Hello, this is Daniel from Sharekor.
What is Korean Pork Belly BBQ? and what is Samgyeopsal?
I'll make it easier for you to understand.
Do you like bacons? Samgyeopsal(삼겹살) is a bacon meat with the Korean twist.
Samgyeopsal is a famous Korean dish which is particularly grilled pork belly. Upon grilling, the pork belly is wrapped by vegetable leaves such as lettuce. Then, you'll dip it in either Sesame Oil or soybean paste.
Any bbq restaurant you go, samgyeopsal costs about 8,000 ~ 15,000 Won ($7.00 ~ $14.00) per plate with plenty of side dishes.
The side dishes and vegetables (kimchi, garlic, ssamjang sauce, olive oil/salt sauce, lettuce leaf, perilla, fresh chili pepper, sliced onions, shredded onion leaves etc.) are all included. Another things you will love about Korean restaurants is that you can always ask for more side dishes with no extra charges!
Samgyeopsal is a popular Korean food enjoyed not only by the locals but also by foreign visitors. Especially, eating samgyeopsal with a small glass of soju, a rice-based Korean liquor, has been chosen as the best Korean food culture experience for foreigners.
I'll have a post about Soju itself next time :)
Although you can see thick layers of fat in the pork belly meat, as the oil comes out from the meat through the grilling process and the meat is eaten with the lettuce leaf or sesame leaf and other healthy ingredients and seasonings, you do not feel that greasy and dry when eating the samgyeopsal.
The most important and the most Korean way of eating samgyeopsal is make a wrap with a vegetable(normally lettuce). Korean people call this 'Ssam'.
First, choose a nice flappy vegetable which will be the base. Lettuce and sesame leaf are the most frequently eaten. On the lettuce, put the meat and other vegetables. Include a small spoon of rice according to your taste.
This is the basic way to wrap Samgyeopsal. You can add other things you want to put.
Also, If you are with your family or wife/husband, wrap it for each other. It is considered a table etiquette
Here's another tip, while eating samgyeopsal, order a rice (usually 1,000 Won).When you order a rice, you will have a free soup(Jjigae) which will refresh your mouth. Please give it a try if you get the chance.