Lacquered Pork Lettuce Wraps: A Delicious Party Food
Bo ssam is a popular Korean dish that features crispy succulent shredded pork wrapped in lettuce leaves and topped with a variety of accompaniments, such as rice, kimchi, scallions and fermented chile sauce. It makes for great party food, as it’s meant to be shared and eaten communally, with everyone assembling their wraps with the meat and fixings.
The Recipe: A Straightforward yet Time-Consuming Process
Despite the time involved, the method for this recipe is straightforward and relatively hands-off. Most of the time is devoted to the meat curing in a slather of salt and sugar and then slowly roasting until it morphs into a caramelized heap. You will be tasked with shredding the clump of meat and assembling the accompaniments.
Preparing the Ingredients
All that remains is the fun part: wrapping the lacquered meat in lettuce and garnishing it with dollops of an intoxicating muddle of ginger and scallions and dribbles of an electrifying fermented bean and chile sauce.
The Ingredients and Instructions
This bo ssam recipe is inspired by and adapted from a recipe by David Chang, originally published in The New York Times. The method and ingredients are slightly modified from the original recipe.
Lacquered Pork Lettuce Wraps Recipe
Serves: 6 to 8
Ingredients
4 pounds pork butt (shoulder)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup kosher salt, plus extra for sprinkling
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
Ginger-scallion relish:
1 1/2 cups thinly sliced scallions, white and green parts
1/2 cup finely grated peeled fresh ginger with juices
2 tablespoons neutral oil, such as canola, corn or sunflower
2 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Chile sauce:
1/4 cup gochujang (Korean fermented chili paste)
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar
2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon brown sugar or maple syrup
Cooked basmati or jasmine rice
Butter lettuce leaves or little gem leaves
Optional accompaniments and toppings:
Kimchi
Toasted sesame seeds
Banchan (spicy cucumber salad, seasoned bean sprouts, etc.)
Salted shrimp
Directions
One day before serving, cure the pork. Place the pork in a wide nonreactive container. Combine the granulated sugar and 1/2 cup salt in a small bowl. Rub the cure all over the meat in its crevices. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
When you are ready to cook, remove the pork from the refrigerator. Discard any accumulated juices and let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.
Heat the oven (or a grill) to 300 degrees.
Place the pork in a roasting pan (or grill pan). Roast in the oven (or over indirect heat on the grill) until the pork is falling-apart tender, 3 1/2 to 4 hours, turning and basting occasionally with the pan juices.
While the meat is roasting, prepare the ginger-scallion relish and chili sauce. Combine all the ingredients for the ginger-scallion relish together in a bowl. Taste for seasoning and refrigerate until serving. Combine all the ingredients for the chili sauce together in a bowl. Set aside at room temperature.
When the meat is ready, remove from the oven (or grill) and transfer to a cutting board. Pour the pan juices into a bowl.
Increase the oven (or grill) temperature to 500 degrees.
Using two forks or gloved hands, shred the pork. Spread the meat in the roasting pan. Drizzle some of the reserved juices over the meat to lightly coat and moisten. Sprinkle the 1/2 cup brown sugar all over the pork. Return the pork to the oven (or place over indirect heat on the grill). Roast until the meat begins to crisp and caramelize in parts, 8 to 10 minutes.
Transfer the meat to a serving platter. To assemble, place a spoonful of cooked basmati rice in the center of a lettuce leaf. Top with the pork, ginger-scallion relish, chili sauce and the optional toppings.
Conclusion
In conclusion, lacquered pork lettuce wraps make for a delicious and interactive party food that is sure to impress your guests. With its combination of crispy pork, fresh lettuce, and flavorful accompaniments, this dish is perfect for any occasion.
FAQs
Q: How far in advance can I prepare the pork?
A: You can cure the pork one day before serving.
Q: Can I use a different type of meat?
A: While pork butt is traditional, you can experiment with other types of meat, such as beef or lamb.
Q: What if I don’t have gochujang?
A: You can substitute gochujang with other types of chili paste or sriracha.
Q: Can I make the ginger-scallion relish ahead of time?
A: Yes, you can make the ginger-scallion relish up to a day in advance and refrigerate it until serving.
