Bo Ssam (Korean Roasted Pork Lettuce Wraps)

Bo Ssam is a Korean dish made of roasted pork wrapped in lettuce with rice, kimchi, ssamjang, and toppings. If it is accompanied with oysters, the dish is called Gul Bo Ssam.

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This delicious recipe is an adaptation from Momofuku by David Chang. I found it through the New York Times article by Sam Sifton.

Bo Ssam takes a bit of preparation with a few different components, but the flavor is amazing. The large piece of pork is rubbed all over with salt and sugar, refrigerated overnight, and slow roasted until tender. It is then rubbed with a brown sugar salt mixture and cooked until caramelized. This meal definitely feeds a crowd, so it is a great pick to share with company. The caramelized pork was a hit with everyone. Even though it takes a long time, the steps are relatively easy.

The Ssam sauce has a bit of kick to it, so adjust the seasonings if needed.

Love these lettuce wraps? Also try Bulgogi Ssam (Korean Marinated Beef Lettuce Wraps).

Bo Ssam (Korean Roasted Pork Lettuce Wraps)

Adapted from The New York Times

Print Pin

Bo Ssam (Korean Roasted Pork Lettuce Wraps)

Course Main

Cuisine Korean

Keyword bo ssam, Korea, Korean, lettuce, pork, ssam, Ssamjang, wrap

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 6 hours 15 minutes

Resting Time: 6 hours

Total Time 12 hours 45 minutes

Servings 6 -10 Servings

Ingredients

Meat:

• 1 bone-in pork butt (shoulder) 8-10 pounds
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup + 1 tablespoon salt
• 7 tablespoons brown sugar

Ginger Scallion Sauce:

• 2 1/2 cups thinly sliced scallions
• 1/2 cup grated fresh ginger
• 1/2 cup neutral oil (grapeseed)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons soy sauce
• 1 scant teaspoon sherry vinegar
• salt to taste

Ssam Sauce:

• 2 tablespoons Ssamjang Korean Spicy Dipping Sauce
• 1 tablespoon Gochujang Hot Pepper Paste
• 1/2 cup sherry vinegar
• 1/2 cup neutral oil grapeseed

Wraps:

• 2 cups white rice cooked
• 3 heads bibb, red leaf, or romaine lettuce leaves separated
• 1 dozen fresh oysters optional
• Kimchi optional

Instructions

• In a large bowl, place pork butt. In a medium bowl, combine sugar and 1 cup salt. Rub the sugar and salt all over the meat. Cover and refrigerate 6 hours to overnight.
• Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Remove drippings from pork and place pork in large roasting pan. Roast in preheated oven until it becomes fork tender and collapses, about 6 hours. Check on the pork hourly while roasting and baste with juices from pan.
• In a large bowl, whisk together scallions, ginger, oil, soy sauce, vinegar, and salt. In a medium bowl, mix together ssamjang, gochujang, vinegar, and oil.
• Shuck the oysters, if using. Place each of the sauces and kimchi in serving bowls.
• Preheat oven to 500 degrees In a small bowl, mix together brown sugar and tablespoon salt. Rub over the roasted pork. Cook in preheated oven until dark crust forms, 10-15 minutes.
• Slice the pork and serve immediately wrapped in lettuce with rice, sauces, oysters, and kimchi.