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
Video
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
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.
My son loved it. He said that is the way I am making them from now on. I marinated them for an hour, and cooked them in an air fryer on a meat rack. It was absolutley amazing. A BIG HIT!
That’s great to hear your son loved them so much! So glad they were a big hit!
Marinated these over night and it was fantastic 👏 👌
So glad the overnight marination worked wonders! Thrilled you enjoyed them.
Great recipe – sriracha worked great. Made this twice – 1st time with quick 20 min marinade, 2nd time with 2+ hr marinade and it made a big difference tenderizing the pork chops. Very fun, fast and tasty!
I’m so glad you enjoyed them!
I very seldom post comments on recipes but I had to on this one, it was to die for!! I used my cast iron skillet but I browned both sides before adding the marinade (I used tge Kwik Trip tenderlion chops I got for $.99). I did let the skillet cool for a couple minutes before adding the marinade, it got thick and looked like it burnt to the skillet but it didn’t, nummy. I did let them bake in the oven for about 15 minutes since they were thick. Served with homemade egg rolls!!
I’m thrilled to hear you enjoyed the pork chops so much! Browning both sides and letting them bake sounds like a great adjustment for thicker chops, and serving with homemade egg rolls is a fantastic choice. Glad the marinade worked out well for you!
I used the specified type of pan on medium-high heat and the pork cooked fine enough but the sauce burnt to a crisp the second it touched the pan :/ by the time it came out of the oven most of it was a charred tasting goo stuck to the bottom of the pan
I’m really sorry to hear that the sauce didn’t turn out as expected. The sugar content in the sauce can make it more susceptible to burning, especially on medium-high heat. For next time, you might try lowering the heat when adding the sauce or even briefly removing the pan from the heat to cool it down a bit before adding the sauce. Another option could be to pour the sauce over the pork chops and then immediately transfer it to the oven, so it doesn’t spend much time on the stovetop at all. I appreciate the feedback, and I’m sorry for the inconvenience you experienced. Thank you for trying the recipe.
Soooo good. Easy and delicious. Had to tone down the heat a bit second time round cuz I’m a wuss but still a regular on our meal plans.
Hey there, no worries about toning down the heat—cooking is all about making a dish your own! I’m thrilled to hear that the pork chops have become a regular in your meal rotation. Keep enjoying it your way! 🌶️➡️🍂🐖
Turned out amazing! Pinned.
Damn good recipe… Definitely saving this one
We really enjoyed these chops, so tasty and quick to make!! After marinating for a few hours of course!
Theses pork chops are great. We have it with udon noodles and green beans. We toss the noodles in the sauce and slice the chops on top. Delicious and easy!
Love this recipe and it is definitely a family favorite. Thank you for sharing it.
Jo, this was delicious. We have tried several of your recipes and they never disappointment. Thanks so much for sharing them.
Love this recipe a fabulous result, going to try with pork belly, had this with an Asian Slaw
Easy to make and everyone likes it.±
Wonderful recipe. I learned that you really have to watch the pork chops as they cook, because even after just the two minutes per side as they seared in the hot pan, they were almost cooked through. I had to shorten the time in the oven a bit. Sauce was terrific. At the very end just before serving, however, it seemed a bit runny still, so I added a tablespoon of spicy commercial BBQ sauce and it immediately thickened to my liking. Everyone loved the pork chops done with this recipe. Thank You.