Samgyeopsal Gui Recipe – Korean BBQ Pork Belly

Samgyeopsal is essentially just thick strips of unsalted bacon which has high fatty content and as such, is particularly tender, and when cooked with the right blend of spices and accompanyments, it makes for a delicious meal that is both healthy and nutritious.

To make Samgyeopsal Gui you will need the following main components; pork belly, a green onion salad, ssamjang, and of course a table-top grill of some description to cook the Samgyeopsal. A Hibachi or a Weber Q series BBQ grill are the most well suited to this dish.

This delectable Korean BBQ recipe will comfortably feed 6 people.

Samgyeopsal Gui

4 pounds of fresh pork belly
Green onions
Green chili peppers
Mushrooms
Carrot
Garlic
Lettuce
Hot pepper flakes
Soy sauce
Sugar
Honey
Hot pepper paste
Soybean paste
Sesame seeds and sesame oil

Cooking Method

First, brush your table-top BBQ grill lightly with oil and then bring it up to a high heat, place the pork belly onto the grill and then cook it until it is done.

Once cooked, the pork can be removed, sliced and then instantly served into lettuce wraps alongside the accompanyments. They are best eaten straight away, in one mouthful as is typical of the way the meal is eaten in Korea.

To make the Ssamjang

To make the ssamjang, take the following ingredients and simply mix them together thoroughly in a bowl and then transfer to dipping dishes and serve with the meal.

1/4 cup soy bean paste
2 tbs hot pepper paste
1 chopped green onion
1 minced clove of garlic
2 tsp. of honey
2 ts sesame seeds
1 tbs sesame oil

To make the Green onion salad

To make the green onion salad, thinly slice 2 handfuls of green onions and then soak them for 10 minutes in cold water. Take a large mixing bowl and then add 1/4 cup soy sauce, 2 tbls. of pepper flakes, 2 tsp. sugar, 1 tbls. of sesame seeds, and 1 tbls. of sesame oil.

Now simply drain the sliced onions and then add them to the sauce and combine together.

To make the vegetables

This part is quick and easy, all you need to do is thoroughly rinse and drain a head of lettuce, and then take the mushrooms, carrot and chilli, and chop them into small peices and place them in a bowl ready to serve alongside the dip and accompaniments.

Samgyeopsal Gui Accompaniments

The most popular accompaniments for samgyeopsal are lettuce and garlic, though it is also commonly served with other sides, such as perilla leaves, sliced green peppers, green onion salad, and kimchi.

Garlic, onions, and kimchi can be either grilled with the meat or consumed raw with the cooked meat.

Samgyeopsal is often served with at least two types of dipping sauces which are ssamjang (a fairly hot paste consisting of Korean chili paste), soybean paste, sesame oil, and a variety of other ingredients.

The other most common dipping sauce is called gireumjang which consists largely of a combination of salt and sesame oil, along with a small amount of ground black pepper.

Eating Samgyeopsal Gui

Prior to consumption, the large slices of meat are cut into small pieces. The best way to eat samgyeopsal is to place a slice of the cooked meat on a leaf of lettuce and/or a perilla leaf with some cooked rice and ssamjang, and to roll it into a wrap.

This is called sangchu-ssam.

When enjoying Samgyeopsal Gui at home, try roasting some garlic and spicy chilies on your grill / hibachi,  and then add them to the lettuce wrap as it adds another layer of texture and flavor to the dish.

I have found it useful to BBQ the meat fairly quickly on a high heat, this helps to ensure that the flavorsome meat juices do not cook out and this results in a much better taste.

Did you enjoy this article? Please subscribe to receive all the FREE updates!