Korean Pork Chops With Gochujan Marinade

With the summer season upon us, here's an Asian twist on some traditional pork chops to get your grill going:

Kitchen gadgets needed: measuring cups, whisk, large bowl, medium bowl, large sealable bag, grill

Ingredients (makes 4 pork chops):

4 9-ounce porterhouse (bone-in loin) pork chops, 1 inch thick

1 scallion, finely chopped

4 tablespoons gochujang, also known as korean chili paste

3 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons asian sesame oil

2 tablespoons chinese rice wine, or dry sherry

1 tablespoon rice vinegar

1 tablespoon light brown sugar

2 teaspoons fresh ginger root, peeled and minced

2 cloves garlic, minced

Ingredients for Asian Slaw (optional):

3 tablespoons rice vinegar

1 tablespoon korean chili flakes, coarsely grounded 

2 teaspoons soy sauce

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 tablespoon asian sesame oil

1 14-oz bag coleslaw

1 cup carrots, julienned or shredded

2 scallions, finely chopped

Time commitment: 20 min of prep, 10 min of cook time

Total time: 30 min

Steps:

To make Asian slaw:

1. Whisk rice vinegar, ground hot red pepper, soy sauce, garlic and salt together in large bowl.
2. Gradually whisk in vegetable and sesame oils. Add coleslaw, carrots and scallions and mix well.
3. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 and up to 6 hours.

To make marinade:  

1. Whisk first 9 ingredients (excluding pork) together in medium bowl.
2. Pour into one-gallon sealable plastic bag.
3. Add pork chops, coating pork in marinade.
4. Close bag and refrigerate, turning bag occasionally, for at least 2 and up to 6 hours. 

To make pork:

1. Prepare outdoor grill for direct cooking over medium-high heat, about 450 degrees F.  
2. Brush grill grates clean.
3. Remove pork from marinade – do not shake off excess marinade. Discard remaining marinade.  
4. Grill, with grill lid closed, turning once, until the internal temperature reads between 145 degrees F. (medium rare) to 160 degrees F. (medium) on a digital meat thermometer, about 10 minutes.
5. Remove from heat and let rest 3 minutes. 
6. If making with Asian slaw, divide slaw among 4 dinner plates. Top each with a chop and serve immediately.

Recipe provided by Pork Be inspired. Check out their site for more delicious grill recipes.