Korean Heukdwaeji-gui, Jeju Black Pork with Meljeot

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Seongsan Ilchulbong

📍 Where this dish comes from: Jeju Island · Seongsan Ilchulbong
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Korean Heukdwaeji-gui, plated and ready to serve

Jeju’s famous black pork is grilled in thick, juicy slabs and dipped in meljeot, a bubbling, salty anchovy sauce warmed right on the grill. The combination of rich pork and briny sauce is unforgettable. Use the best thick-cut heritage pork belly or shoulder you can find.

Per serving: 799 calories · 3.1 g net carbs · 16 g protein · 80 g fat (calculated from the ingredients)

What You’ll Need

Ingredients for Korean Heukdwaeji-gui

Korean Heukdwaeji-gui, plated and ready to serve

Korean Heukdwaeji-gui, Jeju Black Pork with Meljeot

Jeju's famous black pork is grilled in thick, juicy slabs and dipped in meljeot, a bubbling, salty anchovy sauce warmed right on the grill. The combination of rich pork and briny sauce is unforgettable. Use the best thick-cut heritage pork belly or shoulder you can find.
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Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Korean
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 799kcal

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds thick-cut (1-inch) skin-on pork belly or pork collar
  • Meljeot dip: 1/4 cup Korean anchovy sauce (meljeot) or fish sauce, 2 tablespoons water, 1 clove garlic minced, 1 green chili sliced, 1/4 teaspoon gochugaru
  • 12 cloves garlic whole
  • 1 cup kimchi
  • Lettuce and perilla leaves for wrapping

Instructions

  • Heat a grill or cast-iron pan over medium-high heat. Season the pork lightly with salt.
  • Grill the pork skin side down first for 4 to 5 minutes, until the skin crisps, then cook the other sides for 3 to 4 minutes each, until golden and cooked through.
  • Meanwhile, mix the meljeot dip in a small heatproof dish and warm it on the edge of the grill or in a small saucepan until bubbling.
  • Grill the whole garlic and kimchi in the pork fat.
  • Cut the pork into bite-size pieces with scissors. Dip each piece into the warm meljeot and wrap in lettuce with garlic and kimchi.

Notes

Meljeot is very salty, so a quick dip is all you need. If you cannot find it, a mix of fish sauce and water with garlic and chili is a good stand-in. Thick-cut pork should be turned often to cook evenly without burning.
Chef's Tip: In Jeju restaurants, the cook grills the pork over charcoal and cuts it for you at the table. Ask for the fatty edges crispy.
Keto Swap: This dish is naturally keto. Skip the rice and noodles and fill up on wraps and vegetables.
Success Tip: Heritage breeds like Berkshire or Kurobuta pork are the closest you will find to Jeju black pork in most countries.
Nutrition is calculated from the ingredients and is an estimate per serving. Net carbs exclude fiber and allulose.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 799kcal | Protein: 16g | Fat: 80g | Fiber: 1g
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Cooking Korean Heukdwaeji-gui in the kitchen

About This Dish

Jeju’s black pig, heukdwaeji, has been raised on the island for centuries, and in 2015 the native breed was designated a natural monument of Korea. Jeju residents once raised the pigs in stone enclosures attached to outdoor toilets, a practice that ended long ago. Today Jeju black pork is a premium product prized for its firm, flavorful fat. Meljeot is made from salted and fermented anchovies, a specialty of Jeju and the southern coast. Restaurants in Jeju City have a whole street devoted to black pork barbecue.

Pairs Well With

This recipe is from The Ultimate Korean Keto Cookbook by Gisele Costello, Chapter 7: Pork (Seongsan Ilchulbong). See all Korean recipes

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