Samgyeopsal – Korean grilled pork belly with lettuce and ssamjang Recipe
Samgyeopsal is one of the most social dishes in South Korea – everyone sits around a table with a small grill, turns the slices of pork belly themselves and wraps them in lettuce leaves. At home you can recreate this using a regular grill pan or even a larger, heavy frying pan. The dish is simple, but has a real “wow” effect at get-togethers with friends, because everyone assembles their own little wraps.
This recipe brings the atmosphere of a Korean barbecue to your home kitchen without any special equipment. Everyone assembles their own lettuce wraps, choosing how much rice, meat and spicy ssamjang to add, which makes the meal interactive and fun. Crispy pork belly, fresh vegetables and aromatic sauces create a perfect balance of textures and flavors.
Chef's tips
Use good-quality, fairly fatty pork belly – the fat will render during frying and give you the characteristic juiciness and crisp edges. Do not overcrowd the pan; it is better to fry the meat in batches so it browns properly instead of stewing. Prepare all the sides and the ssamjang in advance so once the meat is ready, you can go straight to the table and start eating.
How to serve
Serve the samgyeopsal family-style in the middle of the table so everyone can build their own wraps. Add bowls of kimchi, pickled radish or other crunchy pickles, and maybe a simple cucumber salad with rice vinegar. For a more filling meal, serve with miso or Korean-style seaweed soup on the side.
Ingredients
- pork belly - 800 g
- lettuce - 1 head
- rice - 300 g
- garlic - 5 clove
- oil - 2 tablespoon
- gochujang paste - 2 tablespoon
- doenjang paste - 1.5 tablespoon
- sesame oil - 1.5 tablespoon
- sugar - 1 teaspoon
- chives - 4 tablespoon
- salt - 0.5 teaspoon
- pepper - 0.25 teaspoon
- chili pepper - 1 piece
- cucumber - 1 piece
Preparation
- Rinse the rice thoroughly in cold water 3–4 times, until the water is almost clear, then cook according to the package instructions so it is soft but not overcooked.
- Tear the lettuce into larger leaves, wash and dry very well, and arrange on a large plate so everyone can easily reach them.
- Cut the cucumber into thin half-slices, the chili pepper into thin rings, finely chop the chives, and slice the garlic into very thin slices.
- Prepare the ssamjang: in a small bowl mix the gochujang paste, doenjang paste, sesame oil, sugar and 2 tablespoons of chopped chives, stirring until you get a thick, smooth paste.
- Season the pork belly slices with salt and pepper on both sides and gently rub the seasoning into the meat.
- Heat a grill pan or large frying pan over medium-high heat, add the oil and wait until it is very hot (it should be lightly smoking).
- Place the pork belly slices in the pan in a single layer and fry for 3–4 minutes on each side, until the fat has rendered and the meat is browned and slightly crisp around the edges; fry in batches so as not to overcrowd the pan.
- Transfer the fried pork belly to a board and cut it with kitchen scissors or a knife into smaller, bite-sized pieces.
- In a small dry pan, toast the thin garlic slices for 1–2 minutes over medium heat, stirring often, until they are lightly golden but not dark – they should be crisp, not bitter.
- For serving, set bowls of rice on the table, a plate with lettuce leaves, a small bowl with ssamjang, cucumber, chili, chives and crispy garlic, as well as a plate with the hot pork belly.
- To eat, place a lettuce leaf on your hand, add a spoonful of rice, a piece of pork belly, a little ssamjang, a slice of cucumber and garlic, wrap into a small bundle and eat in one or two bites.
Storage
Usmażony boczek przechowuj w szczelnym pojemniku, po podgrzaniu na suchej patelni znów stanie się lekko chrupiący. Liście sałaty przechowuj osobno, owinięte w ręcznik papierowy w pudełku, najlepiej zużyć je w 1–2 dni.
