Korean Lettuce Wraps with Grilled Pork (Ssam)

About This Recipe

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.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 700 gpork belly(sliced thick, about 1cm)
• 1 headlettuce(leaves separated)
• 1 bunchperilla leaves
• 0.5 cupssamjang(Korean wrap sauce)
• 4 clovesgarlic(thinly sliced)
• 2green chiles(sliced)
• 4 cupscooked rice(for serving)
• 0.5 tspfine sea salt
• 0.25 tspblack pepper

Instructions

1. 1

   Season the pork

   Season pork belly slices lightly with salt and pepper.

2. 2

   Heat the grill or pan

   Heat a grill pan or skillet over medium-high heat until hot.

3. 3

   Grill the pork

   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.

4. 4

   Rest and slice

   Let the pork rest 2-3 minutes, then slice into bite-sized pieces.

5. 5

   Assemble the wraps

   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.

6. 6

   Wrap and eat

   Fold the leaf around the filling into a small bundle and eat in one or two bites.

Variations

• •

  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.

Storage

Refrigerate cooked pork for up to 3 days; reheat in a hot skillet to restore some crispness rather than microwaving.

Frequently Asked Questions