Steamed Pork Wrapped In Leaves

Bossam 보쌈

Bossam is a type of ssam in Korean cuisine in which steamed pork is wrapped in a leaf vegetable such as red lettuce or sesame leaf, often accompanied by a condiment known asssamjang. 

It is usually topped with raw or cooked garlic, onion, pepper, or, most commonly, sweetkimchi. Bossam is also preferred to be eaten with saeujeot (pickled fermented shrimp). It's a popular dish in Korea and it can also be served as an anju, side dish consumed while drinking soju).

Bossam is a pork dish in Korean cuisine. The centerpiece is pork belly, boiled in spices and thinly sliced. The meat is served with side dishes including garlic, onion, ssamjang (wrap sauce), saeujeot (pickled, fermented shrimp) and newly-made kimchi. Upon eating, the meat and sides are often wrapped in vegetable leaves such as red lettuce, sesame or napa cabbage, hence the literal meaning of Bossam: "wrapped" or "packaged."

Bossam is a popular dish in Korea, often served as anju (dishes that accompany alcohol consumption).

Bossam is traditionally linked with the season of gimjang, where large quantities of kimchi were prepared for winter. To ensure the commitment of the workers during this labor-intensive process, noblemen would deliver a pig for a feast. They would enjoy boiled pork along with some of their newly-made kimchi, which, being early in the fermentation process, was a fresh and crispy compliment to the soft pork of Bossam.

Pork meat is boiled in a broth that contains ginger and onions to reduce the smell. Bossam is often eaten with oyster on top of the meat, this variety is called gul bossam. Gul bossam restaurants also provide gamjatang (potato soup), which is traditionally eaten first.

Ingredients:

For the wraps:

tender inner parts of 1 napa cabbage, salted* (or red or green leaf lettuce)

(* Dissolve 1/2 cup coarse salt in 4 cups of water, and soak the cabbage leaves until softened, 2 to 4 hours. Rinse and drain well.) 

Radish salad (musaengchae)
saewujeot (salted shrimp)

For the meat:

2 whole fresh pork belly about 3-inch wide cut (about 2.5 pounds)
1/2 medium onion
2 - 3 white parts of large scallions 
7 - 8 plump garlic cloves 
1 inch ginger piece, sliced
1 teaspoon whole black peppers
1-1/2 tablespoons doenjang (fermented soybean paste)
1 teaspoon instant coffee (or a cup of brewed coffee)
1 teaspoon salt
2 bay leaves
10 cups water

Directions:

1. Bring the water and all the brine ingredients to a boil over medium high heat, and continue to boil for 5 minutes. 
2. Add the pork belly and boil for 20 minutes, uncovered. 
3. Reduce the heat to medium low, and cook, covered, until the meat is very tender, 40 to 50 minutes. 
4. Turn the heat off, and cool the meat in the cooking liquid. This will keep the meat moist.
5. Thinly slice the meat and serve with the salted cabbage (or lettuce), saewujeot, andmusaengchae.
6. Keep any leftover meat in the cooking liquid. Boil the meat in the liquid to reheat. This prevents the meat from drying out.

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