sauce. You can substitute it with agave or maple syrup.
- Garlic – Always use fresh garlic cloves if you can. Store-bought minced garlic often has an odd taste due to preservatives.
- Sesame Oil – A popular cooking oil in Asian cuisine that really makes a difference. Always use roasted sesame oil for the most authentic taste.
- Ginger – You’ll need a fresh knob of ginger. Yet, in a pinch, you can use ground ginger. It just won’t be quite as flavorful.
- Gochujang Sauce – This Korean chili paste can usually be found in the Asian aisle at your local grocery store or at your local Asian market. Good substitutes are sriracha or sambal oelek.
- Black Pepper – Be sure to use freshly ground black pepper if you have it on hand.
This way of making pork chops is a quick and easy way to infuse them with lots of flavor! After they are seared all you have to do is pop them in the oven to bake. Simple as can be!
Before you even begin you need to preheat your oven temperature to 400°F (204°C) so that it’s ready to go. You never want to put the seared chops into an oven that isn’t hot enough or they will not turn out as well.
Now, let’s infuse some flavor into the pork! First, put the chops in a dish that is just big enough to have them all lay in a single layer. Next, whisk the soy sauce, honey, minced garlic, grated ginger, toasted sesame oil, and gochujang together in a medium bowl. Then pour the mixture over the chops, flipping them over to make sure that they are coated on both sides, and then allow the pork to marinate for 20 minutes.
You will need an oven-safe skillet for this step and the rest of the dish. To start, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet. Next, remove the chops from the marinade and place them in a single layer in the hot skillet. Do not discard the marinade. Then cook the pork on one side for about 2 to 3 minutes until it browns. Now, flip the chops over, pour the remaining marinade over them, and then cook them for another 2 to 3 minutes.
To finish the dish, transfer the oven-safe skillet with the chops to the oven and roast them for about 5 to 10 minutes or until they are completely cooked through. When the Korean pork chops are done, remove them from the oven and serve them with some steamed rice or Sesame Noodles if you like!
Can I Use Other Cuts Of Pork?
Yes, you can! Bone-in pork chops are another option. And you can also use pork tenderloin medallions or even pork steaks. Yet, regardless of what cut of pork you choose, the internal temperature of the meat needs to be at least 145°F (63°C) for pork to be considered done.
What Is The Secret To Moist Pork Chops?
There are a few things that you can do to ensure that your chops turn out juicy and moist. First, use thicker chops that are about an inch in thickness. You also need to give the pork enough time to marinate. And the biggest reason that pork dries out is due to overcooking. That’s why using a kitchen thermometer is really helpful and makes a big difference.
Expert Tips
- Use thick chops. Ideally, you want your pork chops to be about an inch in thickness. However, if you use thinner chops they might not even need to go into the oven to finish cooking.
- Marinate long enough. For the best-tasting Korean pork chops make sure to marinate your chops for at least 20 minutes and up to overnight. The longer you let the pork marinate, the more layered the flavor will be.
- Temp your pork. To ensure the chops are fully cooked, you can use an instant-read digital meat thermometer to make sure the pork has reached at least 145°F (63°C). Doing this also helps to keep you from overcooking the pork as well.
Storage
Leftover Korean pork chops will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. To reheat, just put the leftovers in the microwave for about 3 minutes on medium power or in the oven at 350°F (176°C) for about 12 minutes.
Looking for More Pork Chop Recipes? Try These:
- Ranch Pork Chops
- Pan Seared Pork Chops with Gravy
- Grilled Pork Chops with Quinoa, Asparagus and Mushrooms
- Pork Chops with Pistachio Salmuera
- Mustard Balsamic Pork Chops with Rosemary
Looking for More Korean Recipes? Try These:
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Korean Style Pork Chops
Ingredients
- ¼ cup soy sauce (low sodium)
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 4 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 teaspoon ginger (minced)
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 2 teaspoons gochujang ((red chili paste) or sriracha)
- 4 pork chops (boneless)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- black pepper (to taste)
Before You Begin! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- In a medium size bowl whisk together the soy sauce, honey, garlic, ginger, sesame oil and gochujang. Pour over pork chops and let marinade for about 20 minutes.
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet for medium high heat. Add pork chops, without marinade, and cook for about 2 to 3 minutes for the first side, or until it gets a nice brownish color. Flip the pork chops and pour the remaining marinade over them. Cook another 2 to 3 min on this side.
- Place the skillet in the oven to finish cooking them. Roast for about 5 to 10 minutes, or until pork chops are completely cooked through.
- Season with some black pepper and serve.
Equipment
Video
Notes
- If your pork chops are not very thick, mine were about 1 inch in thickness, you might not need to finish cooking them in the oven.
- Use thick chops. Ideally, you want your pork chops to be about an inch in thickness. However, if you use thinner chops they might not even need to go into the oven to finish cooking.
- Marinate long enough. For the best-tasting Korean pork chops make sure to marinate your chops for at least 20 minutes and up to overnight. The longer you let the pork marinate, the more layered the flavor will be.
- Temp your pork. To ensure the chops are fully cooked, you can use an instant-read digital meat thermometer to make sure the pork has reached at least 145°F (63°C). Doing this also helps to keep you from overcooking the pork as well.
Nutrition Information
Notice: Nutrition is auto-calculated for your convenience. Where relevant, we recommend using your own nutrition calculations.
I put the pork chops in a crock pot. Let them cook on high for about 3 hours. Then I poured the sauce over them and let them cook for another 3 hours. Superb.
Easy and delicious!
Family loved this! I did, however, brined the pork in chicken broth, kosher salt, garlic & orange slices for 2 hrs before proceeding with thre receipe. Wonderful!!
Hi! I’ve made this multiple times and my whole family loves it. My oven is out right now, so you think it would work to grill pork? Have you tried this?
So delicious, definitely making this again but I have to share my additions:
I dried the chops with paper towel just a bit before putting them in the marinade. I also seasoned the chops with black pepper, MSG (yes MSG not salt since there’s already soy sauce in it), and my secret ingredient: Chinese 5 spice. This was amazing! The the marinade I added about 2 or 3 tsp of rice vinegar to the marinade for that sour flavor I thought it was missing, and used 2 instead of 1 tsp of ginger. Somehow I ran out of honey so I substituted for 2 tsp of white sugar with 3/4 tsp brown sugar. I was skeptical about the cooking time, but my chops were thick (1 inch at the very least). Let them sit before serving and they were the juiciest pieces of pork I had ever cooked with a flavor that was out of this world!
Definitely going to pull this recipe up again!
Made this with a red/yellow/carrot and quinoa stir fry …. then made it on a bed of rice with a side Brussel sprouts – the youngest wasn’t a fan of quinoa –
By the second time my 12 year old could remember the recipe- even my husband who hates pork chops ate TWO! Only ones he will try from me so far (this will change haha)
Cooking time varies – I used thicker chops the first time – second thin and a few less minutes –
We love this
Amazing!! Make sure you watch the temps and the chops will turn out amazing. The marinade is incredible, will be using this on many other meats.
It was good, however my pork seemed overcooked. I used1 inch chops.
yummy!! ( and easy!)
Hi Jo I plan to make this in the coming week but I just wonder what sides you would suggest. I am thinking maybe some stir fried Asian greens and nestle the chops on some steamed rice but your suggestions would be welcomed.
You can try serving them with my Asian green beans or even some mashed potatoes.
made this my husband loved it
One of my favorites! Easy and delicious . Always moist!
Making these tonight, but I have a question about the Nutrition Information posted. It says Serving: 1serving. But that doesn’t say what a serving is? One pork chop? One cup?
A pork chop.
I made this delicious recipe for my family and they loved it. Will make again.
Just now sat down with these – first time making them and they’re amazing.
Jo, you never let me down.
Thank you 🙂
So glad you liked them!