Samgyeopsal
Thick-cut, unmarinated pork belly grilled tableside until the fat renders and crisps, then wrapped in lettuce or perilla leaf with a dab of ssamjang and a raw garlic slice. Popularized in the postwar 1950s-60s as an affordable, filling meal, it's now Korea's most iconic casual barbecue dish, seasoned simply with salt rather than a marinade so the pork's own flavor leads.
Meat
⚠ Contains: Soy, Sesame. Always check your own ingredients — this isn't a guarantee for severe allergies.
Ingredients
- 600g pork belly, thick-sliced (1-1.5cm), unmarinated
- 1 head garlic, sliced
- About 200g kimchi, for grilling alongside
- 1 head lettuce, plus perilla leaves, for wrapping
- 3 tbsp doenjang (soybean paste)
- 1 tbsp gochujang
- 2 tsp sesame oil, divided
- 2 tsp minced garlic, divided
- 1 tsp honey
- Chopped scallion
- 1/2 tsp salt
- Pinch of pepper
- 4 scallions, for pajeori
- 1 tbsp gochugaru
- 1 tbsp vinegar
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp soy sauce
Steps
- Bring the pork belly to room temperature and pat dry.
- Heat a grill or heavy pan over medium-high heat; no oil is needed, as the fat renders naturally.
- Grill the pork belly slices, turning occasionally, until deeply golden and crisp at the edges, 8-10 minutes total, grilling the garlic slices and kimchi alongside.
- Cut the cooked pork into bite-size pieces with kitchen scissors directly on the grill.
- Mix the doenjang, gochujang, 1 tsp sesame oil, 1 tsp minced garlic, and honey for ssamjang; mix the remaining sesame oil with salt and pepper for the dip.
- Toss the scallions with gochugaru, vinegar, sugar, sesame oil, and soy sauce for the pajeori salad.
- To eat, place a piece of pork on a lettuce or perilla leaf, add a dab of ssamjang, a garlic slice, and pajeori, then wrap and eat in one bite.