How to Make Samgyeopsal at Home (삼겹살, Korean Grilled Pork Belly)
Samgyeopsal is the dish Koreans think of first when they say "let's go eat meat."
It's loud, social, and a little messy in the best way: sizzling pork belly, a pile of lettuce, and everyone building their own wraps.
The first time I cooked it at home, I learned two things.
It tastes just as good in a frying pan as on a restaurant grill, and the smell will follow you around your apartment for two days if you forget to open a window.
Build your own wraps with grilled pork, fresh leaves, and small amounts of sauce.
So, What Is Samgyeopsal?
Samgyeopsal (삼겹살) literally means "three-layer meat," referring to the alternating layers of meat and fat in pork belly.
It is often sliced and cooked unseasoned, then wrapped in lettuce or perilla leaves with garlic, kimchi, and a dab of ssamjang (a thick dipping paste).
The meat itself is simple.
The fun part is the wrap.
What You'll Need (Serves 3–4)
For the pork:
- 600 g (about 1.3 lb) pork belly, sliced about 1/4 inch (5–6 mm) thick, skinless and unseasoned
- Salt and black pepper
For the wraps:
- Lettuce leaves (red leaf, green leaf, or butter lettuce)
- Perilla leaves (kkaennip), if you can find them
- 4–5 garlic cloves, sliced
- Green chili peppers, sliced (optional)
- Kimchi, for serving
- Cooked rice, for serving
Simple ssamjang:
- 2 tbsp doenjang (Korean soybean paste)
- 1 tbsp gochujang
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp minced garlic
- 1 tsp honey
- 1 tbsp finely chopped green onion
Sesame oil dip (gireumjang):
- 2 tbsp sesame oil
- 1/2 tsp salt
- A pinch of black pepper
Keep the raw pork separate from the washed leaves and ready-to-eat sides.
Where to find thin-sliced pork belly:
Korean grocery stores often sell it pre-sliced for BBQ, sometimes in the frozen section.
If you can't find it, ask a butcher to slice unseasoned pork belly thin, or choose the thinnest slices available.
Vegetarian/vegan note:
Samgyeopsal itself is pork, so it is not vegetarian or vegan.
For a plant-based meal inspired by the wrap-and-dip format, use grilled king oyster mushrooms or firm tofu; their cooking times will differ from pork.
For a vegan version, replace the honey in the ssamjang with sugar or maple syrup, choose kimchi without fish sauce or salted shrimp, and check all paste ingredients for animal-based additions.
Use a separate clean pan rather than pork fat.
Let's Cook
1. Mix the dipping sauces.
Stir together the ssamjang ingredients in one small bowl and the sesame oil dip in another.
Set them on the table.
2. Prep the wraps.
Wash and dry the lettuce and perilla leaves.
Slice the garlic and chili, and set out the kimchi.
3. Heat the pan.
Place a large frying pan or grill pan over medium to medium-high heat, following the pan manufacturer's instructions.
You don't need oil, because the pork releases plenty of its own fat.
4. Cook the pork.
Lay the pork belly slices in the pan without overlapping.
Cook for about 3–4 minutes on one side until golden, then flip and cook for roughly another 2–3 minutes, adjusting for thickness and heat.
These times are guides, not proof of safe cooking.
Check the thickest part with a thin-tip food thermometer, inserted from the side: whole-cut pork should reach at least 145°F (63°C), followed by a rest of at least 3 minutes before cutting or eating.
Cook the garlic slices in the rendered fat, removing them before they burn.
Use separate utensils and a clean plate for the cooked pork.
Cook in batches so the pork browns evenly, and check the center temperature.
5. Cut it up.
After the pork is cooked and rested, use clean kitchen scissors or a knife to cut it into bite-sized pieces on a clean board.
Color alone does not reliably tell you whether pork is safely cooked.
Kitchen scissors are a familiar part of the Korean BBQ table.
6. Wrap and eat.
Place a lettuce leaf in your palm, add a perilla leaf, a bit of rice, a piece of pork, garlic, and a dab of ssamjang.
Keep the wrap small enough to fold into a comfortable bite, and enjoy it with the sesame oil dip if you like.
Keep the fillings modest so the wrap folds into a comfortable bite.
A Few Tips
- Don't crowd the pan.
Cook in batches so the pork browns instead of steaming. - Open a window and turn on the exhaust fan.
Fat splatters and the smell lingers. - Pat the pork dry with a paper towel before cooking to reduce splatter and help it crisp.
- Cook the kimchi in the pork fat for a minute.
It's a classic and delicious side. - Don't season the meat before cooking.
The dips and wraps provide the flavor.
Quick FAQ
Do I need a Korean BBQ grill?
No.
A frying pan or cast iron skillet works well.
A grill pan can add grill marks, but a stovetop frying pan is all you need for this recipe.
What if I can't find perilla leaves?
Lettuce alone is perfectly fine.
Perilla adds a minty, slightly herbal flavor, but it's optional.
Leftovers
Refrigerate cooked pork within 2 hours (within 1 hour above 90°F / 32°C) in a shallow, covered container.
Keep the fridge at 40°F (4°C) or below and use within 3 days.
Reheat in a pan until the center reaches 165°F (74°C), which can also restore some crispness.
Leftovers are also great chopped into kimchi fried rice.
Images are AI-generated illustrations.
Food-safety guidance: USDA safe cooking temperatures.
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