The Epic Momofuku Bossam Recipe: Korean Pork Magic At Home

Crafting a delectable momofuku bossam reveals a culinary adventure that blends korean traditions with modern flair.

Tender pork shoulder becomes the star of this mouthwatering dish.

Slow-cooked meat melts effortlessly, promising an explosion of rich flavors.

Salt, sugar, and carefully selected spices create a magical marinade that seeps deep into every fiber.

Lettuce wraps add a fresh, crisp element to complement the succulent protein.

Crispy edges and juicy interior make this recipe a true crowd-pleaser.

You’ll want to savor each bite and share this spectacular korean-inspired feast with everyone around your table.

Why Momofuku Bossam Is Unforgettable

• Master a Legendary Dish: Learn the art of creating an iconic Korean-inspired pork recipe that transforms a simple protein into a restaurant-worthy meal.
• Customize Your Flavor Adventure: Blend diverse sauces and accompaniments like ginger shallot and spicy ssam sauce to personalize each bite with complex, vibrant tastes.
• Wow Dinner Guests: Impress friends and family with a show-stopping centerpiece that combines crispy caramelized exterior and tender, succulent meat perfect for interactive dining.
• Weekend Culinary Project: Embrace a cooking experience that rewards patience, with layered techniques and carefully developed flavors that elevate home cooking to professional standards.

Ingredients for Flavorful Momofuku Bossam

• Pork Shoulder: A tender and flavorful cut perfect for slow roasting and absorbing delicious seasonings.

• White Sugar, Kosher Salt: Essential for creating a flavorful and seasoned exterior that helps develop a rich crust on the pork.

• Brown Sugar, Salt: Provides a caramelized and sweet-savory crust that enhances the pork's final texture and flavor.

• Scallions, Ginger, Ginger Shallot Sauce Ingredients: Canola Oil, Soy Sauce, Sherry Vinegar, Salt: Creates a bright, tangy, and aromatic sauce that complements the rich pork.
• Ssamjang, Gochujang, Spicy Ssam Sauce Ingredients: Sherry Vinegar, Canola Oil, Water, Sugar: Adds a spicy and complex flavor profile to enhance the dish.

• Lettuce, Rice, Kimchi, Oysters: Provides a variety of textures and flavors to create a complete and interactive dining experience.

Crafting Momofuku Bossam at Home

Step 1: Prepare the Pork Cure

Blend white sugar and kosher salt in a mixing bowl. Thoroughly pat the pork dry with paper towels, then massage the salt-sugar mixture all over the meat, making sure to cover every surface.

Place the seasoned pork in the refrigerator, covered, and let it cure for a full day to a day and a half.

Step 2: Slow Roast the Tender Meat

Heat the oven to a gentle 300°F.

Position the pork in a roasting pan and cook uncovered for five hours. Every hour, carefully spoon the delicious pan juices over the meat to keep it moist.

After cooking, let the pork rest for 10 minutes to allow the juices to redistribute.

Step 3: Create a Caramelized Crust

Crank up the oven temperature to a blazing 500°F.

• Brown sugar
• Salt

Roast for 10 minutes until a gorgeous, sticky caramelized crust forms on the exterior.

Step 4: Whip Up Ginger Shallot Sauce

• Chopped scallions
• Fresh ginger
• Canola oil
• Soy sauce
• Sherry vinegar
• Salt

Let the sauce sit and meld flavors for 20 minutes before serving.

Step 5: Mix Spicy Ssam Sauce

• Ssamjang
• Gochujang
• Sherry vinegar
• Canola oil
• Water
• Sugar

Stir until completely combined.

Step 6: Assemble and Devour

• Fresh lettuce leaves
• Steamed rice
• Kimchi
• Fresh oysters

Invite guests to create their own wraps by placing pork, rice, and condiments inside a lettuce leaf.

Add ginger sauce and spicy ssam sauce for an explosion of flavors. Roll up, take a bite, and enjoy the mouthwatering Korean-inspired feast!

Smart Tips for Better Bossam

• Dry-cure pork precisely by massaging salt and sugar mixture into every crevice, ensuring even coverage for maximum flavor absorption.
• Monitor slow-cooking temperature carefully, basting meat hourly to maintain moisture and develop rich, tender texture throughout the roasting process.
• Create perfect caramelized crust by watching closely during high-temperature roasting, preventing burning while developing deep golden-brown exterior.
• Prepare sauces ahead of time, allowing flavors to meld and intensify, enhancing overall taste profile of the bossam dish.
• Serve immediately after cooking, providing fresh lettuce and accompaniments for guests to create personalized wraps with complementary condiments.

Flavor Ideas for Momofuku Bossam

• Citrus Herb Bossam: Infuse the dry cure with orange zest, rosemary, and thyme for a bright, aromatic flavor profile that elevates the traditional pork dish.
• Smoky Bourbon Bossam: Replace some sugar with bourbon during the dry cure, adding a rich, smoky undertone that complements the caramelized exterior.
• Korean-Mexican Fusion Bossam: Top the pork with quick-pickled jalapeños, cilantro, and a tangy tomatillo salsa for a cross-cultural culinary experience.
• Spicy Coconut Bossam: Incorporate coconut milk and red curry paste into the cooking liquid, creating a creamy, Thai-inspired variation with complex heat.

What to Eat with Momofuku Bossam

• Elevate Flavor with Wine Pairing: Choose a bold, fruity Pinot Noir to complement the rich, caramelized pork. Its bright acidity cuts through the meat's fattiness while enhancing the subtle sweetness.
• Create Refreshing Cocktail Companion: Mix a Korean-inspired ginger-soju cocktail with muddled cucumber and lime. The crisp, zesty drink balances the pork's deep umami flavors and provides a cooling contrast.
• Match with Craft Beer Selection: Select a hoppy American IPA with citrus notes. The beer's bitterness and carbonation help cleanse the palate between bites of the succulent, sweet-salty pork.
• Boost Dining Experience with Soju: Serve chilled soju straight or in a light cocktail.

Keeping Leftover Bossam Just Right

• Refrigerate: Store leftover pork in an airtight container, keeping it whole or sliced. Seal tightly to prevent drying out and maintain moisture. Refrigerate for up to 4 days.
• Freeze: Wrap pork tightly in plastic wrap, then place in a freezer-safe bag. Remove excess air to prevent freezer burn. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
• Oven Reheat: Preheat oven to 325°F. Place pork in a baking dish, add a splash of broth or water to prevent drying. Cover with foil and warm for 15-20 minutes until heated through. Uncover for the last 5 minutes to crisp the exterior.
• Microwave Option: Place pork on a microwave-safe plate.

Momofuku Bossam Frequently Asked Questions

• What is the key to achieving tender, flavorful pork in this recipe?

The dry curing process is crucial. By mixing white sugar and kosher salt and coating the pork thoroughly, you’re drawing out moisture and infusing flavor deep into the meat before slow cooking.

• Why is slow cooking important for this dish?

Slow cooking at a low temperature of 300°F for 5 hours ensures the pork becomes incredibly tender and breaks down connective tissues, resulting in melt-in-your-mouth meat that’s packed with rich flavor.

• How does the brown sugar crust enhance the final dish?

The high-temperature roasting with brown sugar creates a caramelized exterior that adds a delightful crispy texture and sweet-savory crust, giving the pork an amazing depth of flavor and beautiful golden-brown appearance.

Momofuku Bossam Recipe

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4.7 from 18 reviews

• Total Time: 29-41 hours 10 minutes
• Yield: 8 1x

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Description

Korean-style pulled pork Momofuku Bossam elevates family dinners with its rich, tender meat and complex flavors. Succulent pork shoulder slow-cooked in aromatic spices creates a feast you’ll savor with lettuce wraps and zesty ssamjang sauce.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Meat:

• 3.5–4 kg/7-8 lb pork butt/shoulder, bone-in, skinless

Side Ingredients:

• 4–5 heads butter/bib lettuce (40–50 leaves)
• 3 cups cooked white rice
• 500g/1 lb kimchi
• 12+ oysters, raw, in shell (optional)

Seasoning and Condiments:

• 1/2 cup (110g) white sugar
• 1/2 cup (115g) kosher or cooking salt
• 7 tablespoons brown sugar, light or normal
• 1 tablespoon kosher or cooking salt
• 2.5 cups scallions, thinly sliced (both green and white parts)
• 1/2 cup fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated
• 1/3 cup canola oil
• 1.5 teaspoons light soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon sherry vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher or cooking salt
• 2 tablespoons ssamjang
• 1 tablespoon gochujang
• 5 teaspoons sherry vinegar
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1 teaspoon white sugar

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Instructions

1. Initiate the dry-curing process by thoroughly massaging a blend of white sugar and kosher salt into the pork’s surface, ensuring complete coverage. Refrigerate the seasoned meat, fully covered, for 24-36 hours to enhance flavor penetration.
2. Position the oven rack to 300°F (150°C). Roast the pork uncovered for 5 hours, periodically basting with its own rendered juices to maintain moisture and develop deep, rich flavors. Allow the meat to rest for 10 minutes after initial roasting.
3. Elevate the oven temperature to 500°F (260°C). Generously coat the pork with a mixture of brown sugar and salt, creating a caramelized exterior through high-heat roasting for approximately 10 minutes until a glossy, crisp crust forms.
4. Craft the ginger shallot sauce by combining finely chopped scallions, minced ginger, canola oil, soy sauce, sherry vinegar, and a pinch of salt. Let the mixture meld and develop flavors for 20 minutes before serving.
5. Prepare the spicy ssam sauce by whisking together ssamjang, gochujang, sherry vinegar, canola oil, water, and sugar until a smooth, vibrant condiment emerges.
6. Assemble the feast by presenting the roasted pork alongside fresh lettuce leaves, steamed rice, tangy kimchi, briny oysters, and the prepared sauces. Diners can create personalized wraps by layering pork, rice, and condiments within crisp lettuce leaves.

Notes

• Ensure the pork is thoroughly dried before applying the salt and sugar cure to maximize flavor absorption and create a crispy exterior.
• Rest the pork in the refrigerator for the full 24-36 hours to allow the cure to penetrate deeply and tenderize the meat.
• Use a meat thermometer to check internal temperature, aiming for around 195°F for fall-apart tender texture that’s perfect for pulling.
• For a gluten-free version, substitute soy sauce with tamari and ensure all other ingredients are certified gluten-free.

• Prep Time: 24-36 hours
• Cook Time: 5 hours 10 minutes
• Category: Dinner, Appetizer, Snacks
• Method: Roasting
• Cuisine: Korean

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 8
• Calories: 525
• Sugar: 12 g
• Sodium: 1100 mg
• Fat: 28 g
• Saturated Fat: 4 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 22 g
• Trans Fat: 0 g
• Carbohydrates: 40 g
• Fiber: 1 g
• Protein: 24 g
• Cholesterol: 90 mg