''Bossam'' (, 褓-) is a pork dish in
Korean cuisine
Korean cuisine has evolved through centuries of social and political change. Originating from ancient agricultural and nomadic traditions in Korea and southern Manchuria, Korean cuisine reflects a complex interaction of the natural envi ...
. It usually consists of
pork shoulder
A Boston butt is the slightly wedged shaped portion of the pork shoulder above the standard picnic cut which includes the blade bone and the "lean butt" (which is boneless), both extensions of the tenderloin cut and can be used in place of the te ...
that is boiled in spices and thinly sliced.
The meat is served with side dishes such as spicy
radish
The radish (''Raphanus raphanistrum'' subsp. ''sativus'') is an Eating, edible root vegetable of the family Brassicaceae that was domesticated in Asia prior to Roman Empire, Roman times.
Radishes are grown and consumed throughout the world, be ...
salad, sliced raw garlic, ''
ssamjang
''Ssamjang'' ( ko, 쌈장) is a thick, spicy paste used with food wrapped in a leaf in Korean cuisine. The sauce is made of fermented soy beans (''doenjang''), red chili paste (''gochujang''), sesame oil, onion, garlic, scallion, green onions, ...
'' (wrap sauce), ''
saeu-jeot
''Saeu-jeot''
* () is a variety of ''jeotgal'', salted and fermented food made with small shrimp in Korean cuisine. It is the most consumed ''jeotgal'' along with '' myeolchi-jeot'' (멸치젓, salted anchovy ''jeot'') in South Korea. The nam ...
'' (salted shrimp),
kimchi
''Kimchi'' (; ko, 김치, gimchi, ), is a traditional Korean side dish of salted and fermented vegetables, such as napa cabbage and Korean radish. A wide selection of seasonings are used, including ''gochugaru'' (Korean chili powder), sprin ...
, and ''
ssam
' (), meaning "wrapped", refers to a dish in Korean cuisine in which, usually, leafy vegetables are used to Wrap (sandwich), wrap a piece of meat such as pork or other filling. '' (wrap) vegetables such as
lettuce
Lettuce (''Lactuca sativa'') is an annual plant of the family Asteraceae. It is most often grown as a leaf vegetable, but sometimes for its stem and seeds. Lettuce is most often used for salads, although it is also seen in other kinds of food, ...
, ''
kkaennip
''Perilla frutescens'', commonly called deulkkae, perilla or Korean perilla, is a species of ''Perilla'' in the mint family Lamiaceae. It is an annual plant native to Southeast Asia and Indian highlands, and is traditionally grown in the Korean ...
'' (perilla leaves), and inner leaves of a
napa cabbage
Napa cabbage (''Brassica rapa'' subsp. ''pekinensis'' or ''Brassica rapa'' Pekinensis Group) is a type of Chinese cabbage originating near the Beijing region of China that is widely used in Asian cuisine#East Asia, East Asian cuisine. Since the ...
.
''Bossam'' is a popular dish in South Korea, often served as ''
anju'' (i.e. food accompanying alcoholic drinks).
To eat, the meat and side dishes are wrapped together in ''ssam'' vegetables, hence the literal meaning of ''bossam'': "wrapped" or "packaged".
History
''Bossam'' is traditionally linked with the process of ''
gimjang'', during which large quantities of kimchi are prepared for winters.
To ensure the commitment of the workers during this labor-intensive process, ''
yangban
The ''yangban'' () were part of the traditional ruling class or gentry of dynastic Korea during the Joseon Dynasty. The ''yangban'' were mainly composed of highly educated civil servants and military officers—landed or unlanded aristocrats ...
'' (scholar-gentry of the
Joseon
Joseon (; ; Middle Korean: 됴ᇢ〯션〮 Dyǒw syéon or 됴ᇢ〯션〯 Dyǒw syěon), officially the Great Joseon (; ), was the last dynastic kingdom of Korea, lasting just over 500 years. It was founded by Yi Seong-gye in July 1392 and re ...
era) would deliver a pig for a feast.
The workers would enjoy boiled pork with some of their newly made kimchi, which, being early in the fermentation process, was a fresh and crispy complement to the soft pork of ''bossam''.
Preparation
Although beef can also be used, pork is preferred for ''bossam''.
In the case of pork, pork neck is less fat and lighter than pork belly, so it is better to make bossam.
The meat is tied with kitchen twine to hold its shape, and boiled in a broth that contains
star anise
''Illicium verum'' is a medium-sized evergreen tree native to northeast Vietnam and southwest China. A spice commonly called star anise, staranise, star anise seed, star aniseed, star of anise, Chinese star anise, or badian that closely resembl ...
, ginger, white part and root of
scallion
Scallions (also known as spring onions or green onions) are vegetables derived from various species in the genus ''Allium''. Scallions generally have a milder taste than most onions and their close relatives include garlic, shallot, leek, ch ...
, garlic, ''
doenjang
''Doenjang''
* (; "thick sauce") or soybean paste is a type of fermented bean paste made entirely of soybean and brine. It is also a byproduct of soup soy sauce production. It is sometimes used as a relish.
History
The earliest soybean fe ...
'' (soybean paste), coffee powder, tea leaves, and so on, to reduce the gaminess.
When cooked, it is rinsed with cold water, untied, and pressed lightly in a cotton cloth to maintain its shape.
When cooled, the meat is sliced into pieces of about and served with varieties of side dishes, typically including spicy
radish
The radish (''Raphanus raphanistrum'' subsp. ''sativus'') is an Eating, edible root vegetable of the family Brassicaceae that was domesticated in Asia prior to Roman Empire, Roman times.
Radishes are grown and consumed throughout the world, be ...
salad similar to the
kimchi
''Kimchi'' (; ko, 김치, gimchi, ), is a traditional Korean side dish of salted and fermented vegetables, such as napa cabbage and Korean radish. A wide selection of seasonings are used, including ''gochugaru'' (Korean chili powder), sprin ...
filling, inner leaves of napa cabbages, and freshly made ''
baechu-kimchi
''Baechu-kimchi'' (), translated as cabbage kimchi or simply kimchi is a quintessential ''banchan'' (side dish) in Korean cuisine, made with salted, seasoned, and fermented napa cabbages.
*
Preparation
''Baechu-kimchi'' is made by fermenting s ...
'' (napa cabbage kimchi).
If the meat is served with fresh raw
oyster
Oyster is the common name for a number of different families of salt-water bivalve molluscs that live in marine or brackish habitats. In some species, the valves are highly calcified, and many are somewhat irregular in shape. Many, but not al ...
, the dish is called ''gul-bossam'' (; "oyster ''bossam''").
Gallery
KOCIS BOSSAM, napa wraps with pork (4618280268).jpg, ''Bossam''
KOCIS BOSSAM, napa wraps with pork (4617666185).jpg, ''Gul-bossam'' (''bossam'' with oysters)
Napa Wraps with Pork.jpg, ''Bossam'' table with ''banchan
''Banchan'' (, from Korean: ) or bansang are small side dishes served along with cooked rice in Korean cuisine. As the Korean language does not distinguish between singular and plural grammatically, the word is used for both one such dish or ...
'' (side dishes)
See also
*
* ''
Jokbal
''Jokbal''(족발) is a Korean dish consisting of pig's trotters cooked with soy sauce and spices.[Jokbal]
a ...
''
* ''
Ssam
' (), meaning "wrapped", refers to a dish in Korean cuisine in which, usually, leafy vegetables are used to Wrap (sandwich), wrap a piece of meat such as pork or other filling. ''
References
External links
*{{Commons category-inline, Bossam
Korean pork dishes