Korean Pork Belly BBQ also known as Samgyeopsal, is grilled to golden perfection and usually eaten in a lettuce wrap! The pork belly is lightly marinated and served with delicious dipping sauces (sesame oil and ssamjang)! All you have to do is grill and eat with rice or noodles for a perfect, easy meal.
This grilled pork belly or samgyeopsal recipe is milder in flavor and meant to be dipped in sesame oil or ssamjang (spicy and savory sauce). Samgyeopsal can also be marinated in gochujang (spicy Korean chili paste), garlic sauce, sweet sauce, or even a wine marinade! I prefer to have it simple and this light marinade gives the pork belly great flavor and the alcohol helps tenderize the meat.
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What is Samgyeopsal?
Samgyeopsal is a popular Korean dish consisting of thick slices of pork belly grilled at the table. The name “samgyeopsal” is a combination of the Korean words for three (sam) and layers (gyeop), referring to the three layers of meat and fat in each slice. It is typically served with a variety of accompaniments such as lettuce, garlic, and dipping sauces, allowing diners to create their own wraps. The communal and interactive nature of grilling the meat at the table makes samgyeopsal a social and enjoyable dining experience.
Samgyeopsal is one of the most popular meat cuts you can get for your Korean BBQ. I recommend getting it with LA Galbi. Check out this Korean BBQ guide to learn more!
Ingredients
Here’s a look at what you need to make these Samgyeopsal at home. The highlights are here but the full ingredient list and quantities of each are in the recipe card.
- Pork belly – the pork is sold sliced in thick slices or very thin. Traditional pork belly is very thick and it’s cut with scissors when grilled. You can buy this at korean markets or western grocery stores. I also buy mine at Costco.
- Shaoxing cooking wine – the alcohol takes out the gaminess of the meat and helps tenderize the pork. You can substitute with sake or dry sherry.
- Ginger – proves aromatics to the pork and helps take out the gaminess of the pork.
How to Make the Samgyeopsal:
Step 1: Slice thin slices of ginger and marinate with salt, pepper, cooking wine, and ginger. You can marinate for 30 minutes or marinate overnight (recommended) in the fridge!
Step 2. Take the pork belly out out of the fridge 30 minutes prior to cooking. Heat pan to medium heat and add pork belly on the pan for 4-5 minutes each side. Once seared, you will cut the meat with scissors in smaller pieces.
Step 3: While grilling the pork belly until crispy, add some garlic and/or kimchi.
Step 4. Make a lettuce wrap with pork belly, kimchi, garlic or your favorite Korean side dish.
Dipping Sauces
The pork belly has mild flavor and is usually eaten with different sauces such as sesame oil or a ssamjang. You can dip the meat and eat with rice or noodles. I prefer to make a lettuce wrap with kimchi, garlic, ssamjang and a bite of rice. It’s optional to make the sauces, but I highly recommend doing so! See recipe card for the sesame oil sauce and ssamjang measurements.
Expert Tips
- Before you grill the meat, make sure to take the ginger pieces off to prevent burning.
- If you have kimchi on hand, I highly recommend that after grilling your pork belly, you grill the kimchi as well! I recommend to throw away the excess oil but still use the same pan to grill your kimchi.
- Add some garlic when grilling the pork belly for extra flavor and to use the garlic in your lettuce wrap.
Recipe FAQs
Serve with white rice or Korean spicy cold noodles. You usually eat the pork with some lettuce and make a lettuce wrap with grilled garlic and kimchi. This also pairs well with Kimchi Jjigae!
At Korean BBQ, they serve many different side dishes to compliment the grilled meats. I recommend to eat with a fresh salad, pickled radish, kimchi, roasted seaweed, rice, soft steamed eggs, and cucumber salad. You can check out my Top Things to Buy At Hmart to see what side dishes you can get at the Korean market.
Check Out More Korean Recipes!
- One Pot Bibimbap – delicious Korean vegetables and rice cooked in the rice cooker!
- LA Galbi (Korean Shortribs) – sweet and savory beef grilled on the BBQ.
- Korean Short Ribs Made In The Air Fryer – perfectly tender and savory short ribs grilled in the air fryer!
- Spicy Pork Bulgogi – thinly sliced pork belly marinated in gochujang for a sweet and savory meat dish.
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Korean Pork Belly BBQ (Samgyeopsal)
Ingredients
Marinate Pork Belly
- 1 pound pork belly thick slices preferred
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon shaoxing cooking wine sub with sake or dry sherry
- 1 tablespoon ginger sliced
Sesame Oil Sauce
- chunky salt
- freshly cracked pepper
- sesame oil
- sesame seeds optional
Ssamjang (korean spicy dipping sauce)**
- ¼ cup doenjang (fermented bean paste)
- 2 tablespoon red pepper paste
- 2 tablespoon water
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 garlic minced
- 1 green onion sliced
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- ½ tablespoon honey
Instructions
Korean Pork Belly BBQ (Samgyeopsal)
- Slice thin slices of ginger and marinate pork belly with salt, pepper, cooking wine, and ginger. You can marinate for 30 minutes or marinate overnight (recommended) in the fridge!
- Take the pork belly out out of the fridge 30 minutes prior to cooking.
- For the traditional Korean way of grilling, you will sear the pork belly on both sides for 4-5 minutes each side. Once seared, you will cut the meat with scissors in smaller pieces. Make sure you grill on all sides for a nice charred flavor! Alternatively, you can cut the pork belly in pieces after your grill.
- Use scissors to cut in smaller pieces and enjoy with your favorite side dishes!
Sesame oil sauce
- There's no magic sesame oil sauce formula. Its up to your taste preference! Add chunky salt, pepper, and sesame oil in a bowl. Then, garnish with sesame seeds.
Ssamjang
- Mix all the ingredients to create a ssamjang! Add a little bit of sauce to your pork belly and wrap it with lettuce, garlic, & picked radish for the ultimate bite!
Notes
- Before you grill the meat, make sure to take the ginger pieces off to prevent burning.
- If you have kimchi on hand, I highly recommend that after grilling your pork belly, you grill the kimchi as well! I recommend to throw away the excess oil but still use the same pan to grill your kimchi.
- Add some garlic when grilling the pork belly for extra flavor and to use the garlic in your lettuce wrap.
Sally says
I’m wondering how much shaoxing cooking wine, sake or dry sherry should we use? Noticed there’s no measurement listed.
Cook With Dana says
Hi Sally, sorry about that! I updated to 1 tablespoon shaoxing cooking wine, sake or dry sherry.
Yvonne Kong says
I love seeing all your Asian recipes!! Thank you for making it less daunting to prepare these dishes at home ♥️
Cook With Dana says
Aw thanks for being here! Yes!! Hoping that you can make some easy delicious food at home ◡̈