Let’s make the easiest and most tender Bossam 보쌈! The secret ingredient of the day is cola – something you can find anywhere. Adding cola makes a huge difference in the texture and flavor of the pork. Today I’m going to share my secret bossam recipe!

What is Bossam? 보쌈

Bossam is a type of ssam 쌈 (Korean wrap) made with boiled pork belly wrapped in lettuce, salted cabbage leaves, or kimchi. It’s nothing like plain boiled pork!

To make bossam, the pork must be simmered for a long time to remove any gaminess and achieve a tender texture. This process requires carefully selected ingredients and precise heat control. But don’t worry. I’m going to give you a very easy, foolproof recipe that anyone can make!

Secret Ingredient: Cola

Cola is a magical ingredient that makes Bossam delicious and effortless! It helps tenderize the pork, removes any unwanted odor, and enhances the overall flavor. The caramel color in cola also deepens the color of the pork, making it look even more appetizing. Plus, its natural sweetness adds an extra layer of umami to the dish!

Which Cut of Pork Should You Use?

For Bossam, you can use pork belly, pork neck, front leg, or shank.If you prefer a leaner cut, choose pork neck. If you like a firmer, chewy texture, shank meat is a great choice.

But if you love juicy, tender pork like I do, I highly recommend the thick, fatty pork belly! Oh, be sure to use a whole, thick cut rather than thinly sliced pork for the best results.

Pork Belly Kimchi Jjim (Braised Kimchi)

This is a kimchi jjim with a deeper and richer flavor than the traditional kimchi stew I learned from my mom. By simmering cabbage kimchi and whole pork belly, the harmony of flavors is simply amazing. Don't miss out on my mom's secret ingredients!

Check out this recipe

Another Korean dish I recommend using pork belly for is kimchi jjim (braised kimchi with pork). The tender, melt-in-your-mouth pork paired with the kimchi is absolutely delicious. It’s one of my favorite Korean dishes!

What do you eat bossam with?

Bossam is typically wrapped in salted cabbage leaves, lettuce, or kimchi. When eating bossam with kimchi, fresh, lightly fermented kimchi (bossam kimchi) is preferred.

cola bossam_jokbal — jokbal with makguksu

Side dishes include dried radish salad (mumallaengi), spicy radish salad (musaengchae), or pickled radish wraps (musam). Koreans often enjoy makguksu (buckwheat noodles in a tangy, spicy, and sweet sauce) with bossam. The refreshing, slightly spicy, and sweet flavors of makguksu perfectly balance the richness of the pork, making it an amazing combination!

Sauces for Bossam

The most common sauces served with bossam are fermented shrimp (saeujeot) and ssamjang. Saeujeot not only enhances the flavor of the pork, but also contains enzymes that help break down fat, making it easier to digest. Many Korean food pairings are designed with health benefits in mind!

For today’s special sauce, we’ll use the broth from cooking the pork as a dipping sauce. This will enhance the umami, keep the pork moist, and make it even more delicious. This broth is pure gold-don’t throw it away!

How to eat bossam?

Bossam is a type of ssam (wrapped food). Bossam is a dish made to be wrapped and eaten. You can wrap it in salted cabbage leaves, fresh cabbage leaves, lettuce, perilla leaves, or kimchi.

Easy Korean Bossam Kimchi with Coke — bossam on the cabbage

First, place a piece of pork on the wrap of your choice (cabbage, lettuce, kimchi, etc.).
You can dip the pork in fermented shrimp sauce (saeujeot) for extra flavor.
Add 1-2 pieces of shrimp from the saeujeot to the pork and a small amount of ssamjang (Korean dipping sauce).
You can also add sliced raw garlic or chili peppers for extra kick.
Now wrap everything neatly into a bite-sized package.

A common mistake foreigners make! Never bite into the wrap! Ssam is meant to be eaten in one bite. The beauty of ssam is how all the ingredients come together in a single mouthful for the perfect balance of flavors!

What is difference between bossam and jokbal?

You may be curious about the difference between bossam and jokbal.

Jokbal (족발) literally means “pig’s feet” in Korean. However, it’s not just the feet – the entire pig’s leg is often used, similar to the German dish Schweinshaxe. To remove any gaminess, jokbal is cooked with a variety of aromatic spices such as ginger and cinnamon. Jokbal is cooked with the skin on, which makes it rich in collagen and gives it a chewy, gelatinous texture.

Bossam(보쌈), on the other hand, is made with pork belly, neck, or front leg meat. Compared to jokbal, it uses fewer spices and has a lighter color. Bossam can be cooked with or without the skin, similar to jokbal, but if it does have skin, it’s thinner and less chewy compared to the thick, tough skin found on pig’s feet (jokbal). Instead, it consists of tender meat with layers of fat, resulting in a softer, melt-in-the-mouth texture.

What to Drink with Bossam?

There’s no right or wrong answer here, but soju is the most popular drink among Koreans when eating bossam. While some people drink makgeolli (Korean rice wine), Koreans usually prefer soju with fatty meats. Soju has a higher alcohol content than other drinks and a clean, crisp flavor that helps cut through the richness of the pork, making it the perfect pairing!

The Easiest and Most Delicious Bossam Recipe

Today, I’m going to share with you the easiest, juiciest, and most delicious bossam recipe. Sometimes it’s hard to find the ingredients used to make bossam in Korea when you’re abroad, but today we’re going to make it with cola, an ingredient that’s easy to find anywhere.

Korean bossam is known for being tender and free of any gaminess, but it requires a bit of technique. However, in this recipe, I’m going to show you an easy, foolproof way to make bossam that you can’t mess up. I hope this recipe makes your table even more delicious! Are you ready to make Bossam together today?

Ingredients for Bossam Kimchi

Kimchi

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Wide Pot

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Korean Soy Sauce (jin ganjang)

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Oyster Sauce

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Korean Bossam Kimchi with Coke

Today, let's make the juicy bossam with coke(cola bossam)! Want to enjoy super tender, flavorful Bossam with minimal effort? The secret is cola! This unexpected ingredient works magic by tenderizing the meat, removing any gaminess, and adding a rich color with a hint of sweetness. With this simple, foolproof recipe, you'll get melt-in-your-mouth bossam every time. Let's get started!

Servings 2 people

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 1 5

Total Time 1 10

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Equipment

1 Knife & cutting board
1 Pot

Ingredients

500 g thick pork belly (the more fat, the more tender!)
1 stalk green onion
10 cloves garlic
2 onions
10 grinds black pepper
700 ml coke
200 ml soy sauce
2 tbsp oyster sauce
1 bowl kimchi

Dipping Sauce

1 ladle the broth from cooking the pork

Instructions

Cut the green onions into large pieces
Cut the onions in half.
Place the onions and green onions in a pot.
Add the pork belly.
Add garlics.
Pour in 200ml soy sauce, 2 tbsp oyster sauce, and 10 grinds of black pepper.
Pour in enough cola to fully cover the pork.
Add 50ml of water.
Cover with a lid and bring to a boil over high heat.
Once boiling, reduce to medium-low heat. (keep the lid on)
After 15 minutes, flip the pork (keep the lid on).
Cook for another 25 minutes. (keep the lid on)
Turn off the heat and let it rest for 10 minutes—this step makes the meat extra tender!
Slice the pork and serve with kimchi.
Dip the pork in the broth and wrap it in kimchi for an explosion of flavor!
Cola Bossam 콜라 보쌈
Jal meoketseumnida! 잘 먹겠습니다!