Introducing "The Porkfolio"
- Dec 1, 2024
- 3 min read
Updated: Dec 2, 2024
Welcome to the debut of The Porkfolio, the newest addition to The Swine List! As a restaurant reviewer with a love for puns (and pigs), it’s time to turn the boar-ometer inward and put my home-cooked creations to the test. First up: a homemade Korean BBQ feast that brought the smoky, savory magic of the grill right to my dining table.
THE BOAR-OMETER
FOUR PIGGIES | Sow Good!
While my humble kitchen isn’t a bustling Korean BBQ restaurant, the sizzle of samgyupsal on the grill and the vibrant spread of banchan made my table feel just as inviting. Bonus: no waiting for a server to refill the kimchi!
Scoresheet
Oink-credible Bites: FOUR PIGGIES & A PIGLET – Recipes were A+
Piggy Bank Savings: FOUR PIGGIES – Ingredients were half of the price of eating out!
Grunt Work Factor: THREE PIGGIES & A PIGLET – A bit time consuming and laborious.
Wondering how we score and what the categories are? Read here for more information!
OINK-CREDIBLE BITES
Each bite was a burst of flavor. The smoky, fatty richness of the pork belly paired beautifully with the tangy napa cabbage kimchi and spicy cucumber kimchi. The kongnamul muchim added a fresh, nutty crunch, while the marinated perilla leaves brought an herby, slightly salty contrast. And let’s not forget the kimchi jjigae—comfort food at its finest, with its spicy, umami-packed broth.
For this feast, I recreated some Korean classics:
Samgyupsal (grilled pork belly): Juicy, tender, and perfectly crisped at the edges.
This samgyupsal is from Black Pork which originates from Korea.
Kimchi Jjigae: A bubbling, spicy stew packed with tangy kimchi goodness.
Banchan (side dishes):
Napa cabbage kimchi
Cucumber kimchi
Kongnamul muchim (seasoned soybean sprouts)
Marinated perilla leaves
Most of these recipes came from the incredible Maangchi, my go-to for authentic Korean dishes. If you haven’t tried her recipes, you’re missing out—they’re detailed, approachable, and full of flavor!
PIGGY BANK SAVINGS
Dining out for Korean BBQ can add up quickly, especially when you’re ordering for multiple people. Making this meal at home was far more budget-friendly. The ingredients, including the pork belly and veggies, came in at less than half of what I’d pay at a restaurant—and I still had leftovers!
The portion sizes and prices of this meal are for two (2) people. Here's a simple breakdown of the cost:
Ingredients | Price |
1kg black pork belly slices | $24.80 |
1 head of green leaf lettuce | $4.59 |
2 packs of perilla leaves | $5.98 |
1 bag of cucumbers | $5.00 |
1 medium-sized napa cabbage | $6.00 |
1 bag of bean sprouts | $2.25 |
1 medium-sized Korean radish | $5.99 |
1 bunch of green onion | $1.00 |
Total | $55.61 |
All prices are based off CAD. Seasoning and other items not listed above were found in my pantry. Please budget for more if some items are not in your kitchen already.
GRUNT WORK FACTOR
This new category celebrates how manageable (or not!) a dish is to make. While grilling the pork belly was as simple as turning on the heat, prepping the banchan required a bit more effort.
Luckily, Maangchi’s recipes made the process straightforward, even for a beginner. The perilla leaves were the easiest to prepare, while the napa cabbage kimchi demanded some patience but rewarded me with layers of flavor. I just wanted to note that the side dishes were made over the course of a couple of days and not just right before the meal.
Here are the Swine-approved recipes:
FINAL THOUGHTS
This meal was a labor of love, but every bite was worth it. It reminded me why I started The Swine List in the first place: food, whether from a restaurant or your own kitchen, brings people together and tells a story.
So, what’s next for The Porkfolio? Maybe a southern BBQ spread or a classic Sunday roast. Until then, I’ll keep experimenting—and reviewing—one dish at a time.
Have you tried making your favorite restaurant dishes at home? Share your experiences in the comments or tag me on social media. Let’s turn our kitchens into the ultimate pig pens of creativity!
Stay hungry, stay swine. 🐷
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