This spicy grilled Korean pork tenderloin is served with a lovely Asian slaw for a great summer BBQ meal. Make on the BBQ or on the stove-top in a grill pan.

spicy Korean pork with Asian slaw on white plate

There are a lot of things to love about this dinner. It’s great for summer. I can make the Asian Slaw and set the meat to marinade ahead, then send the hubby out to quickly cook the meat on the grill, so I have nothing to do at dinner time but dress the salad. Finally, both the meat and the salad are packed with flavour, especially for those that love a little spice.

Spicy Grilled Korean Pork Tenderloin with Asian Slaw

I love that this dish uses pork tenderloin, several of which are always hanging about in my freezer and always guarantees a tender bite. You can cook the pork on the bbq grill or inside in a grill pan or even a sauté pan. Be sure to cook over medium-high heat to get a good sear on the meat. It will cook quickly after that, about 2 minutes per side.

Ingredients and Substitutions

Pork Tenderloin – be sure to remove the silverskin and any visible fat before slicing the pork tenderloin. This will ensure that the pork cooks evenly and doesn’t curl when cooking.

Rice Vinegar – you can use seasoned or unseasoned rice vinegar. If using seasoned rice vinegar, reduce the added brown sugar slightly.

Ginger – use fresh ginger or ginger paste.

Asian Chili Sauce – you can use Sriracha, Asian Chili Garlic Sauce or Sambal Oelek. Simply adjust the amount added depending on how spicy you like it.

Recipe Tips

You can marinate the pork for as little as 30 minutes or up to 8 hours.

For the slaw, you can use a combination of green and purple cabbage, or Napa cabbage is great, if you can find some. While you can shred the ingredients for the Asian Slaw ahead of time, just be sure not to dress the salad too early, as it will get soggy. No more than 15-20 minutes ahead is perfect. You can make your life easier and save a ton of time by using a food processor to do the slicing and shredding for the slaw.

Spicy Korean Grilled Pork with Asian Slaw

spicy Korean pork with Asian slaw on white plate

Get the Recipe: Spicy Korean Pork Tenderloin with Asian Slaw

A great summer dinner! You can cook the pork on the bbq grill or inside on a grill pan or frying pan. Adjust the spiciness to your liking by adding less or more chili sauce.
5 stars from 10 ratings
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 large pork tenderloin, about 1-1/4 lb.

Marinade/Dressing:

  • 2 Tablespoons soy sauce, low sodium recommended
  • 1/4 cup rice vinegar, seasoned or unseasoned
  • 2 Tablespoons light brown sugar, reduce slightly if using seasoned rice vinegar
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 Tablespoon minced fresh ginger, or ginger paste
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons sesame oil
  • 1-2 teaspoons Asian chili sauce, Sriracha, Asian Chili Garlic Sauce or Sambal Oelek, to taste

Asian Slaw:

  • 1 lb green cabbage, shredded (about 6 cups)
  • 1 cup grated carrot, about 2 medium carrots
  • 1 red pepper, grated
  • 1 jalapeno pepper, grated
  • 4 green onion, both white and green parts, trimmed and thinly sliced, divided

Asian Slaw Dressing:

  • 1 Tablespoons vegetable or canola oil
  • 1 teaspoon salt, reduce slightly if using seasoned rice vinegar
  • 2 Tablespoon rice vinegar, seasoned or unseasoned
  • 1 Tablespoon light brown sugar, reduce slightly if using seasoned rice vinegar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
  • 1/2 - 1 teaspoon Asian chili sauce, such as Sriracha, Asian Chili Garlic Sauce or Sambal Oleek, to taste

Instructions
 

  • Trim the pork of any silverskin and excess fat, and cut into 1/2-inch-thick medallions. Flatten slightly with the palm of your hand.
  • In a small measuring cup, whisk together the Marinade/Dressing ingredients. Toss 1/2 cup of this mixture with the pork medallions in a large bowl. Reserve the remaining mixture to use as a sauce. Let the pork sit at room temperature for 25 minutes or refrigerate for up to 8 hours.
  • Meanwhile, in another large bowl, toss the grated cabbage, carrot, red and jalapeno pepper with half of the green onion. Whisk together the Asian Slaw Dressing ingredients and add to the bowl. Stir well to combine well. Let sit for 15 minutes, then toss again.
  • For cooking on a grill/frying pan: Heat 2 Tbsp. of oil over medium-high heat until shimmering hot. Remove the pork from the marinade, shaking off the excess. Discard the marinade. Cook the medallions until well browned, about 2 minutes. Flip and cook until the pork is just cooked through, about 2 more minutes. Set the pork on top of the slaw. Pour out the oil and wipe the pan with paper towels (if the drippings on the bottom of the pan look like they may burn, wash the pan). Serve immediately drizzled with reserved Marinade/Dressing and with the Asian Slaw, sprinkled with the remaining green onions.
  • For the BBQ: Grill pork over medium heat until the medallions are well browned.
Cuisine: Korean
Course: Main Course
Serving: 1serving, Calories: 158kcal, Carbohydrates: 24g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 5g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Sodium: 956mg, Potassium: 416mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 17g, Vitamin A: 6545IU, Vitamin C: 88.3mg, Calcium: 76mg, Iron: 1.2mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @seasonsandsuppers on Instagram or tag #seasonsandsuppers.