Jeyuk Bokkeum
- Korean Food Addict
- Jul 11, 2025
Jeyuk Bokkeum
Jeyuk Bokkeum is a classic Korean home-style dish of pork stir-fried in a sweet and spicy gochujang sauce. Known as a "rice thief" for its ability to make rice disappear quickly, it's one of Korea's most beloved stir-fry dishes. Quick to make with simple ingredients, it's perfect for busy weeknight dinners.
The Secret to Great Jeyuk Bokkeum
Several key points make this dish exceptional. First, scallion oil - frying green onions in oil creates an aromatic base that elevates the entire dish. Second, meat selection - pork shoulder offers the best balance of fat and lean meat for optimal texture. Third, sauce balance - the umami of gochujang, heat from gochugaru, and sweetness from sugar must harmonize perfectly.
Choosing the Right Cut
Pork shoulder has moderate fat content that keeps the meat tender yet slightly chewy. Pork neck is softer but fattier, while belly can be too greasy. Avoid pork leg as it can be dry. Cut the meat into moderate thickness - too thin and it loses its satisfying bite.
Serving Suggestions
Beyond serving with rice, jeyuk bokkeum is versatile. Wrap in lettuce leaves (ssam), top bibimbap with it, or make jeyuk-deopbap (rice bowl). Leftover jeyuk makes excellent fried rice or kimbap filling the next day. It's a popular lunch box dish since it tastes great even at room temperature.
Storage
Store in an airtight container for 3-4 days refrigerated or one month frozen. Reheat in a pan or microwave before serving.
Instructions:
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Make the Sauce
- Add 3 tablespoons gochujang to a bowl
- Add 2 tablespoons gochugaru and 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- Add 2 tablespoons sugar (or plum extract) and 1 tablespoon soy sauce, mix well
- Make the Sauce
- Add 3 tablespoons gochujang to a bowl
- Add 2 tablespoons gochugaru and 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- Add 2 tablespoons sugar (or plum extract) and 1 tablespoon soy sauce, mix well
- Prepare Vegetables
- Cut half an onion into 1cm thick slices
- Slice 1/3 green onion diagonally
- Slice 2-3 green chili peppers diagonally
- Slice the Pork
- Cut 600g pork shoulder into bite-sized pieces
- Don't slice too thin, keep moderate thickness
- Pork shoulder has ideal fat content for this dish
- Marinate the Meat
- Add sauce to the sliced pork
- Mix well with hands to coat evenly
- Refrigerate for 30 minutes for deeper flavor (optional)
- Make Scallion Oil
- Add 2 tablespoons oil to the pan
- Add green onion and fry on high heat for 3 minutes
- Scallion oil enhances the dish's flavor significantly
- Stir-fry the Pork
- Add marinated pork to the pan
- Stir-fry on medium heat for about 8 minutes
- Stir frequently until meat is cooked through
- Add Vegetables
- Add onion and green chili peppers
- Turn heat to high and stir-fry quickly for 2 minutes
- Be careful not to overcook the vegetables
- Finish
- Turn off heat and sprinkle black pepper
- Garnish with sesame seeds
- Serve immediately with hot rice
Recipe Notes:
- Pork shoulder has the perfect fat-to-meat ratio for this dish.
- Pork neck or belly can be used but shoulder gives the best texture.
- Don't skip making scallion oil - it makes a huge difference in flavor.
- Marinating the meat ahead results in deeper flavor penetration.
- Add vegetables at the end to keep them crispy.
- Use regular peppers instead of Korean green chilies for less heat.
- Leftover jeyuk bokkeum makes great fried rice or kimbap filling.
- Great as a lunch box side dish - tastes good even when cold.
Ingredients:
Serving size
Main Ingredients
- 600 g pork shoulder
- 0.5 onion
- 2-3 green chili peppers
- 0.33 green onion
- 2 tbsp cooking oil
Sauce
- 3 tbsp gochujang
- 2 tbsp gochugaru
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
- 2 tbsp sugar or plum extract
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- some sesame seeds
- some black pepper