How to eat Korean BBQ — 삼겹살 (samgyeopsal), 쌈 and ordering

You walk into a busy 고깃집 (gogitjip, "meat restaurant"). Every table has a grill in the middle. People are talking, the meat is hissing, and there are green leaves everywhere.

Which meat should I order?

Here are three very common choices. Our guide to Korean food names explains what 삼겹살 means word by word. This page is about how to eat it.

Korea's official tourism site calls pork belly one of the favorite pork cuts among Koreans. It also says pork belly is a popular choice for company dinners.

양념갈비 (yangnyeom-galbi) means "marinated ribs." 양념 (yangnyeom) is seasoning. The marinade is usually made with soy sauce, sugar and garlic. So it is sweet and salty at the same time.

Not sure? Start with 삼겹살. It is simple, and almost every barbecue place has it.

How do I order?

You order with a number and 인분. The Korean dictionary explains 인분 as a unit for counting food by the number of people. It also says to use it with Sino-Korean numbers (the number words that come from Chinese: 일, 이, 삼).

On a menu, you will see it with a numeral: 1인분, 2인분, 3인분. A full order sounds like this:

• You: 저기요! 삼겹살 이 인분 주세요. ("Excuse me! Two servings of pork belly, please.")
• Staff: 네, 잠시만요. ("Okay, just a moment.")

Some barbecue places do not take an order for only one serving. The menu may say 2인분 이상 (iinbun isang), "two servings or more." This is not the same everywhere, so check the menu or ask.

How do I make a 쌈?

쌈 is a wrap made with a leaf. Korea's official tourism site describes it as a special part of Korean food culture. Here is how to make one:

1. Hold one leaf in your open hand. Use 상추 (sangchu, "lettuce") or 깻잎 (kkaennip, "perilla leaf").
2. Put a piece of grilled meat in the middle.
3. Add a little 쌈장 (ssamjang), a thick sauce made from red chili paste and soybean paste.
4. Add a slice of 마늘 (maneul, "garlic"), raw or grilled.
5. Fold the leaf around everything.
6. Open your mouth wide and eat it in one bite.

The one-bite rule is the most important part. If you bite a 쌈 in half, the sauce and meat fall out. So open wide and eat it all at once.

You can also add kimchi or a little rice. Every person builds their 쌈 differently. You do not have to use a leaf every time. Many people also eat the meat with sesame oil and salt.

Easy mistakes

• Cutting before grilling. The meat often comes in long strips. Grill them first. Then cut them into small pieces. You may see 가위 (gawi, "scissors") and 집게 (jipge, "tongs") on the table for this. At some restaurants, the staff cut the meat and put it on the grill for you.
• Eating the meat too early. Pork must be cooked all the way through. Ask 다 익었어요? (da igeosseoyo?) — "Is it cooked?"
• Making a 쌈 too big. You need to eat it in one bite. So keep it small.
• Forgetting the side dishes. The small plates of 반찬 (side dishes) are part of the meal. Many places refill them for free.

Why do Koreans grill at the table?

You grill the meat at your table, and eat it with side dishes, stews and noodles. Barbecue is a shared meal. Everyone eats from the same grill, so it feels like a party.

Who does the grilling? It depends. At some places, staff grill the meat for you, especially at expensive beef restaurants. At many casual places, someone at the table does it. If you are a guest, it is fine to ask how to help.

The meal does not end with the meat. According to VISITKOREA, many people finish with 된장찌개 (doenjang-jjigae, "soybean paste stew") or 볶음밥 [보끔밥] (bokkeumbap, "fried rice"). Some restaurants also offer 냉면 (naengmyeon, "cold noodles") after the meat. Many people say the cold soup feels fresh after hot, fatty meat.

Quick check

1. You want three servings of pork neck. You say → 목살 삼 인분 주세요.
2. How do you eat a 쌈? → In one bite
3. What do many people eat after the meat? → 된장찌개, 볶음밥 or 냉면