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1
Simmer the pork belly
60 Mins
Gentle simmer, about 95°C (200°F)
Put the pork in a large pot and cover with cold water. Stir in the doenjang, ginger, onion, green onions and pot garlic. Bring to a boil, skim off the foam, then lower the heat and simmer gently for 60 minutes, turning the pork once halfway through.
Keep the simmer gentle, not rolling — a hard boil toughens the meat and clouds the liquid.
Done when: A skewer slides into the thickest part with no resistance; the meat yields to gentle pressure.
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2
Rest and slice the pork
15 Mins
Resting off the heat, cooling from about 95°C (200°F)
Lift the pot off the heat and let the pork rest in its liquid for 10 minutes. Lift it out, let it drain for a minute, then slice across the grain into pieces about 5 mm thick. Arrange the slices overlapping on a warm plate.
Resting in the liquid keeps the slices moist; slicing too soon lets the juices run out.
Done when: Slices hold their shape, show even layers of meat and fat, and feel tender, not rubbery.
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3
Make the radish salad
10 Mins
No heat — room temperature, about 21°C (70°F)
Toss the julienned radish with the salt and leave for 10 minutes, then squeeze out the water. Mix in the gochugaru, rice vinegar and sugar until the radish turns pink and glossy.
Squeezing the radish dry is what keeps the salad crisp instead of watery.
Done when: Radish is bright pink, crisp, and sweet-sour to the taste.
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4
Lay out the wraps
5 Mins
No heat — room temperature, about 21°C (70°F)
Set the napa leaves and perilla leaves on a plate, the kimchi and radish salad in small bowls, and the ssamjang and sliced raw garlic in the middle of the table with the sliced pork.
Put a damp cloth under the plates so nothing slides while everyone reaches across.
Done when: Everything is within reach and the pork is still warm.
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5
Wrap and eat
5 Mins
No heat — serving temperature, about 60°C (140°F)
Take one napa leaf, lay on two slices of pork, a piece of kimchi, a pinch of radish salad, one slice of raw garlic and a dab of ssamjang. Fold the leaf around the filling and eat it in one or two bites.
Do not overfill — a wrap that bursts open is a wrap that drips.
Done when: The parcel holds together, and each bite has pork, kimchi, garlic and sauce at once.
auto_awesome Finishing Touches & Plating
Set everything in the middle of the table and let everyone build their own wraps — bossam is eaten hot, hands-on, with rice on the side.
South Korea
1h 5m
