Kim Kang-woo's secret to spicy stir-fried pork: using 'potato starch' instead of marinating to lock in juices

Actor Kim Kang-woo presented a unique recipe for spicy stir-fried pork (Jeyuk-bokkeum) that uses potato starch to make the seasoning adhere to the meat, instead of the common method of marinating the meat in seasoning beforehand.

In a video released through the KBS WORLD TV content 'Fun-Staurant', Kim Kang-woo introduced spicy stir-fried pork as one of his recipes for his family. In the video, Kim Kang-woo prepared 600g of pork shoulder, sliced green onions and garlic, and chose a method of putting the meat directly into the pan without a process of marinating the meat in seasoning.

"Straight to the pan without marinating," the role of potato starch

The most notable point in Kim Kang-woo's recipe is the use of potato starch. In the video, after adding two pinches of salt to the meat, Kim Kang-woo mentioned potato starch as an 'unimaginable ingredient' and added about half a spoonful. Regarding the reason for adding starch, the video explained that starch has the effect of making the seasoning soak in and stick to the meat rather than sliding off. The principle is that by inducing the seasoning to adhere to the meat through starch, flavor can be achieved without a separate marinating process.

Precautions were also mentioned when using starch. The video noted that it is important to use an appropriate amount, as adding too much starch can cause the food to clump together like rice cakes.

The 'Gogan-seol' combination of red pepper paste, soy sauce, and sugar, and the stir-fried red pepper paste recipe

The seasoning consists of a combination of red pepper paste, soy sauce, and sugar, known as 'Gogan-seol'. Kim Kang-woo utilized the oil released from the meat itself while cooking the meat in the pan. Once the meat was cooked to a certain extent and the oil seeped out, he cleared the center of the pan to first add the red pepper paste and lightly stir-fry it in the oil. This is a step to create a 'stir-fried red pepper paste' form by frying the red pepper paste in oil before mixing it with the meat.

Afterward, he poured soy sauce along the edge of the pan to add flavor and finished by adding vegetables and sugar. In the video, it is confirmed that thanks to the starch coating, the seasoning is sticking viscidly to the meat, and the juices are staying inside the meat. At the end, he turned off the heat, drizzled sesame oil, and finished the cooking by crushing sesame seeds with his hands and sprinkling them.