Samgyeopsal: Korean Pork Belly BBQ at Home with Crispy Char 59 2026

Samgyeopsal is a Korean pork belly barbecue that turns dinner into an experience. Each bite is built right at the table with a lettuce leaf, grilled pork belly and whatever sides and sauces you like best.

This recipe shows you how to make it at home without any special tabletop grill. Instead, you sear thick slices of pork belly on a hot grill pan, let the fat crisp the onion and garlic alongside, and serve everything with fresh vegetables, kimchi and ssamjang.

The result is a social, flavor-packed meal where everyone wraps their own lettuce bundles. The contrast of juicy, golden pork, cool crisp vegetables, tangy kimchi and savory-spicy ssamjang is what makes this dish so addictive.

In Korea, samgyeopsal is cooked on a special pan with holes or channels that catch the fat as the pork belly renders, and the pan sits in the middle of the table so each person grills their own meat. That setup makes the pork lighter and crispier, but since that pan is not common in most kitchens, this recipe uses a grill pan and then brings the cooked meat to the table with all the classic sides.

Ingredients for Samgyeopsal

This makes 4 servings.

• 1 cucumber
• 2 carrots
• 1 onion
• 8 garlic cloves
• 8 lettuce leaves
• 3 scallions
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon chili flakes
• 1 teaspoon brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
• 400 g fresh pork belly, cut into thick slices (about 4 or 5 slices)
• 200 g kimchi
• 100 g ssamjang sauce

How to Make Samgyeopsal Step by Step

1. Wash and Cut the Vegetables

First, prepare the vegetables: wash 1 cucumber and cut it into thin julienne strips. Wash and peel 2 carrots and cut them into thin julienne strips as well. Peel 1 onion and cut it into rings. Peel 8 garlic cloves and cut them in half lengthwise. Wash 8 lettuce leaves and dry them well so they stay fresh and crisp when you use them. Finally, cut 3 fresh scallions into thin julienne strips.

2. Make the Scallion Salad

Put the julienned scallions in a bowl and soak them in cold water for 10 minutes to soften their flavor. Then drain them well and dress them with 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon sesame oil, 1 teaspoon chili flakes, 1 teaspoon brown sugar and 1 tablespoon sesame seeds. Mix well and set aside until serving time.

3. Heat the Pan and Add the Pork Belly

Heat a pan, ideally a grill pan, over high heat. When it is very hot, place 400 g fresh pork belly cut into thick slices in the pan along with the onion rings and the garlic cloves so they roast at the same time.

4. Cook the Pork Belly and Vegetables

Cook these ingredients for 4 or 5 minutes on one side, until the meat is nicely golden and crisp. Then flip them and grill for another 4 or 5 minutes on the other side.

5. Cut the Pork Belly into Bite-Size Pieces

After that time, take the pan off the heat and cut the pork belly into bite-size pieces with kitchen scissors.

6. Set the Table and Assemble the Samgyeopsal

Set up the samgyeopsal on the table by placing the pork belly on a plate in the center, along with the roasted onion and garlic, the scallion salad, the lettuce leaves, and the julienned cucumber and carrot. Also put 200 g kimchi in one bowl and 100 g ssamjang sauce in another. To eat, simply take a lettuce leaf, add a piece of pork belly with its accompaniments — scallion salad, vegetables, kimchi and a little ssamjang —, wrap it all up and eat it in one bite.

Tips for the Best Samgyeopsal

Use High Heat for Crispy Pork Belly

To get the pork belly perfect, cooking over high heat is essential. This creates a golden, crispy crust on the outside while keeping the inside juicy. The fat released by the pork belly can also be used to roast other ingredients, like the onion slices and garlic cloves, which turn lightly caramelized and give a delicious contrast of flavors.

Serve It with Plenty of Fresh and Pickled Sides

Samgyeopsal comes with a wide variety of fresh and pickled ingredients, such as cucumber and carrot, kimchi and a dressed scallion salad. The ssamjang sauce is also essential — a mix of fermented soybean paste (doenjang) and chili paste (gochujang) that adds a rich umami and spicy note. Both kimchi and ssamjang can be bought ready-made in the international section of many supermarkets.

Wrap and Eat It the Traditional Way

The traditional way to enjoy samgyeopsal is to take a lettuce leaf, place a piece of meat on top, add the accompaniments to taste and wrap it all up to eat in one bite and enjoy the contrast of flavors and textures. This ritual turns the dish into a social experience full of flavor, making samgyeopsal a must in Korean food culture.

30 Go-To Recipes I Keep Coming Back to in My Own Kitchen

Like a lot of home cooks, I like having a rotation that covers cozy classics, dishes from around the world, and sweets that make everyone happy.

Some nights I want something luxuriously rich, and that's when I reach for this La Viña Molten Cheesecake recipe, this refined Original French Crème Brûlée recipe, or a truly indulgent Chocolate Mousse Cake recipe. And on days when I'm after something fruity and soothing, this timeless French Tarte Tatin recipe is my reliable pick.

For mornings that call for something easy and for lighter plates, I'll whip up these airy Oatmeal and Banana Pancakes recipe, a hearty Stuffed Sweet Potato recipe, or these bright Eggs Stuffed with Avocado and Salmon recipe. And whenever I need a gluten-free staple for the pantry, this straightforward Gluten-Free Rice Flour recipe does the job.

When tapas and Mediterranean cooking are calling, I tend to cycle through this punchy Basque Tuna with Tomato recipe, crispy Patatas Bravas Air Fryer recipe, silky Tirokafteri Greek Dip Sauce recipe, and a cool Burrata Salad with Tomato and Pesto recipe. This crisp Italian Vitello Tonnato recipe is another one I love to serve when the occasion feels a bit more special.

Hearty midday meals and comforting suppers? These are the ones I'm always recommending: this warming Meatballs in Spanish Sauce recipe, traditional Meatballs in Almond Sauce recipe, deeply savory Italian Bolognese Sauce recipe, and velvety Chicken Croquettes in Thermomix recipe. When I'm after something more substantial, I'll bake up this Greek Pastitsio Pie recipe, rustic Potatoes and Squid Stew recipe, or the deeply comforting French Boeuf Bourguignon recipe.

Street-food cravings and party spreads usually lead me to this juicy Homemade Chicken Doner Kebab recipe, crispy Salchipapas recipe, punchy Mexican Pork Carnitas recipe, or these crackly Korean Hobak Jeon recipe. These effortless Air Fryer Zucchini Rings recipe are another favorite of mine for a quick appetizer or snack.

And when I'm hosting and putting together drinks alongside a full menu, I'll often serve dinner with this refreshing Original Cuban Mojito recipe, this potent Long Island Iced Tea recipe, or a pitcher of this fruity Bleeding Spanish Sangria recipe. To bring the whole table together, I like setting out this zesty French Remoulade Sauce recipe on the side, or finishing things off with this eye-catching Mediterranean Black Rice with Squid recipe.

Even More Tasty Recipes to Cook for Your Family

After years of cooking, testing, and tweaking in my own kitchen, I've come to believe the greatest dishes boil down to three things: straightforward methods, techniques you can trust, and serious flavor.

Every recipe gathered here is one I genuinely cook over and over—whether it's a fast meal just for me or something a little more celebratory for friends and family.

On the sweet side, the rich, silky Orange Chocolate Mousse Recipe is a go-to when I want something that feels fancy yet comes together without fuss. Another dessert I adore is the caramelized Trdelnik Slavic Pastry Recipe, modeled on the well-known Central European chimney cake. If baking is your thing, knowing how to make syrup for better dessert texture helps a lot, and my Inverted Sugar Recipe walks through exactly how I do it at home.

When something light and uncomplicated is what I'm after, I'll usually make the classic Italian Caprese Salad Recipe or a flawlessly cooked Simple Poached Egg Recipe. For cozier, more filling meals, I frequently point people to the satisfying Meatball Sandwich Recipe, the creamy Russian Stroganoff Beef Recipe, and the fast weeknight winner One Pot Pasta Recipe.

I'm also a big fan of sharing dishes with roots in other countries, such as the authentic Sorropotún de Bonito Fish Stew Recipe, crispy Chilean Pumpkin Sopaipillas Recipe, and the traditional Spanish Cochifrito Segovian Fried Pig Recipe.

Air fryer cooking is another category I turn to often, since it cuts down on time without sacrificing texture. The ones I make most include Air Fryer Pork Ribs Recipe, Air Fryer Chicken Thighs Recipe, Air Fryer Sweet Potatoes Recipe, Air Fryer Baked Potatoes Recipe, Air Fryer Peppers Recipe, Air Fryer Mixed Sandwich Recipe, Air Fryer Toasted Bread Recipe, and Air Fryer Hard-Boiled Eggs Recipe.

And for those steering clear of wheat, my cozy Gluten-Free Lasagna Recipe shows that a classic baked pasta can still be rich, cheesy, and deeply satisfying without any gluten.

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