Grilled pork belly wrapped in lettuce with ssamjang, garlic, and rice, a hands-on Korean favorite.
Ssam refers broadly to Korean wrapped foods, and this version centers on thick-cut grilled pork belly (samgyeopsal), wrapped in lettuce or perilla leaves with rice, a dab of ssamjang paste, and a slice of raw garlic or chile. It's a communal, hands-on style of eating, common at Korean barbecue restaurants and home cookouts alike. The pork belly is best grilled or seared without any marinade at all, since the fat renders and crisps on its own; the flavor complexity comes entirely from what you wrap it with — the paste, garlic, and fresh lettuce — rather than a pre-seasoned meat.
Serves 4
Season pork belly slices lightly with salt and pepper.
Heat a grill pan or skillet over medium-high heat until hot.
Cook pork belly 3-4 minutes per side until deeply browned and the fat has rendered, with crisp edges.
Let the fat render slowly at medium-high rather than blasting it on the highest heat, which can burn the outside before the fat renders.
Let the pork rest 2-3 minutes, then slice into bite-sized pieces.
Place a lettuce or perilla leaf in your palm, add a small scoop of rice, a piece of pork, a dab of ssamjang, and a slice of garlic or chile.
Fold the leaf around the filling into a small bundle and eat in one or two bites.
Cook the pork belly at medium-high heat, not the highest setting, so the fat has time to render before the outside burns.
Use both lettuce and perilla leaves for variety — perilla adds a distinctive, slightly minty, herbal note.
Keep the ssam bundles small enough to eat in one or two bites; overstuffed wraps fall apart.
Use thinly sliced beef bulgogi instead of pork belly for a different protein.
Add kimchi inside the wrap for extra tang and crunch.
Grill the pork over charcoal if possible for a smokier flavor closer to Korean BBQ restaurants.
Refrigerate cooked pork for up to 3 days; reheat in a hot skillet to restore some crispness rather than microwaving.
Ssam culture is deeply embedded in Korean dining, with the practice of wrapping grilled meat in lettuce dating back generations, and samgyeopsal specifically became especially popular as a casual restaurant format in the latter half of the 20th century.
Ssamjang is a thick, savory dipping paste made from doenjang (soybean paste) and gochujang, often with garlic and sesame oil mixed in, specifically made for wrapping with grilled meats.
Pork belly is traditional for its fat content, but pork shoulder or even chicken thigh can work if you prefer a leaner option.
Lettuce alone works fine; perilla adds a distinctive flavor but isn't essential to enjoying the dish.
Per serving (320g / 11.3 oz) · 4 servings total
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