So with my list in hand, and my boys packed up in their car seats, we took the 40 minute drive to the store to grab everything I needed to get started. Things got interesting once I realized I didn’t have the loonie I needed to pay for a cart, and that I also had forgotten my stroller at home. So with my 7 month old in one arm, and my three year old holding my other hand, we headed in to the *extremely* packed store. Sigh.
Almost an hour later, we all emerged, slightly crankier than before, but with everything I needed to make my kimchi. Full disclosure: I was much less enthusiastic about my project at this point, and already exhausted from our adventure, and it wasn’t even 10am. It was one of those “it felt like a good idea, at the time” kind of situations. Nevertheless, we made it back home in one piece, and that night, I successfully made kimchi for the very first time. And it was delicious. And thus began my love affair with Korean food.
Since then, I’ve tried my hand at many Korean dishes. Our favorite, by far, has been the classic Bulgogi. I’ve tweaked the marinade enough to keep that deep, intense, sweet flavor we love so much while controlling the heat to make it palatable for the boys. I’ve used this marinade on fish, chicken, beef, ribs, green beans, you name it. It’s always turned out great!
So it’s no surprise that this week, while I was trying to figure out how I could best put to use the giant pack of pork chops I’d purchased on sale the week before, my bulgogi marinade came to mind.
But it can sometimes be challenging to keep this particular cut of meat tender, and that’s when I thought of using my Instant Pot. Because when it comes to cooking meat to tender perfection in record time, the IP is my kitchen hero!
So I diced up a few onions, sliced my pork chops as thinly as I could and got to work! In hindsight, I would have likely been able to slice my pork in thinner slices had my pork chops been frozen. I’ve made a mental note of this for next time.
It really was as easy as sauteing the onions in a bit of avocado oil, straight in the pot, dumping in the marinade and meat, and setting the timer for 8 minutes. That’s it. Walk away and wait for the magic to happen. Set it and forget it!
While that was cooking away, I prepped my veggies. I went with what I had on hand: brussel sprouts, carrots, onions and garlic. I decided to keep the seasoning simple with salt and pepper, since I knew they would end up smothered in delicious sauce anyway… Mmmm…
I put my second Instant Pot to use to steam the rice (to absolute perfection in only 4 minutes, by the way…) and after way less effort than I had thought, our delicious meal was ready to devour.
If you’re looking for an amazing flavor profile, fork tender meat, and an easy veggie side dish, this is the meal for you. And best of all? It can all be ready in under 45 minutes. Totally doable during the week, and perfect for a weekend meal that is sure to impress any last-minute guests that may drop by unannounced.
[recipe title=”Instant Pot Korean Pork Bulgogi with Shredded Vegetable Medley” servings=”4-6″ time=”45 minutes” difficulty=”easy” Description=”Flavorful, fork-tender Korean pork, which is sure to impress”]
[recipe-notes]
– This bulgogi marinade is delicious on just about any cut of meat. Adapt to your taste, adjusting the cooking time accordingly. Increase the heat by adding Gochujang (Korean Pepper Paste) to taste
[/recipe-notes]
[recipe-ingredients title=”Bulgogi Marinade”]
– 1 pear, grated
– 2 garlic cloves, minced
– 2 Tbsp soy sauce
– 2 Tbsp Gochugaru (Korean Pepper Powder)
– 1 Tbsp ginger root, grated
– 2 Tbsp cane sugar
– 1 Tbsp sesame oil
– Water
[/recipe-ingredients]
[recipe-ingredients title=”Pork”]
– 500g bone-in pork chops, sliced thin
– 1 tbsp avocado oil
– 2 onions, minced
[/recipe-ingredients]
[recipe-ingredients title=”Shredded Vegetable Medley”]
– 1 Tbsp avocado oil
– 2 cups brussel sprouts, outer leaves removed and sliced thin
– 1 cup carrot, grated
– 1 large onion, minced
– 2 garlic cloves, minced
– 1/2 cup water
– Salt and pepper, to taste
[/recipe-ingredients]
[recipe-directions]
– Combine ingredients for marinade, and add water to reach just over 1 cup. Stir to combine, and set aside.
– Thinly slice pork chops, and set aside.
– Turn Instant Pot on using the sauté mode. When warm, add the avocado oil and sauté the onions for 2-3 minutes. Turn off the sauté function, add the sliced pork and marinade. Stir to combine. Secure lid in place, and ensure that the pressure valve is set to “sealing”. Set on manual pressure for 8 minutes. When the time is up, deactivate the keep warm function. Let pressure release naturally for 5 minutes, then release remaining pressure manually. Watch your fingers thought – that steam is HOT!
– If the sauce is too thin, remove the meat and turn on the sauté function. Let the sauce boil until it has reduced and thickened to your liking.
– While the meat is cooking, prepare the vegetables. In a cast iron sauté pan on medium heat, add avocado oil, and add all vegetables. Sauté for a few minutes, until the veggies start to brown. Add water, and seasonings, and keep stirring occasionally until vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes.
– Serve on your choice of rice, grain or starchy vegetable. Enjoy!
[/recipe-directions]
[/recipe]