Bo Ssam

Takes 30 minutes | Serves 6 |

Ingredients

1500 g pork shoulder (boneless)
100 g coarse sea salt
100 g sugar
200 ml water
105 g brown sugar
15 ml apple cider vinegar
4 pieces spring onions
25 g ginger
100 ml sunflower oil
10 ml soy sauce
5 ml sherry vinegar
1 piece garlic clove
60 g doenjang
60 g gochujang
15 ml toasted sesame oil
10 g toasted sesame seeds
10 g honey
5 ml rice vinegar

Steps

Dry Cure the Pork

• Mix the salt and sugar together.
• Rub the pork shoulder thoroughly with the mixture.
• Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 24 hours (or at least 2 hours if short on time).

Slow-Roast the Pork

• Preheat oven to 150°C (top and bottom heat).
• Brush off excess salt/sugar clumps.
• Place pork in a large oven-safe dish with 200 ml water.
• Roast for 5 hours, or until internal temp reaches 93°C.
• Baste with pan juices every hour.

Rest the Pork

• Remove pork from oven and let rest for 30 minutes.

Prepare Dressings & Sauce

• Mix ingredients for ginger-scallion dressing in one bowl.
• Mix ingredients for ssam sauce in another bowl.

Apply Sugar Glaze

• Preheat oven to 250°C or use grill setting at 230°C.
• Mix brown sugar and apple cider vinegar.
• Spoon pan juices over pork, rub with glaze.
• Return to oven for 5–10 minutes, watch closely to avoid burning.
• Remove and cool slightly.

Serve Bo Ssam Style

• Shred pork with two forks.
• Serve with lettuce leaves, rice, kimchi, oysters (optional), ginger-scallion dressing, ssam sauce, and sesame seeds.