Korean pork belly, often served as samgyeopsal gui, is pork belly grilled or pan-seared until its edges are deeply browned and its fat turns savory and crisp. This skillet version is served with a quick doenjang-and-gochujang dipping sauce, rice, and lettuce for wrapping; seasonings and side dishes vary from table to table.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lb (680 g) skinless pork belly, cut into slices about 1/2 inch (1.3 cm) thick
- 1/2 tsp (2.5 g) fine salt
- 1/4 tsp (0.5 g) freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tbsp (30 g) doenjang, Korean fermented soybean paste
- 1 tbsp (15 g) gochujang, Korean fermented red chili paste
- 1 tsp (5 ml) toasted sesame oil
- 1 tsp (7 g) honey
- 1 small garlic clove (3 g), finely grated or minced
- 1 tsp (3 g) toasted sesame seeds
- 1 scallion (15 g), thinly sliced
- 1 small head red- or green-leaf lettuce (about 6 oz/170 g), leaves separated and washed
- 2 cups (320 g) cooked short-grain rice, warm, for serving
- 1 small cucumber (about 200 g), thinly sliced, for serving
Instructions
- Prepare the pork and accompaniments. If the pork belly is in a single slab, chill it briefly so it is firm, then slice it into pieces about 1/2 inch (1.3 cm) thick. Pat the slices dry with paper towels; removing surface moisture helps them brown rather than steam. Season both sides with the salt and pepper. Separate, wash, and dry the lettuce leaves, slice the cucumber and scallion, and have the warm rice ready. If the pork is already sliced, this step is quicker.
- Mix the dipping sauce. In a small bowl, stir together the doenjang, gochujang, sesame oil, honey, and garlic until evenly combined. Fold in the sesame seeds and half the scallion, saving the rest for garnish. Taste a little with a clean spoon: it should be salty, savory, mildly sweet, and spicy. Add a teaspoon of water if you prefer a looser sauce. The paste is concentrated, so do not add extra salt to the sauce.
- Heat the skillet. Set a large, heavy skillet, cast-iron pan, or griddle over medium-high heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Pork belly releases plenty of fat, so you normally do not need cooking oil. If your pan is very dry or not well seasoned, wipe it with a thin film of neutral oil rather than pouring in a pool. Keep the kitchen ventilated because rendered pork fat can smoke if the pan gets too hot.
- Cook the pork in batches. Lay the slices in one uncrowded layer, leaving a little space around each one. Cook for about 4 minutes on the first side, then turn and cook for about 4 minutes on the second side. Adjust the heat to maintain a steady sizzle: lower it if the fat smokes or the surface darkens before the middle cooks, and raise it slightly if the pork releases liquid and stays pale. Transfer each browned batch to a clean plate and repeat with the remaining pork, allowing about 8 minutes per batch and 24 minutes total for three batches.
- Check doneness and rest. Use a food thermometer in the thickest piece, inserting it from the side if that gives a more reliable reading. USDA FSIS sets 145°F (63°C) with a 3-minute rest as the safe minimum internal temperature for whole cuts of pork. Rest the cooked pieces for 3 minutes before serving; they may be cooked longer if you prefer more rendered fat and crisp edges, but avoid letting them burn. Slice larger pieces into bite-size strips after resting.
- Serve at the table. Arrange the pork, lettuce, cucumber, rice, and sauce separately so everyone can build wraps. Spoon a little rice onto a lettuce leaf, add pork and cucumber, then use a small dab of sauce. Scatter the reserved scallion over the pork or sauce. Keep any extra sauce in its own bowl rather than spreading it over all the meat, so the pork stays crisp.
Tips
- Choose the right cut. Ask for skinless pork belly in even slices, roughly 1/2 inch thick. Very thin slices cook quickly but can turn brittle before they brown; very thick chunks need more time and make thermometer checks harder. If you buy a slab, a short spell in the freezer firms it enough to slice neatly.
- Use a substitute thoughtfully. Doenjang is a fermented soybean paste with a deep, earthy saltiness. If it is unavailable, use white or yellow miso, which is usually milder and sweeter; begin with a little less and taste before adding more. Gochujang gives the sauce its Korean chili flavor and body. A chili-garlic paste can stand in, but the sauce will be less fermented and may need a small pinch of sugar.
- Do not crowd the pan. A crowded skillet traps steam and prevents browning. Cook in batches and pour off excess rendered fat between batches if it pools deeply, leaving enough to keep the surface glossy. Let the pan return to temperature before adding the next portion.
- Keep the sauce separate. Ssamjang is punchy, and different brands and homemade versions vary in salt and heat. Start with a small dab in each wrap. Refrigerate leftover sauce promptly in a covered container and use a clean spoon whenever serving it.
Serving Suggestions
Serve the pork as a shared meal rather than plating every wrap in advance. Put the lettuce leaves, warm rice, cucumber, sauce, and pork in separate bowls or on a large platter, then let diners assemble each bite. A traditional-style wrap, or ssam, can be as simple as rice, pork, and a dab of ssamjang tucked into a lettuce leaf. Fold the leaf around the filling and eat it in one or two bites so the juices stay inside.
For a fuller Korean-inspired spread, add kimchi, sliced raw garlic, or thin green chilies at the table. These are optional accompaniments, not requirements. A bowl of clear soup or lightly dressed vegetables can balance the richness, while steamed rice makes the meal more substantial. If serving a group, cook the pork in batches and bring out each batch as it browns; a pile left covered for a long time will soften as steam collects.
Variations
Grill it outdoors: Cook the seasoned slices on a clean, preheated grill over medium-high heat, turning as needed until browned and cooked through. Use a tray to carry raw pork to the grill and a separate clean platter for cooked meat. Grill heat varies, so rely on color and a thermometer rather than copying the skillet timing exactly.
Add a light marinade: For a sweeter, more seasoned version, marinate the pork for 30 minutes in the refrigerator with 1 tbsp (15 ml) soy sauce, 1 tsp (5 ml) sesame oil, 1 tsp (7 g) honey, and a little grated garlic. Pat off excess marinade before searing because sugar can scorch. Classic samgyeopsal is often simply grilled and seasoned at the table, so the marinade is an optional variation.
Adjust the heat: For a milder dipping sauce, reduce the gochujang to 1 tsp (5 g) and add a teaspoon of water. For more heat, serve sliced fresh chili on the side instead of making the whole sauce hotter. You can also use store-bought ssamjang in place of the homemade mixture; taste it first, since its saltiness and sweetness differ by brand.
Storage and Reheating
Refrigerate cooked pork and rice within 2 hours of cooking, storing them in separate shallow, covered containers. Cooked pork keeps for 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator at 40°F (4°C) or colder. Store washed lettuce and sliced cucumber separately so they do not become limp, and keep the dipping sauce covered and chilled. If you will not use the pork within that window, freeze it in a well-sealed container for up to 2 to 3 months for best quality; thaw it overnight in the refrigerator.
For the best texture, reheat pork in a skillet over medium heat with a teaspoon of water, turning it until hot, or use a microwave in short bursts with a loose cover. Reheat leftovers to 165°F (74°C), checking the thickest pieces with a food thermometer. The meat may not be quite as crisp as freshly cooked, but a brief skillet finish can restore some browning. Warm rice separately with a splash of water. Do not leave cooked pork at room temperature for more than 2 hours, or more than 1 hour when the surrounding temperature is above 90°F (32°C).
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Korean pork belly the same as samgyeopsal?
Samgyeopsal usually refers to pork belly, and samgyeopsal gui is grilled pork belly served as a meal. It is commonly cooked at the table or on a grill and eaten with rice, leafy vegetables, and sauces. Recipes differ: some keep the meat plain, while others season or marinate it.
Should I remove the fat from pork belly?
No. The layers of fat are what make pork belly rich and help it brown, so trimming away all the fat would change the dish. Trim only any unusually thick, hard edges if needed. Cook over steady heat so the fat renders gradually instead of scorching the outside.
Can I make this without doenjang or gochujang?
Yes, but the dipping sauce will have a different flavor. Miso is the closest practical substitute for doenjang, though it tends to taste sweeter and less robust. Chili-garlic paste can replace gochujang for heat, but it lacks gochujang’s fermented depth. Add substitutes gradually and taste as you go.
Can I cook the pork belly in an air fryer?
Yes. Arrange the pieces in a single layer in a preheated air fryer and cook around 390°F (200°C), turning once and checking early because thickness and appliance models vary. Cook in batches rather than stacking the meat, and verify the thickest piece reaches 145°F (63°C), followed by the required 3-minute rest.
Why did my pork belly turn chewy instead of crisp?
Common causes are a crowded or insufficiently hot pan, damp meat, or slices that are too thick for the cooking time. Pat the pork dry, give each slice space, and keep a steady sizzle. If the pork is browned but still chewy, lower the heat and cook it a little longer so more fat can render without burning the surface.
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Safety notes: safe minimum internal temperatures from USDA FSIS; raw and undercooked fish guidance from the U.S. FDA. Food safety notes
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