Korean · main

Samgyeopsal (삼겹살)

Name: Samgyeopsal (삼겹살)
Prep time: 25 min
Total time: 30 min
Cuisine: Korean
Ingredients: 2 lbs thick slices of pork belly; 6 garlic cloves; 3 green chilies, sliced; 1 tsp sesame oil; salt to taste; black pepper to taste; 3 tbsp ssamjang dipping paste; 8 lettuce leaves; 8 perilla leaves; 1 cup kimchi; 2 cups cooked rice

Samgyeopsal (삼겹살) reads umami 7.5, richness 7.0 and heat 4.5 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Korean main, about 30 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

Umami & Savory — 8.2 / 10
Sweet & Fruity — 3.7 / 10
Sour & Bright — 2.6 / 10
Bitter & Earthy — 2.7 / 10
Rich & Fat — 8.0 / 10
Aromatic & Spice — 5.2 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Umami 7.5 · Richness 7.0 · Heat 4.5 · Allium 3.9 · Sweetness 3.5 · Salinity 3.4 · Nutty 3.2 · Funk & Ferment 3.1 · Smoke 2.4 · Warm Spice 2.4 · Sourness 2.3 · Herbaceous 2.2 · Citrus 1.1 · Earthy 0.9 · Fruity 0.9 · Bitterness 0.8

What's in it (11)

2 lbs thick slices of pork belly
6 garlic cloves
3 green chilies, sliced
1 tsp sesame oil
salt to taste
black pepper to taste
3 tbsp ssamjang dipping paste
8 lettuce leaves
8 perilla leaves
1 cup kimchi
2 cups cooked rice

Time & effort: about 30 min (25 min active) · effort: easy

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 335.2 kcal, 6.1 g protein, 24.9 g fat, 21.5 g carbs

Dietary: Contains meat — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (3 steps)

Cook thick pork belly slices on a tabletop grill or griddle over high heat, turning until fat is rendered and edges are crisp.
Wrap pieces in lettuce with garlic, chili, and a smear of ssamjang.
Scissors are used at the table to cut the cooked meat into bite-sized pieces.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

Korean Spicy Pork Belly Skillet — Korean
Pickled Cabbage and Pork Belly Pot (Suan Cai Bai Rou) — Chinese · Dongbei
Bindaetteok (빈대떡) — Korean
Farmhouse Stir-Fried Pork (Nong Jia Xiao Chao Rou) — Chinese · Hunan
Spicy Korean Beef and Radish Stew — Korean

Keep reading: what umami, richness, heat mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.