Meat & BBQ
Maekjeok (Skewered Marinated Pork)
Prep
20 min
Cook
10 min
Servings
3
Steps
- 1
Whisk together soy sauce, sugar, garlic, ginger, and sesame oil into a marinade.
- 2
Toss the pork cubes and onion in the marinade, coating evenly.
- 3
Marinate at least 1 hour, ideally a few hours in the fridge.
- 4
Thread the pork onto skewers, alternating with pieces of onion.
- 5
Grill over hot charcoal or a very hot pan, turning occasionally, until charred and cooked through, about 8-10 minutes.
- 6
Rest briefly before serving.
Did you know — Korean culture
Maekjeok is one of the oldest named Korean dishes on record, referenced in Chinese historical texts describing the food of Goguryeo, one of Korea's ancient kingdoms, more than a thousand years before bulgogi or galbi existed in anything like their modern form. Many food historians consider it a direct ancestor of today's grilled marinated meats — the soy-and-garlic marinade tradition arguably starts here.
Cutting the pork into evenly sized cubes matters more here than in a lot of grilled dishes, since uneven pieces cook at different rates on the same skewer — a few oversized chunks will still be raw in the center by the time the smaller pieces are done.
Threading the pork with pieces of onion in between isn't just presentation. The onion helps hold moisture near the meat as it grills and picks up its own char and flavor from the marinade, turning into something worth eating rather than just a spacer between chunks of pork.
Maekjeok is one of the oldest named Korean dishes on record, referenced in Chinese historical texts describing the food of the ancient kingdom of Goguryeo, more than a thousand years before bulgogi or galbi existed in anything like their modern form. Many food historians consider it a direct ancestor of today's grilled marinated meats — the soy-and-garlic marinade tradition that defines so much of Korean BBQ arguably starts here.
Troubleshooting
Pork cooking unevenly on the skewer? Cut the cubes to a consistent size before marinating — mismatched pieces cook at different speeds on the same stick.
Meat drying out on the grill? Don't skip the onion between pieces, and avoid pushing the pieces too tightly together — some airflow around each cube helps it cook through without over-drying.
Marinade tasting flat? Give it more time — even an hour helps, but a few hours in the fridge lets the soy and garlic actually penetrate the meat instead of just coating the surface.