Black pork – a must-try dish when visiting Jeju Island

Jeju – the largest island off the Korean Peninsula, makes it easy to think of fresh seafood. Therefore, not everyone knows that there is one specialty in Jeju that cannot be missed: black pork. This is a breed of small pig with black skin, silky hair, crooked ears, and a small muzzle, found on Jeju Island from the Cao Ly Dynasty (1400s). Perhaps, the harsh weather, strong winds, peculiar rocky terrain, the groundwater with a high content of minerals on Jeju Island have made the unique taste of this breed of pig.

There are many ways to process black pork, such as stocking pork with salty fish sauce, cooking soup with seaweed, making ham, marinating with sauces then grilling or pan-frying, etc. But the best way to enjoy black pork is grilling on the charcoal stove, so you can feel the delicious typical taste of each piece of meat.

We arrived at Keundonga restaurant on a rainy afternoon. In Korean, “keun” means “big”, “don” means “money”, and “ga” means “let’s”. The whole phrase “keundonga” implies “let’s spend money freely”. What a sweet seduction!
It was late spring so the weather was still chilly. I took off my coat to hang outside the door to prevent the smoke from getting on my clothes, getting ready for a “barbecue party” with black pork and a few cups of soju, a great way to warm up our bodies.

The restaurant only has about 10 sets of round tables and chairs. In the middle of the table is a charcoal stove, above which is a chimney. We were told, there should be only three or four people sitting at one table on one side to leave a space for service staff. They will grill the meat at the table and show us how to eat black pork properly. The waiter served side dishes for us: the same kinds of kimchi as usual on every Korean meal, white rice, kimchi soup, steamed eggs, raw vegetables, and dipping sauce. He served two tables of guests at the same time. His hands quickly turned pieces of fresh meat. “This is the best Korean food!” – he said with a proud voice

I’m not sure if this is the best dish in Korea, I just knew that when I took the first bite, I had to praise. Un-marinated meat, grilled over the charcoal stove, just cooked, cut into thick pieces, sprinkle a little pepper salt before eating. You can enjoy the whole piece of meat, or roll the meat with lettuce and marjoram, ssamjang sauce or a diluted fish sauce heated on a charcoal stove prepared by the restaurant.

 

The sweetness of the meat was very delicate. The thick piece of meat gave me the feeling that I was enjoying a multi-layered cake. The fat was firm, very fragrant, and crispy in the mouth. The elasticity of meat is a confusing standard but necessary, creating the irresistible appeal of Jeju black pork. You have to see the way the fire touched the meat that made the fat splatter, the skin began to be scorched and imagine the scene of putting that whole “movie” into your mouth, feeling the taste spread little by little. At that time, you know for sure, “I love this dish to death!”