Kor Moo Yang (Thai grilled pork) is one of my favorite Thai dishes. I know, I know there are many and I always say that but this is a dish that is so simple to make how can it not be a favorite. Simple = favorite. Easy relationship.
It’s a hit with friends, easy enough to make on the grill, takes nearly no effort and explodes with all those classic Thai flavors.
Many, many years ago, I used to spend my vacations in South East Asia. During one of my first visits to the Land of Smiles and only after an hour of being on the ground I was ushered over to a rather unassuming, somewhat gritty place in Ekkamai, Bangkok. If you know me, then you know I am all about the grit. So we saddled up to these little card tables while my tour guide ordered for me.
This place’s specialty? Som Tom (ส้มตำ) and Kor Moo Yang. Whoa.
The four of us gluttons ate for a straight hour. The spice was intoxicating, the veggies crisp, the beer cold and the grilled pork just about as tasty as I have ever known tasty to be especially after a fourteen hour flight.
To this day, it is without a doubt some of the best Sum Tom and Kor Moo Yang in Bangkok (I hope it’s still there). It’s authentic, spicy, and has just the right amount of funk for this dude.
Many years and many grilled porks later I end up living right downtown Bangkok. Who would have thought?! I also hired a housekeeper to help with my Thai, cleaning and some of the more challenging aspects of expat life. One of the areas she excelled in was cooking. Um, what? Yes, cooking delicious thingies for me. Now between my first-grade Thai and her wild gesticulations she managed to teach me a lot about Thai food. This Kor Moo Yang recipe is absolutely a nod to her.
This is how easy this is…
Mix up a marinade of fish sauce, oyster sauce, a little lemon grass pulp, palm sugar and a dash of Thai SangSom Whiskey (about the only thing it’s good for). Marinate the pork shoulder for a day and then grill that slab of deliciousness to perfection.
That’s it! Can you believe it?
About an hour before you pull the pork for grilling go ahead and make a Jaew. Again, this is also super easy to make but just make sure you have the right ingredients before you pull the pork.
I serve this with fresh cucumbers, tomatoes, beans and plenty of sticky rice. Treat yo’ self.
Kor Moo Yang Recipe
- 1 lb. pork shoulder slab (about 1/2 inch thick)
- 1 tbl. grated palm sugar
- 1 tsp. lemon grass pulp
- 1 tbl. oyster sauce
- 2 tsp. fish sauce
- A dash of SangSom
- Paint the marinade on and let it sit in a non-reactive dish for a day. Turn it once after about 12 hours. Grill it to perfection and serve with some Jaew.
Note: Kor Moo Yang is not to be confused with Moo Bing (หมูปิ้ง). Now that is an equally delicious recipe but different nonetheless. The coconut milk in that one gives it a different flavor profile.