Samgyeopsal (Korean Grilled Pork Belly)
Korea's most popular BBQ — thick-cut pork belly grilled tableside and wrapped in lettuce with ssamjang, garlic, kimchi and perilla leaves.
About This Recipe
Samgyeopsal (삼겹살, literally 'three-layer flesh') is thick-cut pork belly grilled on a tabletop grill and eaten communally. It is the most popular dish at Korean BBQ restaurants and a cornerstone of Korean social eating. The cooking is interactive — slices of pork belly are grilled until the fat renders and the edges crisp, then wrapped in fresh perilla or lettuce leaves with a smear of ssamjang (fermented bean and chilli paste), raw garlic, kimchi, sliced chilli and spring onion. The contrast of the rich, fatty pork with the fresh lettuce, pungent garlic and fermented condiments is profoundly satisfying. It is eaten with rice, multiple banchan (side dishes) and shots of soju.
Ingredients
Serves 4
- 800 gthick-cut pork belly, sliced 1 cm
- 2 headslettuce leaves (butter or green leaf)
- handfulfresh perilla (kkaennip) leaves
- 4 tbspssamjang (dipping sauce)
- 6garlic cloves, sliced thin
- 2fresh green chillies, sliced
- 200 gkimchi
- 3spring onions, sliced
- 2 tbspsesame oil
- 1 tbspsalt and black pepper
- cooked rice to serve
Instructions
- 1
Prepare condiments
Arrange lettuce, perilla leaves, ssamjang, sliced garlic, chillies and kimchi on the table. Mix sesame oil with salt and pepper in a small dish for dipping.
- 2
Grill pork belly
Heat a grill pan, cast iron skillet or tabletop grill over high heat. Cook pork belly slices for 3–4 minutes per side until deeply golden with crispy fat. Use scissors to cut into bite-sized pieces.
- 3
Make ssam (wraps)
Place a piece of pork belly in a lettuce leaf. Add a smear of ssamjang, a slice of garlic, a piece of kimchi and a perilla leaf. Fold and eat in one bite.
Pro Tips
- →
Use scissors (with tongs) to cut the pork belly as it cooks on the grill — this is the traditional way.
- →
The combination in the ssam wrap is everything — don't skip the ssamjang.
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Grill garlic slices alongside the pork — they become sweet and mellow.
Variations
- •
Daeji bulgogi: marinate pork in gochujang, soy, garlic and sesame before grilling for a spicy version.
- •
Makchang: substitute pork large intestine for an adventurous offal version popular in Korean BBQ.
Storage
Best cooked and eaten fresh. Raw pork belly can be refrigerated for 2 days.
History & Origin
Korean BBQ as a social institution dates to the Goguryeo era (37 BC–668 AD) when meat was grilled over fire on iron grills. The communal tabletop grill format became commercialised in Seoul in the 20th century and spread globally with the Korean Wave (Hallyu).
Frequently Asked Questions
What is ssamjang?
Ssamjang is a thick dipping paste made from doenjang (fermented soybean paste), gochujang, sesame oil, garlic and spring onion. Find it in Korean grocery stores.
Can I cook this indoors?
Yes — a cast iron grill pan on your stove works well. Open windows as it smokes significantly.
Nutrition Facts
Per serving · 4 servings total
Time Summary
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