Korean BBQ nights have quietly become one of the most requested dinner party formats among people who've never set foot in Korea. Part of the appeal is the format itself, a grill in the middle of the table, everyone cooking and eating at the same time, no plated courses to keep track of. Samgyeopsal, thick-cut pork belly, is almost always the centerpiece.
This guide walks through the cuts worth buying, how to actually grill it at home, and the sauces and sides that turn a plate of pork belly into a full spread.
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| This is what a proper samgyeopsal night looks like halfway through. |
Prep takes about 10 minutes if the pork belly is pre-sliced, grilling runs 15 to 20 minutes total, and this spread comfortably feeds four people.
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| Everything a proper samgyeopsal spread needs, laid out before the grill even heats up. |
Ingredients
- 2 lbs samgyeopsal pork belly, sliced 1/2 inch thick (look for this pre-cut at H Mart; regular grocery stores sometimes carry it as "pork belly slices")
- 1 head garlic, cloves separated and lightly smashed
- 1 tbsp coarse sea salt
- 1 tbsp sesame oil, for the salt dip
- 1 head red leaf lettuce, leaves separated and rinsed
- 1 bunch perilla leaves, if available (fresh basil leaves work as a rough substitute)
- 1 small onion, sliced thin
- 2 tbsp ssamjang (Korean fermented soybean and chili paste, found in the Asian foods aisle at Whole Foods or ordered online)
- 1 cup kimchi, roughly chopped
How to Make It
- Bring the pork belly slices to room temperature for about 15 minutes before grilling so they cook evenly.
- Preheat a tabletop grill, griddle, or heavy skillet over medium-high heat without any oil, since the pork belly renders its own fat.
- Lay the pork belly slices flat on the grill in a single layer, leaving space between pieces so they sear instead of steam.
- Once the underside turns golden, after about 2 to 3 minutes, flip each piece and let the other side cook the same way.
- Cook the smashed garlic cloves and sliced onion alongside the pork belly, moving them around so they soften without burning.
- Once both sides of the pork belly are deeply golden and the edges have started to crisp, cut the pieces into bite-sized chunks directly on the grill using kitchen scissors.
- Serve straight off the grill while everyone builds their own lettuce wraps at the table.
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| The whole slab goes on first, before anyone reaches for the scissors. |
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| Scissors, not a knife, this is how it actually gets cut at the table. |
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| This is the color you're waiting for before anything comes off the grill. |
The Korean Insider Tip
Here's something most home cooks skip entirely: dip the grilled pork belly in sesame oil and salt before wrapping it, not the ssamjang. The salt and oil round out the pork's flavor on its own, while ssamjang goes inside the wrap with the garlic and onion. Doing it the other way around, ssamjang directly on the meat, tends to overpower the pork instead of complementing it.
Why This Guide Works
- Thick-cut pork belly holds up to direct high heat without drying out, which is why thinner bacon-style cuts don't produce the same juicy, slightly crisp result.
- Grilling the garlic and onion alongside the pork belly means they pick up rendered fat as they cook, so nothing on the grill needs extra oil.
- Cutting the meat with scissors after it's mostly cooked, rather than before, keeps more juice inside each piece during grilling.
Pro Tips
What happens if the grill isn't hot enough before the pork belly goes on? The fat renders out slowly instead of searing, and you end up with pale, slightly boiled-looking meat instead of a golden crust.
A lot of people flip the pork belly constantly out of nervousness. Let each side sit undisturbed for the full 2 to 3 minutes; that's what actually builds the crust.
Overcrowding the grill is tempting when a full package of pork belly is sitting right there, but pieces touching each other steam instead of char, so cook in batches if your grill surface is small.
Skipping the room temperature rest matters more than it sounds. Cold pork belly straight from the fridge cooks unevenly, browning outside while staying underdone near the bone-in edges.
Plating Like a Local
Forget plating the pork belly on its own. The actual move is building a lettuce wrap right at the table: a leaf of red lettuce, a piece of grilled pork belly dipped in sesame oil and salt, a small dab of ssamjang, a sliver of raw garlic, and a strip of grilled onion, all folded into one bite-sized package. It looks a little messy in photos, and that's exactly what makes it look real instead of staged.
How to Serve and Variations
A full samgyeopsal spread usually includes a few small side dishes beyond the core wrap ingredients. These round out the table without requiring much extra cooking.
- Steamed short-grain rice, for anyone who wants a wrap with rice tucked inside
- Doenjang jjigae (fermented soybean paste stew), served hot in a small pot at the center of the table
- Pickled radish or oi muchim (spicy cucumber salad), for something cold and crisp between bites
- A second dipping option of gochujang mixed with a little sesame oil, for anyone who wants more heat than ssamjang offers
For a lighter version, thinly sliced pork belly grills faster and works well for smaller households or weeknight dinners rather than a full party spread.
What's the best cut of pork belly for samgyeopsal?
Look for thick-cut, skinless pork belly with visible layers of fat and meat, usually sold pre-sliced around 1/2 inch thick at Korean grocery stores. Thinner cuts meant for bacon cook too fast and dry out before developing the same crust.
Can I make samgyeopsal without a tabletop grill?
Yes, a cast iron skillet or heavy griddle pan on the stovetop works just as well. The key is getting the surface hot enough before the pork belly goes on, the same principle applies either way.
What sauce goes with samgyeopsal?
Ssamjang is the standard wrap sauce, but a simple mix of sesame oil and coarse salt is traditionally used to season the pork belly itself right after grilling, before it even reaches the lettuce.
What side dishes go best with samgyeopsal?
Kimchi, pickled radish, and a light soybean paste stew are the most common pairings, since their acidity and saltiness balance the richness of the pork belly without competing with it.
Once the grill's actually hot and the first batch of pork belly hits it, the rest of the night mostly takes care of itself.
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