A flavorful Korean-style feast featuring crispy roasted pork, scallion-ginger sauce, and ssam sauce, perfect for wrapping in lettuce leaves.
765 minutes
A flavorful Korean-style feast featuring crispy roasted pork, scallion-ginger sauce, and ssam sauce, perfect for wrapping in lettuce leaves.
Whole Bone-in Pork Butt Or Picnic Ham
0 lb
cups
cups
tablespoons
Scallions (both Green And White Parts), thinly sliced
cups
Fresh Ginger, peeled, minced
cups
Neutral Oil (like Grapeseed)
cups
teaspoons
teaspoons
teaspoons
Fermented Bean-and-chili Paste (ssamjang)
tablespoons
Chili Paste (kochujang)
tablespoons
cups
Neutral Oil (like Grapeseed)
cups
tablespoons
1. Preheat Oven and Prepare Pork
Begin by preheating your oven to 300°F (150°C). Place the pork butt in a large roasting pan. In a bowl, mix together the white sugar, 1 cup of kosher salt, and 7 tablespoons of brown sugar. Rub this mixture all over the pork, ensuring every nook and cranny is covered. This will not only season the meat but also help create a delicious crust as it cooks. Cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil and roast in the oven for about 6 hours, or until the meat is tender and easily pulls apart with a fork.
2. Prepare Scallion-Ginger Sauce
While the pork is roasting, prepare the scallion-ginger sauce. In a medium bowl, combine the thinly sliced scallions, minced ginger, 1/4 cup of neutral oil, light soy sauce, scant teaspoon of sherry vinegar, and 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt. Mix well and let the flavors meld together as the pork continues to cook. This sauce will add a fresh, vibrant contrast to the rich pork.
3. Prepare Ssam Sauce
Next, make the ssam sauce. In a small bowl, mix together the fermented bean-and-chili paste (ssamjang), chili paste (kochujang), 1/2 cup of sherry vinegar, and 1/2 cup of neutral oil. Stir until smooth. This sauce will bring a spicy, tangy kick to the dish.
4. Crisp the Pork
Once the pork is done roasting, remove it from the oven and increase the oven temperature to 500°F (260°C). Carefully remove the foil and sprinkle the remaining tablespoon of kosher salt evenly over the top of the pork. Return the pork to the oven and roast for an additional 10-15 minutes, or until the top is crispy and caramelized. Keep an eye on it to make sure it doesn't burn.
5. Rest and Shred the Pork
When the pork is beautifully crispy, take it out of the oven and let it rest for about 15 minutes. This resting period allows the juices to redistribute throughout the meat, making it even more tender and flavorful.
6. Serve the Pork Ssam
To serve, shred the pork into bite-sized pieces. Arrange the meat on a large platter and serve with the scallion-ginger sauce and ssam sauce on the side. You can also provide lettuce leaves for wrapping the pork, along with steamed rice and kimchi for a complete Korean-style feast. Enjoy the balance of flavors and textures that make this dish so special.
Use thinly sliced ribeye or sirloin, marinate in a similar base, and grill or sauté quickly for a tender, flavorful wrap.
Opt for chicken thighs, marinate in gochujang (Korean chili paste) based sauce, and cook until crispy.
Introduce different types of kimchi, such as white kimchi (baek-kimchi) or cucumber kimchi for new flavors and textures.
Replace or complement kimchi with pickled seasonal vegetables like radishes, cucumbers, or carrots for variety.
Mix gochujang (Korean chili paste) with mayonnaise to create a creamy, spicy sauce.
Opt for pork belly or pork shoulder, as these cuts have the right balance of meat and fat, crucial for flavor and tenderness. For truly crispy skin, pork belly with the skin on is a must.
Start at a lower temperature to cook the pork thoroughly and then use high heat at the end to crisp up the skin, balancing inside doneness and outside crunch.
Pat the pork skin dry and rub it with salt to draw out moisture, and consider leaving it uncovered in the refrigerator for a few hours to dry the skin further.
Marinate the pork for at least a few hours, preferably overnight, to allow flavors to penetrate deep into the meat with ingredients like soy sauce, garlic, ginger, and gochujang.
Let the pork rest after roasting to allow the juices to redistribute, ensuring the meat is moist and flavorful.
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