Korean Bossam: A Classic Feast
A classic Korean dish featuring tender boiled pork belly, served with crisp lettuce, spicy kimchi, and savory ssamjang for a delightful build-your-own wrap experience.
Ingredients
- 1 kg pork belly skin-on or off
- 1 large onion quartered
- 6 cloves garlic smashed
- 1 piece ginger 2-inch
- 1 tsp black peppercorns
- 1 cup soju or mirin optional
- 1 head napa cabbage or lettuce leaves
- 2 cups kimchi sliced
- 1/4 cup ssamjang for serving
- 1 bunch green onions chopped
- 1 Tbsp sesame oil for dipping
- 1 Tbsp gochugaru Korean chili flakes
Instructions
- Rinse the pork belly thoroughly.
- In a large pot, combine pork belly, quartered onion, smashed garlic, sliced ginger, black peppercorns, and soju/mirin (if using). Add enough water to completely cover the pork.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 60-90 minutes, or until the pork is very tender and easily pierced with a chopstick.
- While the pork is cooking, prepare your accompaniments: wash and separate cabbage or lettuce leaves, slice kimchi, and prepare ssamjang.
- Once cooked, carefully remove the pork belly from the pot and let it rest for 10 minutes on a cutting board. This helps retain juices.
- Slice the pork belly into thin, bite-sized pieces, about 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick.
- Arrange the sliced pork on a serving platter with the cabbage/lettuce leaves, kimchi, and ssamjang. Garnish with chopped green onions and a sprinkle of gochugaru if desired.
- Serve immediately and instruct diners to build their own wraps with pork, kimchi, ssamjang, and other desired additions.
Notes
For extra flavor, you can add aromatics like ginger, garlic, bay leaves, or a splash of sake to the boiling water for the pork. Serve with various banchan (side dishes) for a complete Korean feast. A popular addition is mu-saengchae, a spicy radish salad.