Imagine a meal that feels like a warm hug. Picture a table centered around a massive, steaming platter. On it sits rows of succulent, tender pork belly, sliced perfectly to reveal layers of meat and creamy fat. Beside it, a mound of fiery, crunch-tastic radish kimchi and a stack of salted, sweet napa cabbage leaves waiting to be filled.
This is Bossam (보쌈).
It isn’t just dinner; it is an event. It’s a dish that demands you roll up your sleeves, build a towering wrap with your hands, and open wide. In the world of Korean cuisine, while Korean BBQ often steals the spotlight with its sizzle and smoke, Bossam is the quiet, sophisticated, and deeply comforting cousin that captures the true heart of Korean soul food.
Whether you are looking to impress guests at a dinner party or simply want to treat your family to a high-protein feast that feels special yet homely, this guide is your roadmap. We are going to bypass the dry, flavorless boiled meat you might be afraid of and teach you how to create pork so tender it practically melts on your tongue.
Let’s get cooking.
Why should you spend time boiling a slab of pork belly when you could just fry it? The answer lies in the texture and the feeling.
When you fry pork belly (like in Samgyeopsal), the focus is on the crisp. But when you make Bossam, the focus is on the succulence. Through a gentle, flavorful boil, the pork belly transforms. The proteins relax, and the fat renders out just enough to lose its greasiness while retaining a gelatinous, buttery richness. It is the ultimate “clean” comfort food.
But the real magic happens in the contrast. Bossam is a study in opposites:
This dish creates a craving that is hard to shake once you’ve experienced it. It is heavy enough to satisfy a carnivore’s appetite but light enough that you don’t feel weighed down afterwards, thanks to the abundance of vegetables.
To understand Bossam is to understand the Korean spirit of Jeong (affection/attachment) and community.
Historically, Bossam is deeply tied to Kimjang—the traditional season of making kimchi for the winter. Families and neighborhoods would gather to salt hundreds of heads of cabbage and mix vast tubs of spicy red paste. It was back-breaking labor in the chilly late-autumn air.
To fuel this hard work, a pig would be slaughtered or a large cut of pork would be boiled. Freshly salted cabbage leaves (before they fermented into sour kimchi) were rinsed and used to wrap the hot pork, topped with the spicy radish filling made that day.
When you eat Bossam, you are tapping into this history of reward and celebration. It is a communal gathering food. You cannot eat Bossam alone—it is physically designed to be shared. In Korea, making a wrap (ssam) and feeding it to someone else is a sign of care and love.
So, when you make this recipe, you aren’t just boiling meat. You are setting the stage for conversation, laughter, and the primal joy of sharing food with your hands.
Beyond the emotional connection, mastering Bossam adds incredible value to your culinary repertoire. Here is what you gain:
Many home cooks fear boiling meat because it can turn rubbery or bland. This recipe teaches you the technique of Suyuk. You will learn how to infuse the water with aromatics—doenjang (soybean paste), coffee, onion skins, and ginger—to neutralize the “gamey” smell of the pork and imbue it with a subtle, earthy flavor. This is a technique you can apply to other cuts of meat in the future.
If you are following a high-protein or keto-friendly diet, Bossam is a superstar. Because the pork is boiled rather than fried in oil, a significant amount of the rendered fat ends up in the broth (which you discard), leaving you with the collagen-rich protein. Paired with fermented sauces and raw vegetables, it is a gut-healthy way to indulge.
You will also learn to make the specific “stuffing” kimchi used for Bossam. Unlike standard aged kimchi, this radish salad (Musaengchae or Bossam-kimchi filling) is fresh, crunchy, slightly sweet, and ready to eat immediately. It is a valuable side dish recipe to have in your back pocket for any Korean meal.
This recipe requires patience, but it is not difficult. We will break it down into three parts: The Pork, The Cabbage/Sides, and The Sauce.
For the Pork (Suyuk):
For the Salted Cabbage Wraps:
For the Spicy Radish Salad (Bossam-Musaengchae):
For the Table (Garnishes):
1. Prep the Meat: Rinse the pork belly under cold running water. If the slab is very wide, cut it lengthwise into 3-inch wide logs. This helps it cook evenly.
2. Build the Broth: In your large stockpot, add the water, onion, leeks, garlic, ginger, peppercorns, bay leaves, Doenjang, and Instant Coffee. Bring this mixture to a rolling boil on high heat.
3. The Boil: Carefully lower the pork belly into the boiling broth. Pour in the Soju or Mirin.
4. The Rest: Check doneness by piercing the thickest part with a chopstick. If it goes in smoothly and no blood comes out, it is done. Turn off the heat, but do not remove the pork yet. Let it sit in the hot broth for 10–15 minutes. This reabsorbs moisture, ensuring the meat is juicy, not dry.
While the pork boils, prepare your sides. This is where the flavor contrast comes from.
1. Salt the Cabbage: Cut the bottom root off the Napa cabbage and separate the leaves. Dissolve ½ cup of salt in 4 cups of warm water. Soak the cabbage leaves in this brine for about 45 minutes until they bend without snapping. Rinse thoroughly in cold water and squeeze out excess moisture.
2. Prep the Radish: Cut the radish into thick matchsticks (about the size of French fries). Place them in a bowl. Add the 2 tbsp sugar and 1 tbsp salt. Toss well and let sit for 20 minutes.
3. Season the Radish: Drain the water that came out of the radish. Do not rinse the radish; just squeeze it tightly to remove liquid. Toss the radish with the Gochugaru (chili flakes) first to stain them a beautiful red color. Then, add the fish sauce, garlic, sugar, ginger, green onions, and sesame seeds. Mix well with a gloved hand. Taste it—it should be sweet, spicy, and savory.
1. Slice the Pork: Remove the pork from the broth. It should be glistening. Place it on a cutting board. Slice the meat thinly (about 0.5 cm or ¼ inch thick). If you slice it too thick, it can be overwhelming; too thin, and you lose the texture. Aim for the Goldilocks zone.
2. Plating: Arrange the pork slices in a fan shape on a large heated platter (steaming helps keep the fat soft). Pile the spicy radish salad on one side. Stack the salted cabbage leaves on the other. Place small bowls of Ssamjang, sliced garlic, peppers, and fermented shrimp nearby.
1. Can I use a different cut of meat if I don’t like pork belly? Yes, you can! If pork belly feels too fatty for you, pork shoulder (Boston butt) is an excellent alternative. It has enough fat to stay moist but is meatier. Even a picnic roast works well. Just avoid very lean cuts like pork loin, as they will dry out during the long boil.
2. Can I make Bossam in advance? You can, but it is best fresh. If you must make it ahead, boil the meat, let it cool, and store it unsliced in the fridge. When ready to eat, steam the block of meat for 10–15 minutes until heated through, then slice. Reheating already sliced meat in the microwave will dry it out.
3. What if I don’t have Korean Radish (Mu)? While Korean radish is denser and sweeter, Japanese Daikon is a perfect substitute. In a pinch, you could skip the radish salad and just use store-bought cabbage kimchi, but the texture contrast won’t be quite the same.
4. Is Ssamjang spicy? Ssamjang is generally mild to savory. It is a mix of soybean paste (salty) and chili paste (sweet/spicy). If you want it non-spicy, you can mix just soybean paste (Doenjang) with honey and sesame oil.
5. How long can I store leftovers? Sliced boiled pork can be refrigerated for up to 3 days. Leftover pork is fantastic pan-fried quickly with some kimchi or chopped up into fried rice. The radish salad tastes even better the next day as the flavors meld!
There is a reason Bossam has stood the test of time in Korean cuisine. It transforms humble ingredients—cabbage, radish, and pork—into a feast fit for royalty. It is a dish that engages all your senses: the savory aroma filling the kitchen, the vibrant red and green colors on the plate, and the symphony of textures in every bite.
Cooking Bossam is an act of hospitality. It invites people to sit down, slow down, and build their own perfect bite. So, go to your local butcher, grab a beautiful slab of pork belly, and invite your friends over. The water is boiling, and the feast awaits!
Now, I’d love to hear from you! Have you ever tried making Korean boiled pork at home? Did you try the coffee trick? Share your results and photos of your Bossam platters in the comments below!