Featuring rich pork belly layered with spicy radishes and wrapped in lightly pickled cabbage leaves, bossam is often enjoyed during kimjang, when Koreans gather to make enough kimchi to last all year. It can be topped with different condiments, but this version features ssamjang, a thick and spicy sauce commonly paired with pork, plus crispy garlic slivers that add a pop of flavor and crunch.
| Level: | Intermediate |
| Total: | 3 hr |
| Active: | 45 min |
| Yield: | 6 to 8 servings |
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup doenjang (Korean fermented soybean paste) or miso
- 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
- 3 cloves garlic
- One 2-inch piece kombu
- 1 small yellow onion, halved
- Two 1-pound pieces skinless pork belly
- Kosher salt
- 1 small head napa cabbage, quartered lengthwise
- 1 small daikon radish, peeled
- Kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons gochugaru (Korean red chile flakes)
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 1 1/2 teaspoons mirin
- 1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon grated ginger
- 2 scallions, thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons doenjang (Korean fermented soybean paste)
- 2 tablespoons gochujang
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 10 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- Kosher salt
- 1 head Boston lettuce, for serving
Instructions
- For the pork belly: Combine the doenjang, peppercorns, garlic, kombu, onion and 3 quarts water in a large pot and bring to a boil. Add the pork belly and return to a boil. Cover and lower the heat to medium low. Simmer until the pork belly is tender but not falling apart, about 1 1/2 hours.
- For the cabbage: Meanwhile, combine 1/4 cup salt and 3 cups warm water in a large bowl and mix to dissolve. Submerge the cabbage in the salt water and place another heavy bowl on top to ensure the cabbage is submerged completely. Let soak, flipping every 10 minutes, until the cabbage leaves are slightly tender to the touch, about 30 minutes. Rinse, pat dry and set aside. This process will give the cabbage a flexible and crunchy texture with a slight briny taste.
- For the daikon kimchi: Cut the daikon in half crosswise. Slice each half into 1/4-inch-thick planks, then cut each plank into matchstick-size strips. Mix the daikon with 1 tablespoon salt in a small bowl and let it sit for 10 minutes. Give it a toss and let it sit for an additional 10 minutes. Rinse well until all the salt is washed off. Pat the daikon dry with a paper towel.
- Whisk together the gochugaru, fish sauce, mirin, garlic, sugar, ginger and scallions in a medium bowl, then toss with the daikon until well incorporated. Transfer to a serving dish and set aside.
- For the ssamjang: Combine the doenjang, gochujang, sesame oil, garlic and sugar in a small bowl and mix well. Transfer to a serving dish and set aside.
- For the crispy garlic: Heat the vegetable oil in a small pot over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the garlic and fry until light golden brown, about 4 minutes. Remove the garlic with a slotted spoon and place on a paper towel to drain. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and let cool.
- When the pork belly is finished cooking, remove it from the poaching liquid and let it sit for a few minutes until slightly cooled. Slice into 1/4-inch pieces.
- Arrange the pork belly, cabbage and lettuce neatly on a big serving platter. Serve with the daikon kimchi, dipping sauce and crispy garlic. To eat, put a piece of the pork belly in the middle of a lettuce or cabbage leaf, top with the daikon, sauce and garlic chips. Fold the leaf to enclose everything.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 8 servings |
| Calories | 740 |
| Total Fat | 70 g |
| Saturated Fat | 23 g |
| Carbohydrates | 13 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 3 g |
| Sugar | 4 g |
| Protein | 15 g |
| Cholesterol | 82 mg |
| Sodium | 918 mg |
Reviews
The cook time took much longer than 1 hour 30 minutes for me to get the fat rendered and the pork belly soft. Otherwise, the recipe is great. I used miso, and my pork belly turned a bit darker than in the photo. I read that slow cookers can render more of the fat out of the pork belly than boiling. I will try that method in the future.