Korean Pork Skewers in Soy-Garlic Sauce Recipe
Juicy pieces of pork marinated in an aromatic soy-garlic sauce, threaded onto skewers with vegetables and grilled or baked until lightly browned. In Korea, small skewers are a popular street food – easy to eat on the go, held in one hand. The flavor is like a mix of classic barbecue and an Asian marinade full of umami.
Takie szaszłyki na patyku to nawiązanie do koreańskich przekąsek z ulicznych stoisk pojangmacha i ogródków piwnych, gdzie słodko-pikantne mięsa w sosie sojowym są standardem do piwa.
These skewers combine the familiar feel of grilled meat and vegetables with a distinctly Korean-style soy, garlic and sesame marinade. They are easy to eat as street food or party finger food, yet flavorful enough to serve as a full meal with rice and salad.
Chef's tips
Cut the meat and vegetables into similar-sized pieces so they cook evenly. Don’t skip soaking wooden skewers – it really helps prevent burning. If you have time, marinate the meat overnight; the texture becomes more tender and the flavor deeper.
How to serve
Serve the skewers over steamed rice, sprinkled with extra sesame seeds and sliced spring onions. Add kimchi or a quick pickled cucumber salad on the side for freshness. They also work well as a sharing platter with various dipping sauces like extra gochujang, soy sauce with lime, or a yogurt-garlic dip.
Na co uważać
- Nie upychaj składników zbyt ciasno na patyczkach – środek może zostać szary i żylasty zamiast soczysty.
- Za niska temperatura sprawi, że mięso zacznie się dusić w soku, będzie blade i gumowe zamiast zrumienione.
- Nie przesadzaj z miodem – zbyt gruba warstwa cukru szybciej się spali, zanim mięso się dopiecze.
Zamienniki
- Wieprzowinę możesz zastąpić mięsem z udka kurczaka, skracając czas pieczenia o 2–3 minuty.
- Zamiast gochujang użyj płatków chili i odrobiny dodatkowego miodu, by zachować pikantno-słodki balans.
- Cukinię możesz podmienić na pieczarki przekrojone na połówki lub ćwiartki, dodadzą więcej umami.
Ingredients
- pork neck or shoulder, boneless - 500 g
- red bell pepper - 1 piece
- onion medium - 1 piece
- zucchini small - 1 piece
- soy sauce for the marinade - 5 tablespoons
- sesame oil toasted - 2 tablespoons
- honey or brown sugar - 1.5 tablespoon
- garlic - 4 cloves
- ginger fresh, grated - 1 teaspoon
- black pepper freshly ground - 0.5 teaspoons
- gochujang paste optional, for a mild heat - 1 teaspoon
- sesame seeds for sprinkling, toasted - 1 tablespoon
- skewers wooden or metal - 8 pieces
Preparation
- Soak wooden skewers in cold water for at least 20 minutes so they don’t burn during baking or grilling.
- Cut the pork into cubes of about 2.5 cm. Finely chop the garlic or press it through a garlic press, and grate the ginger on a fine grater.
- In a large bowl, mix the soy sauce, sesame oil, honey, garlic, ginger, pepper and gochujang paste, if using. Add the pork pieces and mix thoroughly with your hands so the meat is evenly coated in the marinade. Cover and set aside for at least 30 minutes, preferably 2–3 hours in the fridge.
- Remove the seeds from the bell pepper and cut it into larger squares. Peel the onion and cut it into thick pieces. Cut the zucchini into half-slices about 1.5 cm thick.
- Thread the pork, bell pepper, onion and zucchini alternately onto the skewers, pressing them together lightly but without packing them too tightly.
- Preheat the oven to 210°C (top and bottom heat) or heat the grill. Place the skewers on a rack or on a baking tray lined with baking paper.
- Bake or grill the skewers for 12–15 minutes, turning them every few minutes, until the meat is nicely browned on the outside and cooked through inside (it should not be pink when cut).
- After removing from the oven, sprinkle the skewers with toasted sesame seeds and serve immediately.
Storage
Po wystudzeniu wieprzowina lekko twardnieje, a glazura matowieje i gęstnieje. Przechowuj szaszłyki do 3 dni w lodówce, najlepiej zdjęte z patyczków, i podgrzewaj krótko pod przykryciem, aż mięso znów będzie ciepłe i miękkie.
I like to prepare a double batch of the marinade and use half of it as a quick dipping sauce, boiling it briefly to make it safe to serve. These skewers are perfect for casual gatherings – everyone can grab one and eat without cutlery, and the colorful vegetables make the dish look very appetizing.
