Gochujang-Glazed Pork Chops with Sesame Cucumber Salad

Ingredients

• 4 bone-in pork chops, about 1 inch thick (about 2 1/2 lbs total)
• 2 tsp kosher salt, divided
• 1 tbsp neutral oil, plus more for the grill or pan
• 3 tbsp gochujang
• 2 tbsp honey
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp rice vinegar
• 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
• 3 cloves garlic, finely grated
• 1 tsp fresh ginger, finely grated
• 2 mini cucumbers (or 1/2 English cucumber), thinly sliced
• 2 scallions, thinly sliced on a bias
• 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds
• 1/2 tsp gochugaru or red pepper flakes, optional

Steps

1. 1

   At least 20 minutes ahead, pat the pork chops dry and season both sides with about 1 1/2 teaspoons of the salt. If seasoning more than 30 minutes ahead, cover and refrigerate them, then take them out while the grill or pan heats.

2. 2

   Whisk the gochujang, honey, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, garlic, and ginger together until glossy and smooth. Spoon about a third of it into a separate small bowl — that portion is your finishing glaze, kept clean so a raw-pork brush never touches it.

3. 3

   Toss the sliced cucumbers and scallions with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, the sesame seeds, and the gochugaru if using. Set the bowl aside — the salt pulls out water and the salad turns brighter and crunchier the whole time the pork cooks.

4. 4

   Heat a grill or cast-iron skillet over high until it is genuinely hot — a drop of water should skitter and vanish on contact. Film it with oil, lay the chops down, and do not touch them for 3 to 4 minutes, until a deep crust forms. Flip and sear the second side about 3 minutes more.

5. 5

   Brush the chops with the larger portion of glaze, flip, brush again, and let the sugars catch and blister — roughly 1 minute per side. Watch closely here; honey travels from beautifully caramelized to scorched in about fifteen seconds.

6. 6

   Pull the chops at 145°F in the thickest part. A faint blush in the center can be perfectly cooked; the thermometer is the reliable test. Rest them 5 minutes off the heat so the juices settle back in instead of running out onto the board.

7. 7

   Spoon the reserved clean glaze over the rested chops, pile the sesame cucumber salad alongside, and scatter over any extra scallions and sesame seeds. Slice into one and admire the blush.