Bossam — Poached Pork Belly Wraps

Ingredients

• 2 lb skin-on pork belly, in one piece
• 3 tbsp doenjang
• 1 onion, halved
• 8 cloves garlic
• 3 inches ginger, sliced
• ½ cup soju or dry white wine
• 10 black peppercorns
• 2 cups daikon radish, julienned
• 3 tbsp gochugaru
• 2 tbsp fish sauce
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 2 tbsp rice vinegar
• 1 head Napa Cabbage, leaves separated
• 3 tbsp ssamjang

Method

1. Put the pork belly in a pot with the doenjang, onion, garlic, ginger, soju, peppercorns, and water to cover. Bring to a boil, skim thoroughly, then drop to a slow simmer.
2. Cook 80–90 minutes until a skewer slides through the belly with no resistance and it reads 190°F (88°C) — this is a low-and-slow, not a quick poach.
3. While it cooks, toss the daikon with gochugaru, fish sauce, sugar, vinegar, and a pinch of salt. Let it sit 20 minutes until it slumps and turns bright red.
4. Lift the pork out and let it rest 15 minutes on a board — resting is what lets you slice it thin without it shredding.
5. Slice against the grain into ¼-inch pieces and serve with the Napa Cabbage leaves, radish salad, ssamjang, and rice. Build each wrap yourself and eat it in one bite.