Samgyeopsal

Samgyeopsal (Korean Grilled Pork Belly Wraps)

Korea's most beloved communal meal: thick, unseasoned pork belly slices grilled at the table and wrapped in lettuce with garlic, ssamjang, and kimchi. A cast-iron pan on a portable burner is the closest substitute for a traditional charcoal grill.

Prep

15 min

Cook

20 min

Total

35 min

Serves

4

Difficulty

Easy

Recipe ingredients

• •900 g (2 lb) pork belly, skin-on, sliced 6 mm thick, fresh, not cured; ask for samgyeopsal-cut
• •1 head red leaf or romaine lettuce, whole leaves separated, washed and chilled
• •12 cloves garlic, half thinly sliced raw, half grilled on the pan
• •1 piece baechu kimchi (napa cabbage kimchi), well-fermented, at room temp for 20 min
• •120 g (½ cup) ssamjang, Korean dipping paste; dojang + gochujang + garlic + sesame oil
• •15 ml (1 Tbsp) sesame oil, for brushing the pork and drizzling wraps
• •4 stalks fresh perilla leaves (kkaennip), optional but authentic
• •2 stalks green onion, julienned, for garnish
• •1 piece green or red jeon (Korean chili pepper), optional, sliced for heat
• •200 g (7 oz) steamed white rice, served alongside; do not put inside the wrap
• •1 piece eunamu (radish water kimchi) broth, optional, sipped between bites to refresh

Steps

1. 1 Set up a grill or large cast-iron skillet on a portable burner at the center of the table, with a plate of cold water nearby in case of flare-ups.
2. 2 Arrange all condiments on platters: lettuce and perilla leaves stacked, sliced raw garlic, grilled garlic (kept warm), kimchi, green onion, optional chili, and a small bowl of ssamjang per person.
3. 3 Pat the pork belly slices dry with paper towels. Brush lightly with sesame oil on both sides; do not season with salt or marinade — authentic samgyeopsal is served unseasoned.
4. 4 Heat the pan over medium-high until a drop of water skitters across the surface. Lay pork slices flat in a single layer; do not crowd.
5. 5 Grill 3–4 minutes per side until the fat renders, edges are deeply caramelized, and the meat reads 71°C (160°F) on an instant-read thermometer — pork belly must be fully cooked, not pink at the center.
6. 6 Transfer cooked pork to a warmed platter and keep loosely tented with foil. Grill the reserved garlic cloves until blistered and golden, about 2 minutes per side.
7. 7 To eat: each diner lays a lettuce leaf in the palm, brushes on a thin layer of ssamjang, adds a piece of pork, a slice of raw and/or grilled garlic, kimchi, perilla leaf, and a pinch of green onion. Fold into a bundle and eat in one bite.
8. 8 Optional finishing touch: dab the assembled wrap with a tiny stripe of extra ssamjang and a drop of sesame oil just before folding. Serve with steamed rice and sips of cold eunamu broth or water between bites.