Tender Boiled Pork Belly (Bossam) and a Lavish Birthday Feast
The Ultimate Birthday Meal Menu for Husbands and Boyfriends: A Collection of Heart-Stealing, Special, and Delicious Recipes
Make your loved one’s birthday even more special with this hearty and delicious birthday feast menu. Featuring the star dish, tender and juicy boiled pork belly (Bossam), along with nourishing beef and seaweed soup, spicy and sweet pork belly stir-fry with gochujang, and chewy glutinous rice. This meal, prepared with love, is sure to impress. The mouthwatering visuals and rich flavors will create unforgettable birthday memories.
Hearty Beef and Seaweed Soup- 300g Beef for soup
- 30g Dried Seaweed
- 1.5 Tbsp Soy Sauce for soup (Guk-ganjang)
- 2 Tbsp Cooking Wine (Mirin)
- Pinch of Black Pepper
- 1 Tbsp Perilla Oil
- 1 Tbsp Minced Garlic
- 1.5 Tbsp Fish Sauce (Chamchi-aekjeot)
Spicy and Sweet Pork Belly Gochujang Stir-fry- 400g Pork Belly (Ogyeopsal)
- 1 Tbsp Gochujang (Red Pepper Paste)
- 2 Tbsp Gochugaru (Red Pepper Flakes)
- 1 Tbsp Minced Garlic
- 1 Tbsp Soy Sauce (Jin-ganjang)
- 2 Tbsp Sugar
- 1 Tbsp Cooking Wine (Mirin)
- Pinch of Ginger Powder or Black Pepper
- Shredded Scallions (Pachae), for garnish
- Sesame Oil, for drizzle
- Sesame Seeds, for garnish
Homemade Glutinous Rice (Chalbab)- 100g Cooked Red Beans
- 2 cups Glutinous Rice, soaked
Tender Boiled Pork Belly (Bossam)- 600g Pork (Boston Butt, Pork Belly, or Ogyeopsal cuts)
- 1/2 Onion
- 2 Stalks Green Onion
- 5-6 Bay Leaves
- 1 Tbsp Doenjang (Fermented Soybean Paste)
- 5 Cloves Whole Garlic
- 1 Packet Instant Black Coffee
- Pinch of Whole Peppercorns
- 400g Pork Belly (Ogyeopsal)
- 1 Tbsp Gochujang (Red Pepper Paste)
- 2 Tbsp Gochugaru (Red Pepper Flakes)
- 1 Tbsp Minced Garlic
- 1 Tbsp Soy Sauce (Jin-ganjang)
- 2 Tbsp Sugar
- 1 Tbsp Cooking Wine (Mirin)
- Pinch of Ginger Powder or Black Pepper
- Shredded Scallions (Pachae), for garnish
- Sesame Oil, for drizzle
- Sesame Seeds, for garnish
Homemade Glutinous Rice (Chalbab)- 100g Cooked Red Beans
- 2 cups Glutinous Rice, soaked
Tender Boiled Pork Belly (Bossam)- 600g Pork (Boston Butt, Pork Belly, or Ogyeopsal cuts)
- 1/2 Onion
- 2 Stalks Green Onion
- 5-6 Bay Leaves
- 1 Tbsp Doenjang (Fermented Soybean Paste)
- 5 Cloves Whole Garlic
- 1 Packet Instant Black Coffee
- Pinch of Whole Peppercorns
- 600g Pork (Boston Butt, Pork Belly, or Ogyeopsal cuts)
- 1/2 Onion
- 2 Stalks Green Onion
- 5-6 Bay Leaves
- 1 Tbsp Doenjang (Fermented Soybean Paste)
- 5 Cloves Whole Garlic
- 1 Packet Instant Black Coffee
- Pinch of Whole Peppercorns
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
[Beef and Seaweed Soup] First, prepare the beef for the soup. You can ask your butcher for ‘soup-cut beef’, and a lean cut like brisket from Korean beef (Hanwoo) works wonderfully for a rich flavor. 
Step 2
Place the beef in a large bowl and cover it with water. Let it soak for about 15-30 minutes to remove any blood. Thoroughly draining the blood ensures a clean broth and prevents any gamey odor.
Step 3
While the beef is soaking, rehydrate the dried seaweed in cold water until softened. If using long strands of seaweed, chop them into bite-sized pieces with scissors after rehydrating.
Step 4
Drain the beef from the soaking water using a sieve. Now, we’ll season the beef before cooking to enhance the soup’s flavor.
Step 5
Season the beef with 1.5 tablespoons of soy sauce for soup (guk-ganjang), 2 tablespoons of cooking wine (mirin), and a pinch of black pepper. This initial seasoning infuses the meat with flavor, making the soup even more delicious. Let it marinate for about 10 minutes before starting to cook the soup.
Step 6
Heat 1 tablespoon of perilla oil in a deep pot over medium heat. Add the marinated beef and stir-fry until it starts to brown.
Step 7
Continue to stir-fry the beef until most of the released liquid has evaporated. This step helps to deepen the beef’s flavor. Ensure the beef is cooked through.
Step 8
Once the beef is well-seared, add the rehydrated seaweed to the pot and stir-fry it with the beef. Cooking them together allows the flavors to meld beautifully.
Step 9
After stir-frying the seaweed and beef, add 1 tablespoon of minced garlic and mix well. The garlic’s aroma will add another layer of depth to the soup.
Step 10
Now, pour in enough water to cover the ingredients generously and bring it to a boil. Season the broth with 1.5 tablespoons of fish sauce (chamchi-aekjeot). If you don’t have fish sauce, you can use soy sauce or salt to adjust the taste. Seaweed soup is often more flavorful with a good amount of garlic, so feel free to add more to your preference. The longer you simmer it, the tastier it becomes, so let it simmer gently over low heat.
Step 11
[Pork Belly Gochujang Stir-fry] 1) First, place the pork belly in a pan and sprinkle a little sugar over it. Grill until golden brown; you want it almost cooked through. This step tenderizes the meat and enhances its flavor. 2) Cut the cooked pork belly into bite-sized pieces. In a separate bowl, mix 1 tablespoon gochujang, 2 tablespoons gochugaru, 1 tablespoon minced garlic, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 2 tablespoons sugar, 1 tablespoon mirin, and a pinch of ginger powder or pepper to create the sauce. 3) Add the sauce to the pork belly in the pan and stir-fry over medium heat, allowing it to thicken. Stir constantly to prevent burning. 4) Once the sauce has thickened, add the shredded scallions or thinly sliced green onions and stir-fry briefly. 5) Turn off the heat, drizzle with a little sesame oil, and sprinkle with sesame seeds to finish. Your spicy and sweet pork belly stir-fry is ready! 
Step 12
[Glutinous Rice] To make the glutinous rice (chalbab), combine the cooked red beans with the soaked glutinous rice. Use slightly less water than you would for regular rice. Using the ‘Nutrient Rice’ or ‘Special Rice’ setting on your rice cooker makes this process very easy. 
Step 13
[Boiled Pork Belly (Bossam)] Begin by soaking the pork in cold water for about 30 minutes to remove any excess blood. For bossam, cuts like Boston butt, pork belly, or ogyeopsal are recommended as their fat content ensures a tender and flavorful result. 
Step 14
Here’s how to make delicious boiled pork belly without any gamey smell: In a pot, add the pork along with half an onion (washed with skin on), 2 stalks of green onion, 5-6 bay leaves, 1 tablespoon of doenjang, 5 whole garlic cloves, 1 packet of black coffee, and a good pinch of whole peppercorns. Add enough water to cover everything and boil until the pork is tender. These ingredients work together to eliminate any unwanted odors and add a wonderful aroma.
Step 15
You can use any brand of instant black coffee you have at home, such as KANU. One packet of black coffee without creamer or sugar is sufficient. Coffee is effective in neutralizing the pork’s odor.
Step 16
Boil the pork over high heat for about 30-40 minutes until it’s tender and juicy. Once cooked, let the boiled pork rest for a few minutes before slicing it into serving pieces. Enjoy your delicious and tender Bossam!
