Pork BulgogiDwaeji Bulgogi

Dwaeji bulgogi — pork bulgogi — is the everyday version of Korean BBQ. Less expensive than beef, faster to marinate, and the gochujang-based marinade gives it a heat and depth that the soy-based beef version doesn't have. Koreans eat it wrapped in lettuce leaves with a spoonful of fermented soybean paste and a sliver of garlic, making each wrap a complete little package.

The high heat instruction in the recipe is the one I ignored the first time. I used medium heat, the pork released its moisture, and it steamed instead of searing. The sauce never caramelized — it just reduced to a liquid coating. The result tasted fine but looked wet and lacked the charred, sticky exterior that makes dwaeji bulgogi what it is.

High heat, single layer, batches if necessary. Those three things together produce the right result: slightly charred on the outside, tender within, sticky sauce that clings rather than pools.

I made this version for a group dinner in Sydney that included a friend named Mei-Lin who was Singaporean and initially skeptical about the level of gochujang — she said Korean food tended to be spicier than she wanted. I adjusted the marinade to 1.5 tablespoons instead of 2, which brought the heat level down to warm rather than sharp. She ate a significant quantity wrapped in lettuce and said the ginger made it different from any other pork dish she'd had. The ginger in the marinade does something specific — it cuts through the richness and brightens everything.

Make the lettuce wraps. It's the correct way to eat this dish.