Tender and Juicy Pork Belly Bossam (Waterless Cooking)
New Year’s Special: How to Cook Waterless Pork Belly Bossam with Baek Jong Won’s Garlic Sauce
Introducing a recipe for exceptionally tender and moist pork belly bossam, cooked without water – perfect for New Year’s or any special occasion! Many find it challenging to replicate the incredibly soft and flavorful bossam found in restaurants at home. While methods like cooking with makgeolli (rice wine) or using a pressure cooker yield delicious results, this waterless method truly allows the natural flavors of the pork to shine. I’m sharing the technique that, in my opinion, produces the most exquisite taste. Get ready to impress your family and friends with this melt-in-your-mouth bossam!
Bossam Ingredients- 600g whole pork belly
- 1 large onion (cut into large pieces)
- 2 small ‘ugly’ apples (seeds removed, cut into large chunks)
- 2 large green onions (cut into large pieces)
- 8 cloves garlic
- Pinch of ground ginger
- 4-5 bay leaves
- A little whole black peppercorns
- 1/2 cup cooking wine (or soju/white wine/beer)
Garlic Sauce for Bossam- 4 Tbsp minced garlic
- 2 Tbsp sugar
- 2 Tbsp honey
- 3 Tbsp lemon juice
- 0.5 Tbsp olive oil
- 4 Tbsp minced garlic
- 2 Tbsp sugar
- 2 Tbsp honey
- 3 Tbsp lemon juice
- 0.5 Tbsp olive oil
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, prepare the vegetables and fruits for the bossam. Remove the seeds from the apples and cut them into large quarters or sixths. Slice the onion into large pieces and cut the green onions into large sections as well. Cutting them into large pieces will allow their subtle aromas to infuse into the pork during cooking.
Step 2
Rinse the whole pork belly lightly under running water, then pat it thoroughly dry with paper towels, pressing down to absorb any excess moisture. Removing excess blood is crucial for reducing any gamey odor in the bossam.
Step 3
Choosing the right pot is important for waterless bossam. A cast-iron pot is ideal due to its excellent heat conductivity, but a thick-bottomed stainless steel pot with good heat retention will also work wonderfully. I’m using a stainless steel pot with a heavy base. Start by layering half of the sliced onion and apple chunks at the bottom of the pot. This prevents the pork from sticking and burning, while also imparting a gentle fruity aroma to the meat.
Step 4
Place the pork belly, after patting it dry, on top of the vegetable layer. Then, arrange all the remaining apple chunks over the pork belly. Apples help to tenderize the meat and further eliminate any porky odors.
Step 5
Now, it’s time to add the ingredients that are excellent for removing pork’s gamey flavor. Add the bay leaves (4-5), whole garlic cloves (8), a pinch of ground ginger sprinkled from your hand, and the large pieces of green onion. These aromatics will combine to enhance the overall flavor of the bossam.
Step 6
Finally, pour in half a cup of cooking wine. This ingredient helps to remove any remaining odors and adds a wonderful depth of flavor. If you don’t have cooking wine, you can substitute it with soju, white wine, or even beer. The alcohol helps to volatilize impurities and makes the meat exceptionally tender.
Step 7
Cover the pot tightly with a lid and begin heating over medium heat. Once you see hot steam rising vigorously from under the lid, reduce the heat to low and let the pork belly simmer gently for 40 minutes. The key to achieving moist and tender bossam is slow cooking over low heat rather than high heat.
Step 8
After 40 minutes, lift the lid to reveal your beautifully cooked pork belly, glistening and incredibly tender. You’ll know it’s perfectly done if a chopstick or skewer can be inserted easily. Serve this delicious bossam with your favorite kimchi or fresh lettuce wraps.
Step 9
Let’s make the special garlic sauce to accompany the bossam! In a microwave-safe bowl, combine all the garlic sauce ingredients except for the olive oil and lemon juice: 4 tablespoons of minced garlic, 2 tablespoons of sugar, and 2 tablespoons of honey. Stir well until the sugar is dissolved and there are no lumps.
Step 10
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a lid and microwave it for 1 minute. After 1 minute, check the consistency and taste of the garlic. If it seems undercooked, microwave in 30-second intervals until it reaches your desired level of doneness. Once the garlic is cooked, stir in 3 tablespoons of lemon juice and 0.5 tablespoon of olive oil. Mix thoroughly to create a perfectly balanced sweet, tangy, and slightly pungent garlic sauce. Spoon generously over your freshly cooked bossam and enjoy!
