The Irresistible Charm of Camping Food — Kimchi Grilled Pork Belly

Why I Love Camping and Food

Food heals life — this is the shared realization between me and my husband after six years of marriage.

For six years, we have enjoyed the process of searching for and cooking delicious food together.

Food brings us not only a full stomach, but also a way to live well together, to accompany and comfort each other.

The process of cooking and eating gives us endless fresh topics and shared activities that we both truly enjoy.

Besides food, we also love camping, hiking, and fishing — any kind of outdoor activity.

Hong Kong is a huge international metropolis and financial hub, glamorous on the outside but inside it feels like a pressure cooker.

Like most people in Hong Kong, we squeeze into an apartment of about 30 square meters on average (which is already considered decent). Some elderly people, after a lifetime of hard work, can only end up with a space the size of a single bed. How can one describe such hardship? Perhaps it’s like finding it hard to even turn around.

That is why our yearning for open space leads us to camping.

And the beauty of life makes us inseparable from food.

Why Kimchi Grilled Pork Belly Is So Unique

Among all camping foods, kimchi grilled pork belly is the most irresistible — you love it and hate it at the same time.

It can easily make you gain weight or feel less attractive, yet it has an irresistible charm — very much like a “bad boy.”

Among the three East Asian cuisines — Chinese, Japanese, and Korean — Korean food is often the least appreciated. Some of my Chinese friends even joke bluntly: “Koreans are like cows, eating grass every day.” Uh… although the wording is a bit impolite, it is somewhat to the point.

But no matter how much you look down on Korean food, you can’t resist the taste of kimchi grilled pork belly.

Although its strong flavor and high fat content seem intimidating, once you take the first bite — the sour, spicy, salty, and savory blend takes over. The aroma of pork fat merges with the tangy kimchi, and the grilled meat is crispy on the outside and tender inside. The sourness of kimchi gives a refreshing contrast, and the slight spiciness adds another layer. The flavor is both complex and addictive.

During family gatherings or camping, it also sets the perfect atmosphere — the sizzling sound of oil dripping from the grill makes people relax and sparks joy.

A Simple and Comforting Cooking Process

Another key reason people choose it again and again is that the cooking method is very simple. It almost never leaves you embarrassed in front of family and friends.

Basic ingredients: kimchi, fresh pork belly with both lean and fat, garlic cloves, lettuce, chopped scallions.

Seasonings: cooking wine, soy sauce.

Tools: portable stove, grill pan, cutting board, kitchen knife, tongs, kitchen scissors.

Cooking process: First grill the strips of pork belly until both sides turn golden. Then cut them into small pieces, continue frying to release the fat, and add white garlic cloves, a bit of cooking wine, and a splash of soy sauce for flavor. During this process, the pork belly becomes crispy and delicious.

The sour, salty, and spicy kimchi is the soul of this dish. Once added, the originally greasy, overwhelming fat seems to be tamed, balanced by the kimchi. The whole dish turns into something tangy, refreshing, and wonderfully aromatic — stimulating saliva and filling the nose with happiness.

If you wrap it in lettuce, it gets even better! The lettuce holds the pork belly, kimchi, and garlic together, creating an amazing chemical reaction to flavors in your mouth. The lettuce also completely removes the greasiness of the pork belly, making it lighter, fresher, and more layered — something that makes you nod in praise.

Kimchi grilled pork belly is also known as a “rice vanisher.” East Asians love mixing it with a bowl of white rice — the carbs touch something primal in the human soul, satisfying the deep ancestral attachment to rice with every juicy grain.

Don’t forget to bring tea, beer,fruit juiceor sparkling water. A true camping foodie treats “drinks” and “food” as equally important.

Camping food soothes the soul and connects emotions.

In today’s world of information overload and advanced technology, our time is increasingly consumed by phones, TVs, and computers.

How long has it been since we last enjoyed food and had a proper conversation with our family?

Camping creates a relaxing and soothing space for us and our loved ones, allowing us to return to our simple selves in nature.

Food stimulates the taste buds and brings maximum sensory satisfaction.

With joyful moods and released emotions, family and friends grow even closer.

Follow me — let’s cook delicious food together and heal life.