My first introduction to this recipe was in the New York Times from David Chang’s Momofuku restaurant in the East Village. I immediately was intrigued, because the introduction stated this is a recipe to win the dinner party sweepstakes. The article went on to say that this Korean bo ssam is a remarkably straightforward way to achieve high level excellence with few ingredients.
ABOUT PORK BUTT
It might have few ingredients, but the first one on the list threw me. The recipe calls for one whole bone-in pork butt (8 to 10 pounds) to serve 6 to 10 people. (That’s quite a range—are they talking about serving kids or all men? Does the size of the bone change the number of servings?)
All the markets around me sell only 3 1/2 to 4 pound boneless butts, so I decided right then I would improvise. I made the recipe using a 4 pound roast and after making it several times, I can tell you that it serves 8 average eaters.
I’d also like to clear up a misconception, in case you have one about pork butt. The butt (sometimes called Boston butt) does not come from anywhere near the rear end of the pig. In fact, quite the opposite. The pork butt is a cut of meat from the shoulder and is most typically used in pulled pork.
The pork butt consists of parts of the neck, shoulder blade, and upper arm of the pig. The name makes sense when you consider that the word "butt" can also mean the thicker end of something (think the butt of a gun) or the blunt end of something since a pork butt is the thicker end of the shoulder cut.
COMBINING RECIPES
The following recipe is adapted from Deb Perlman’s Smitten Kitchen blog with a few additions from David Chang’s recipe. Deb recommends serving the pork on buns with coleslaw, which I did very successfully the first time I served it. Chang recommends serving the pork in lettuce cups with a Ginger Scallion Sauce, (plus a Ssam sauce, which I am not including because it calls for too many ingredients from an Asian market and I feel is overkill with the coleslaw.) I now serve the pork with buns, coleslaw, lettuce and Ginger Scallion Sauce and let guests help themselves. The zesty gingery sauce provides a welcome tang to cut the richness of the pork and coleslaw.
This recipe is extremely straightforward and simple. It is one of the easiest entrees I know. You just need to start it a day before you plan to serve. First you combine salt and sugar with spices and rub it all over the roast. After you refrigerate it overnight, you bake it for 5 hours, basting occasionally. You also need to make a 3-ingredient mop (translate to a thin liquid that's brushed or "mopped" onto food numerous times during cooking.) The roast bakes low and slow for 5 hours, basting every hour. (An ideal recipe to make during shelter-in.)
ABOUT MAKING AHEAD
Although the pork is best the day it is made, it is still good the next day. The only difference is that the crispy part will not be crisp any more, but the meat will be every bit as flavorful.
ABOUT A SLOW ROASTER OR INSTANT POT
I don’t have one but Deb Perlman says that although you can make it in one, it won’t be the same since it will not get crisp or glossy. Even if you finish it in a high oven, she warns it will not be the same.
The roast will look burned, but it won’t taste like it; the dark parts become crisp. If the drippings begin to burn in the pan, baste the roast with a little more of the mop.
Cool the roast slightly and then shred into bite size pieces with the tines of a fork.
Pork enough of the mop with a little barbecue sauce added over the pulled pork to keep it moist. Serve the remaining mop with the sandwiches.
SLOW ROAST PULLED PORK (BO SSAM)
1 boneless pork butt, about 3 3/4 to 4 pounds
2 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt
4 tablespoons plus 3 tablespoons brown sugar, divided
1 1/2 tablespoons sweet or smoked paprika
1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons cayenne or chipotle powder
1 1/2 cups cider vinegar
1/3 cup ketchup
1 1/2 teaspoons ground black pepper
1/4 cup bottled barbeque sauce
1 bag (14 oz.) tri color coleslaw mix, or 1 small cabbage, thinly sliced
1/3 cup mayonnaise, or more to taste
12 buns
2 heads bibb lettuce, leaves separated, washed and dried
Ginger Scallion Sauce
1 1/2 cups thinly sliced scallions, both green and white part
1/3 cup peeled, minced ginger
3 tablespoons vegetable oil (like grape seed)
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon sherry or white wine vinegar
1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1. The night before, season roast: In a small bowl, combine salt, 4 tablespoons brown sugar, paprika and 1 teaspoon cayenne. It should taste saltier than sweet and have as much kick as you like.
2. Score the fat by making diagonal cuts in 2 directions about 1/8 inch deep and 1-inch apart. This helps prevent it from tightening the meat below as it shrinks.
3. Use your hands to pat the rub onto all sides of the meat. Use it all; the meat should be thickly coated. Place roast in a shallow pan that it fits in comfortably, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight.
4. To make the mop: In a bowl or jar, whisk the 3 tablespoons brown sugar, cider vinegar, ketchup, pepper and 1/2 cup water. You want it to be pleasantly sharp (the fatty meat will cut right through any overpowering vinegar vibe), but not quite sour.
5. To cook the pork: The next day, preheat oven to 300 degreesF. Remove plastic wrap from pork and pour off the juices. Roast pork uncovered for about 5 hours or until an instant read thermometer reaches 200 degrees and pork is tender when pierced with a fork. After the first hour, pour 1/4 cup mop over the roast, then continue to baste with pan juices every hour. If the pan gets too dry, baste with another 1/4 cup mop.
When pork is finished cooking, stir barbeque sauce into mop.
5. Make coleslaw. Place coleslaw mix or cabbage in a large bowl and pour 1/3 cup mop over. Stir in mayonnaise and mix to combine. Taste, season with salt and adjust flavors to taste. Refrigerate until serving or for up to 6 hours.
6. Make ginger sauce: In a small bowl, stir together all ingredients. Can be refrigerated overnight.
6. To shred pork: Once pork is cooked, you can leave it at room temperature for up to 2 hours. Rewarm at 450 degrees, if needed. Before serving, using 2 forks, shred the meat into bite size pieces; discard large chunks of fat. Pour 1/2 cup mop over.
To make ahead: Cover tightly and refrigerate overnight. Rewarm covered at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until hot.
7. To serve: Put out bowls with pork, buns, coleslaw, ginger-scallion sauce, lettuce leaves and mop and allow guests to make their own sandwiches.
Makes 8 servings.
