Bossam (Korean Boiled Pork Belly Wraps)
Bossam is a classic Korean boiled pork dish wrapped in cabbage with kimchi and sides. This easy recipe uses a low-moisture braising method to make juicy, flavorful pork without the gamey smell. Perfect for gatherings, holidays, or kimchi-making season.
What is Bossam?
Bossam (보쌈) is a classic Korean boiled pork dish served with napa cabbage or lettuce wraps, along with flavorful side dishes and bold dipping sauces. Thick slices of pork belly or shoulder are simmered in a fragrant broth with ginger, garlic, and other aromatics until the meat is tender, juicy, and full of flavor.
The word bossam means “to wrap,” and the fun part is making your own wraps at the table—usually with cabbage leaves, juicy pork slices, and flavorful sides like kimchi, pickled radish (musaengchae), ssamjang (dipping sauce), and fermented shrimp (saeujeot).
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In Korea, bossam is especially popular during kimjang, the traditional kimchi-making season. I remember watching my mother prepare a giant pot of boiled pork belly on those cold fall days.
Neighbors would come over to help with the kimchi, and once the hard work was done, it was bossam time. We’d sit around the table, wrapping warm slices of pork in salty cabbage leaves with that just-made kimchi—still fresh and spicy. It turned a long day of work into a little neighborhood party, full of laughter, good food, and full bellies. Ah, the good old days…
What Makes This Bossam Recipe Different?
Most people boil pork belly in seasoned broth, sometimes adding doenjang or even coffee to get rid of the smell. That works, but I’ve always felt that it washes out some of the pork’s natural flavor. It’s great for soups, but not ideal for bossam.
I do it differently.
Instead of boiling, I use a low-moisture braising method. The pork slowly cooks in its own juices with aromatics like vegetables, fruit, and a splash of sweet rice wine. The result? Incredibly tender, juicy pork with no gamey smell—and a lot more flavor. Try it once, and you’ll taste the difference right away.
Just make sure to use a heavy pot with a tight-fitting lid, like a Dutch oven. You want to keep all that tasty steam locked in.
Choosing the Right Pork
For bossam, pork belly is the most popular cut—it’s rich, juicy, and slices beautifully after cooking. Pork shoulder (also called Boston butt) is a great alternative if you prefer something leaner but still flavorful.
Not to be confused with samgyeopsal! Both dishes use pork belly, but they’re totally different. Samgyeopsal is grilled at the table, unseasoned, and dipped in sauce right off the pan. Bossam, on the other hand, is slow-cooked and sliced, served with wraps and plenty of bold condiments. Same cut, very different vibe.
How to make Bossam
Prepare the cabbage wraps. Salt between the layers of napa cabbage leaves and let them wilt until lifeless (about 50 minutes). Rinse well and squeeze out any excess moisture. Set aside until ready to serve.
Layer the pork. Lightly season the pork belly with salt and pepper. In a heavy pot (like a Dutch oven), layer sliced onions and apples on the bottom. Place the pork on top, then add aromatics (I use garlic and crumbled bay leaves), and rice wine mixed with grated ginger. Finnish with sliced leek or green onion on top.
Braise the pork. Cover and simmer over low heat until the pork is tender and juicy. Let it rest for 10 minutes before slicing—it’ll slice much cleaner and stay juicy.
Make the spicy radish salad (Musaengchae). While the pork is cooking, prep the radish. Toss julienned Korean radish (or daikon) with corn syrup and let it sit until it releases plenty of moisture.
💡 Pro Tip: Corn syrup draws out moisture more effectively than sugar or salt and helps the radish stay crunchy. The salad keeps its shape and stays fresh in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
Season the salad. Squeeze out the excess liquid from the radish, then toss it with gochugaru, garlic, fish sauce, and other seasonings. Chill until ready to serve.
Bossam Dipping Sauce
No bossam spread is complete without ssamjang—that rich, savory dipping sauce that ties everything together. Sure, you can grab a store-bought version, but homemade ssamjang is so quick and easy, and it tastes way better.
To prepare, mix together Korean soybean paste, Korean chili paste, garlic, Korean plum extract (optional), and sesame oil. Stir well and chill until ready to serve.
How to Serve and Enjoy Bossam
Now comes the fun part—the bossam spread with all the bells and whistles!
Arrange the sliced pork belly on a large platter and get creative with the presentation. Surround it with all your favorite wrap fixings and small side dishes (banchan). Here are some tasty toppings and sides that pair beautifully with bossam:
- Spicy radish salad (musaengchae): recipe below
- Green onion salad (pa-muchim): tangy and refreshing
- Salted shrimp (saeujeot): store-bought is fine
- Napa cabbage: use fresh or salted leaves (see instructions)
- Fresh cabbage kimchi: try my quick geotjeori recipe
- Fresh oysters: optional, but a classic upgrade
- Assorted lettuce: red or green leaf works great
- Perilla leaves (kkaennip): earthy and aromatic
- Raw garlic slices: for a spicy bite
- Fresh green chili slices: if you like it hot
- Minari (water parsley): try it in my simple minari salad
- Ssamjang (Korean dipping sauce): homemade recipe below
How to Build the Perfect Wrap
Grab a leaf—cabbage, lettuce, or perilla. Add pork belly, ssamjang, salted shrimp, garlic, and chili. Wrap it up and eat in one bite (the Korean way!).
Not into wraps? Bossam is just as tasty with spicy radish salad and a bowl of rice.
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Bossam (Korean Boiled Pork Belly Wraps)
Ingredients
For bossam wraps
- bunch assorted lettuce
- bunch perilla leaves (kkennip), optional
- cabbage kimchi, freshly made kimchi preferred
- bunch fresh oysters, optional
- 2 tbsp salted shrimp
- 5-7 cloves fresh garlic , sliced
- 1-2 fresh green chilies, sliced
For pickling cabbage
- 1 head (about 2 lb, 900 g)) small napa cabbage, quartered
- 4 tbsp kosher salt, see note below
For pork belly
- 2 1/2 lb (1.2 kg) thick pork belly, preferably skin removed
- pinches salt and pepper , to season
- 2 onion, roughly sliced
- 1 apple, roughly sliced
- 10 cloves garlic
- 2 bay leaves, crumbled
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) sweet rice wine (mirim)
- 1 tbsp ginger paste
- 1 Asian leek, optional, roughly sliced
For radish salad
- 1 1/4 lb (560 g) Korean radish or daikon radish, peeled
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) Korean corn syrup (mulyeot)
- 2 tsp salt
- 2-3 tbsp Korean chili flakes (gochugaru)
- 1 tbsp Korean fish sauce
- 1/2 tbsp salted shrimp
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
- 1/2 tbsp sugar
- 1 tbsp Korean plum extract (maeshil-cheong), optional
- 1 tsp ginger paste
- 2 green onion, fienly chopped
For bossam sauce (ssamjang)
- 3 tbsp Korean soybean paste (doenjang)
- 1 tbsp Korean chili paste (gochujang)
- 2 tsp minced garlic
- 1 tbsp Korean plum extract (maeshil-cheong), or water
- 2 tsp sesame oil
Equipment
Instructions
To pickle the cabbage
- Use the yellow inner part of napa cabbage. Quarter the cabbage lengthwise. Depending on the size of your cabbage, you might only need 2 of them. Rinse the cabbage with water and drain.
- In a large shallow mixing bowl, place the cabbage pieces and sprinkle salt over the cabbage trying to reach in between the layers of leaves, especially the thick white stem parts. Let the cabbage sit for 50 minutes, turning them upside down 2-3 times. Rinse the cabbage once and squeeze out the extra moisture.
To cook pork belly
- In a large, heavy bottom pot, put in diced onion followed by sliced apples. Season pork belly with salt and pepper and place it on top. Add the garlic and crumbled bay leaves.
- In a small mixing bowl, mix together sweet rice wine and ginger puree, and drizzle it around the pork belly. Top the pork belly with sliced leek (or green onion).
- Cover with lid and let it cook over medium high heat for 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 40-50 minutes depending on the thickness of your meat.
- Let the pork rest in the pot for 10 minutes, then slice it.
To make spicy radish salad
- Slice radish into 1/4-inch thick matchsticks. Place them in a mixing bowl.
- Add corn syrup and 1 tablespoon of salt. Toss well and let it sit for 30-45 minutes. You will see lots of moisture come out from the radish. Squeeze out the moisture firmly and put the radish in to another mixing bowl.
- Add the Korean chili flakes, Korean fish sauce, salted shrimp, sugar, garlic, Korean plum extract (optional), ginger puree, sesame seeds, and green onion. Mix well and chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
To make bossam sauce
- In a small bowl, combine Korean soybean paste, Korean chili paste, garlic, Korean plum extract (optional), and sesame oil. Mix well and chill until ready to serve.
To serve bossam
- Put pork belly slices on a large serving platter and arrange the spicy radish salad, salted cabbage, and other wrap materials around it.
- To make a wrap, place a piece of pork belly on a cabbage leaf, lettuce or perilla leaf. Dot with bossam sauce, and top with a tiny bit of salted shrimp, raw garlic, green chili, and serve. You can also use a piece of cabbage kimchi to wrap a pork.
Notes
- If you want to prepare the cabbage well ahead of time, use a salt brine instead. Dissolve 1/2 cup salt in 6 cups of water.
- Soak the cabbage in the salt brine overnight until slightly wilted. Rinse and squeeze out the extra moisture. Keep the cabbage in a zip bag and chill until ready to use.
This recipe was originally posted in November 2016. I’ve updated the recipe with minor changes, new photos, and more information.
Nice recipe, looks delicious. Despite the pork belly not being entirely covered by liquid, you don’t need to flip it over at any point?
No need to flip the pork while braising. This low-moisture method in a heavy pot keeps the pork tender and juicy all the way through—locking in the flavor instead of letting it get lost in the liquid.
This is my kind of wrap! Looks incredibly delicious!
Hi..unfortunately I’m currently unable to eat / drink any food with any alcohol content. Is it possible to omit / remove the white wine? Or is there any other substitute for the w.wine?
Thanks!
As my son needs a gluten-free diet the available doenjang around here is a no go for me. I managed to make my own gluten-free gochujang, but making doenjang is a longer process (though I’m willing to try it out soon).
So, my question is, would it be possible to substitute doenjang with gluten-free miso to cook this recipe?
Yes, definitely!
Wonderful match!!!! Pork belly is so good with kimchi.
Pork belly is good stuff. Don’t eat it that often (all that fat, you know) but love it whenever I do. Thanks!