How To: Korean Pork Belly Dinner (Samgyeopsal) | 삼겹살
Pronounced: Sahm-Gyeop-Sal
Grilled Pork Belly Meal (Samgyeopsal) I had in Seoul, Korea
What: Samgyeopsal aka grilled pork belly is a Korean BBQ meal that is affordable, meaty, savory, and a great dinner for friends and family. A VERY easy, mindless dinner to make that is great for hosting a get-together or just a simple delicious dinner.
Taste: It’s basically thick bacon with flavors of Korea in one lettuce wrap bite.
Where To Buy | How to Prepare | What to Serve it With: Pork belly is actually really easy to make. So much so, there’s not really a recipe to it, you just cook it (no seasoning needed) and enjoy it with side dishes. Watch the video below to see the following be prepared:
Where to buy:
You can buy frozen or refrigerated thinly sliced pork belly at any Korean Grocery Market. American Grocery Stores do not sell it thin, which is why we go to the Korean Market for this. My family prefers the thinly sliced pork belly because it’s crispier cooks faster, and you aren’t left with chewing huge chunks of fat. Plus, you can buy a small amount for a good price $7-$13 per pack.
Pork belly is also sold at Costco, but they are not thinly sliced. If you prefer thick chunks, you can buy it here. Most Koreans will buy the pork belly from the Korean Grocery Markets, as Costco pork belly are very thick and requires an extra step to slice the meat. Notice below the difference between the Korean vs. Costco cut.
How to Prepare:
Grill the pork either on a stove top or a tabletop grill. No oil needed. There’s enough fat on the pork for it to cook in itself. Cook until it gets nice & crispy on both sides. Cut it up when ready to eat.
We suggest using a tabletop grill if you are hosting a together— it’s fun, interactive, and convenient to have it all there in front of you.
If you want to keep it simple, just grill it over the stovetop on your favorite pan. This is what my family does on lazy, simple nights. Tastes just as good!
What to Serve it With
4 Essential Foods with Pork Belly
I personally think there are 4 foods you need to serve pork belly with, at minimum, then add in whatever banchan (side dishes) you like.
Salt & Sesame Oil Dip
In a small dipping plate, add in a hefty sprinkle of salt and black pepper. Drizzle in sesame oil. Mix it up. Each person gets their own dip. That’s it!
Red Leaf Lettuce & Perilla Leaves
You can find red leaf lettuce anywhere. It pairs well with pork belly than romaine lettuce.
Perilla Leaves can be found at Korean Grocery Markets. Not absolutely mandatory, but it adds a wonderful herby kick to your lettuce wrap.
Seasoned Gochujang (Korean Red Pepper Paste)
You add a little ‘dab’ of gochujang in your lettuce wrap. It adds that sweet spice! Super easy recipe here.
White Rice
Any type of rice is fine, but let’s be real— white rice tastes the best!
+ whatever banchan (side dishes) you like!
We often have 3-4 simple banchan to enjoy the pork belly with when eating with just the family. We like to keep the additional banchan pretty simple. These can include, but not limited to:
Korean green chili pepper (dip into gochujang)
Persian cucumber (dip into gochujang)
Kimchi (to eat as side dish and to grill)
Korean Chive Salad (enhances the taste!!)
Mushroom, onion, and garlic (to grill)
Japchae, seasoned spinach, seasoned bean sprouts, Korean lettuce salad, shrimp, etc.
Drink with some beer and soju, and enjoy your delicious dinner!
Eat Well,
Sarah
