Samgyeopsal

Allergens at a glance

• UsuallySesameSesame oil and salt dip (gireumjang); sesame in ssamjang and side dishes.
• UsuallySoySsamjang is soybean paste and chilli paste; soy sauce in side dishes.
• OftenGlutenSsamjang and gochujang usually contain wheat; marinated versions use soy sauce.
• OftenFishKimchi and other side dishes made with fish sauce.
• SometimesCrustaceansSalted shrimp (saeujeot) as a dip at some places; in many kimchis.
• SometimesMolluscsThe soybean paste stew often served alongside can contain clams.

Usually in the standard recipe. Often in many versions. Sometimes in some kitchens, or a cross-contact risk.

Diets

• Not halal and not vegetarian: it's pork, grilled on shared plates.
• The plain pork has no gluten ingredient, but dips, marinated cuts and the grill can bring wheat; coeliacs (celiacs) should ask.
• Little for vegetarians beyond rice, lettuce and some banchan; the stews and many banchan use fish or meat stock.

Recipes change from kitchen to kitchen. If you have an allergy, confirm every ingredient with the restaurant before you order.

What is samgyeopsal?

Samgyeopsal is thick slices of pork belly grilled at your table and eaten in lettuce wraps with garlic, dipping sauces and side dishes. The name means "three-layer flesh", from the stripes of fat and meat. It's the most popular Korean barbecue order and a standard pairing with soju.

What's in it

The pork is usually plain, with no marinade, cooked on a gas or charcoal grill set into the table along with whole garlic cloves, kimchi, onion and mushrooms. Staff often cook and cut it with scissors. It comes with:

• Lettuce and perilla leaves (kkaennip) for wrapping
• Ssamjang, a thick dip of soybean paste (doenjang) and chilli paste (gochujang), often with sesame and garlic
• Gireumjang, sesame oil with salt and pepper
• Kimchi, spring onion salad (pajeori) and other banchan
• Sometimes salted shrimp (saeujeot) or a soybean paste stew (doenjang jjigae)

At the end, many places stir-fry rice on the grill with the leftover fat, kimchi, seaweed and sesame oil (bokkeumbap).

Allergens and diets

The pork itself is usually just pork. The allergens come from everything around it.

Sesame is almost certain: the sesame oil dip is standard, and ssamjang and many side dishes use it too. Perilla leaves are sometimes called "sesame leaves" in English, but perilla is a different plant.

Soy is in the ssamjang. That paste and the gochujang inside it usually contain wheat, so gluten is likely in the dip even though the meat has none. Marinated cuts (yangnyeom) usually use soy sauce or gochujang.

Kimchi and some side dishes contain fish sauce, and many kimchis use salted shrimp (crustaceans). Some restaurants serve saeujeot as a dip. The doenjang jjigae that often comes with the meal is frequently made with anchovy stock and sometimes clams (molluscs).

Grill plates are reused across tables after cleaning, and kimchi is grilled right next to the meat.

On the menu

Samgyeopsal is written 삼겹살. Related cuts and items:

• 오겹살 ogyeopsal: five-layer belly, with skin
• 대패삼겹살 daepae samgyeopsal: shaved, very thin belly
• 목살 moksal: pork neck
• 항정살 hangjeongsal: pork jowl
• 양념 yangnyeom: marinated
• 볶음밥 bokkeumbap: fried rice at the end
• 1인분 il-inbun: one serving, often with a two-serving minimum

How to eat it

Put a piece of pork in a lettuce leaf, add a dab of ssamjang, some garlic and kimchi, fold it into one bite-sized parcel and eat it whole.

Last checked 1 November 2026. Spotted something wrong? Email support@inventum.com.au.