Authentic Korean barbecue pork collar seared on smoking cast iron, served with melting garlic and golden onions, then wrapped in fresh leaves with savory ssamjang sauce.
Ingredients
- 900 g pork collar (moksal)
- 2 pieces yellow onions
- 16 cloves white garlic cloves
- 120 g Korean ssamjang sauce
- 16 leaves Batavia lettuce leaves
- 16 leaves Korean perilla leaves (kkaennip)
- 3 tbsp toasted sesame oil
- 1 tbsp high-oleic sunflower oil
- 1 tsp coarse gray sea salt
- 1 tsp ground black pepper
- 1 tbsp toasted white sesame seeds
Method
- Lightly score both sides of the thick pork collar (moksal) steaks in a fine diamond pattern using the tip of a knife to tenderize the meat.
- Season the meat evenly on all sides with coarse gray sea salt and ground black pepper, then let rest at room temperature for 10 minutes.
- Peel the yellow onions and cut them into thick rounds about 1/2-inch (1 cm) thick, keeping the rings intact. Peel the white garlic cloves and leave them whole.
- Wash and spin-dry the Batavia lettuce leaves and Korean perilla leaves (kkaennip), then arrange them on a large serving platter.
- Spoon the Korean ssamjang sauce into individual dipping bowls and sprinkle with toasted white sesame seeds. Also prepare small bowls of toasted sesame oil mixed with a pinch of salt and a grind of black pepper.
- Heat a heavy cast-iron skillet or grill pan over high heat for 4 minutes until it reaches about 430 °F / 220 °C (a drop of water should sizzle and evaporate instantly), then brush lightly with high-oleic sunflower oil.
- Lay the pork collar (moksal) steaks flat in the smoking-hot skillet. Sear over high heat for 3 to 4 minutes without moving the meat, until a crisp, deep golden-brown crust forms and releases naturally from the pan.
- Flip the meat to brown the other side for 3 minutes, then immediately scatter the whole garlic cloves and onion slices around the edges of the pan in the rendered fat to fry.
- Once both sides are deeply browned and reach an internal temperature of 140 °F / 60 °C on an instant-read thermometer, use kitchen shears to cut the meat directly in the pan into bite-sized pieces about 1 inch (2 to 3 cm).
- Stir-fry the pork pieces with the garlic and onions over medium-high heat for 3 to 4 minutes, tossing constantly, until the meat is caramelized and reaches an internal temperature of 160 °F / 71 °C, and the garlic is golden and soft when pressed.
- Let the meat rest for 2 minutes off direct heat in the hot skillet to allow the juices to redistribute, then place the sizzling pan directly in the center of the table to serve immediately.
- To build each bite, take a leaf of Batavia lettuce, lay a Korean perilla leaf (kkaennip) on top, add a piece of pork dipped in toasted sesame oil, dab on a bit of ssamjang sauce, add a golden garlic clove and a slice of caramelized onion, then fold the wrap into a parcel and enjoy in one single bite.
Nutrition
Per serving
- Energy
- 700 kcal
- Protein
- 42.56 g
- Carbohydrate
- 8.33 g
- Fat
- 55.71 g
- Fibre
- 1.94 g
- Calcium
- 43.21 mg
- Iron
- 0.84 mg
- Magnesium
- 24.87 mg
