Entree: South Korea – Seoul & Gyeonggi – 보쌈 ➤ bossam (Sliced boiled pork belly served with leafy wraps and savory condiments)

Serving Size: 4

Approximate Time

Prep 15 min

Cook 1 hr 20 min

Additional 15 min

Total 1 hr 35 min

Ingredients

- 3 lb (1.36 kg) pork belly, skin on
- 12 cups (2.8 L) water
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) soy sauce
- 3 tbsp (45 g) doenjang (Korean soybean paste)
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) mirin or rice wine
- 8 cloves (approx. 30 g) garlic, smashed
- 2-inch (50 g) piece ginger, sliced
- 1 large (approx. 300 g) onion, halved
- 6 scallions (green onions), tied in a knot
- 6 dried jujubes (Korean dates) or 2 tbsp (30 g) dried jujube slices
- 1 tsp (5 g) whole black peppercorns
- 1 small (approx. 8 oz / 225 g) Korean radish (mu), thickly sliced
- 1 head napa cabbage leaves or large lettuce leaves for wrapping (no measurement)
- 1/4 cup (60 g) ssamjang (Korean wrap paste)
- 2 tbsp (30 g) saeujeot (salted fermented shrimp)
- 4 cloves (approx. 15 g) raw garlic, thinly sliced for serving
- 2–3 green chilies, sliced for serving
- Perilla leaves and lettuce for serving (no measurement)
- Steamed rice for serving (no measurement)

Instructions

1. Rinse the pork belly and place in a large stockpot. Add water to cover the meat by at least 2 inches and bring to a boil over high heat. Skim any foam that rises.
2. Add soy sauce, doenjang, mirin (or rice wine), smashed garlic, sliced ginger, halved onion, knotted scallions, jujubes, black peppercorns, and the sliced radish to the pot. Reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer.
3. Simmer gently, uncovered or partially covered, for 1 to 1 1/4 hours, until the pork is tender but still sliceable. Turn the pork once or twice during cooking so it cooks evenly.
4. Remove the pork belly from the broth and immediately plunge into cold water or an ice bath to stop cooking and firm the meat for easier slicing. Reserve the broth for another use (soup) or to keep warm.
5. When cooled, pat the pork dry and slice thinly across the grain into 1/8–1/4-inch (3–6 mm) slices. Arrange on a platter.
6. Prepare the wraps and condiments: arrange napa cabbage or lettuce leaves, perilla leaves, ssamjang, saeujeot, sliced garlic, and sliced chilies on a serving board.
7. To eat, place a slice of pork on a leaf, add a dab of ssamjang, a touch of saeujeot, a slice of garlic and chili, fold and eat in one or two bites. Serve with steamed rice and optional kimchi.
8. Leftover sliced pork keeps 2–3 days refrigerated; reheat gently in the reserved broth or steam briefly to restore tenderness.