Grilled Korean Pork Tenderloin

Gochujang is a slightly spicy, slightly tangy flavor-loaded Korean red pepper paste and a staple ingredient in Korean cooking. I like using it in stir-fry sauces, in marinades, and in finishing sauces to drizzle over grilled or roasted meat. Here, I made a simple mixture with gochujang as the base and used it as both a marinade and finisher. Simple ingredients, simple preparation, inviting flavor.

So what’s in gochujang? Common ingredients include ground rice, soy bean powder, hot pepper powder, red pepper powder, yeast powder, seed malt, and water. Cooking gochujang from scratch takes days because it needs to ferment awhile, but excellent pastes are available in Korean or general Asian markets.

Gochujang

Give the pork time to soak up lots of flavor from the marinade, then it’s ready for a short time on the grill. Drizzle on the leftover sauce, add a side of rice, and dinner is served.

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp gochujang
• 2 tbsp tamari (or regular soy sauce)
• 1 tbsp unseasoned rice vingar
• 2 tsp finely chopped garlic
• 2 tsp finely chopped ginger
• 2 tsp sugar
• 1-1/4 lb pork tenderloin, trimmed
• sea salt
• cooked rice with cilantro, for serving (optional)

Preparation

1. Stir together the first 6 ingredients (through sugar) until well combined. Rub about 2-1/2 tablespoons of the mixture all over the pork, cover, and refrigerate at least 4 hours (or overnight). Reserve the remaining marinade.

Gochujang Mixture

Pork with Marinade Rub

1. Prepare a grill for medium-high heat with space for off-heat cooking.
2. Oil the grill grate, both on and off heat. Sprinkle the pork lightly with salt and place directly over the flame, turning every couple minutes as char marks appear. Move off heat (but still close to the flame) and cook, turning a few times, until done, 30-35 minutes (or until desired degree of doneness).

Beginning to Grill

Grilled Tenderloin

1. Meanwhile, gently warm the reserved marinade over low heat.

Sliced Tenderloin

Transfer the tenderloin to a cutting board and let rest 5 minutes. Cut into 12 slices and plate, drizzling with sauce. Serve with a side of rice, if desired.

Grilled Korean Pork Tenderloin