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Sometimes the biggest obstacle to recreating a beloved ethnic dish at home is tracking down the right ingredients. If you live far from specialty stores, that can be frustrating. This Bo Ssäm recipe is one of those rare gems that tastes luxurious yet is affordable to make—often under $20—and the main components are easy to find: a pork shoulder or butt roast, sugar, salt, and time. While the process takes roughly seven hours from start to finish, active hands-on time is minimal—about ten minutes total—so it’s an ideal recipe for a relaxed weekend or when you want a special meal without constant kitchen babysitting.
The secret to the incredible flavor is a simple cure: the roast is rubbed with kosher salt and raw sugar (or sucanat) the night before and refrigerated. Using raw sugar makes a noticeable difference in the final caramelized crust compared to white sugar, so it’s worth seeking out. The roast sits snugly in the pan overnight, absorbing the cure and developing a salty-sweet crust that transforms into a deep caramel when finished.
What kind of pan do I need?
Use a roasting pan or casserole dish that fits the roast snugly. Avoid an oversized turkey pan unless your pork shoulder is huge. The sides should be tall enough to contain the cooking juices and fat, because the roast releases a lot of liquid as it cooks.
Can I substitute pork loin or tenderloin for the shoulder or butt roast?
No. This dish relies on the fat content in a pork shoulder or butt to stay moist and flavorful during the long, slow roast. Lean cuts like loin or tenderloin won’t produce the same result—this is an indulgence worth doing properly.
Why is this worth the nearly 7 hours of cooking time?
Bo Ssäm is hard to describe until you taste it: a tender, juicy interior with a caramelized, salty-sweet crust that’s almost like pork candy. In our house, the roast never made it to the table—the family gathered around the counter and kept piling lettuce, warm short-grain rice, kimchi, Ginger Scallion Sauce, a little crusty pork and a squirt of Sriracha. Juices ran down our arms and grins stayed plastered on our faces. It became an instant favorite for entertaining, birthdays, Super Bowl spread, and special family dinners.
The salty outer layer can look alarming if tasted alone before the rest of the elements are assembled—that crust is essentially a cure. But when you pair the pork with unsalted lettuce leaves, plain rice, kimchi, and the Ginger Scallion Sauce, the flavors balance perfectly: the salty edge complements the mild, succulent meat and crunchy, bright accompaniments.
One final practical note: if your roast includes skin, remove it but leave the fat layer intact. That fat renders during the long cook and keeps the meat tender and flavorful.
Bo Ssäm {Korean Pork Roast Lettuce Wraps} and Ginger Scallion Sauce
Rebecca Lindamood
Ingredients
For the Bo Ssäm:
- Bone-in Pork Shoulder or Butt Roast *See Notes, between 4–11 pounds.
- 1 cup plus 1 tablespoon kosher salt divided
- 1 cup raw sugar or sucanat
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
For the Ginger Scallion Sauce:
- 3 bunches green onions scallions, root ends trimmed then sliced thinly
- 5 inch piece of fresh ginger root peeled and minced or finely grated
- 1/2 cup canola or grapeseed oil
- 1 teaspoon white wine vinegar or rice vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon soy sauce
To Serve:
- Red or Green Leaf Lettuce removed from core, washed and dried thoroughly
- hot fresh, cooked short or medium grain rice
- kimchi
- Ginger Scallion Sauce
Instructions
The Night Before Cooking:
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Combine 1 cup kosher salt with 1 cup raw sugar or sucanat and rub all over the pork roast. Place the roast in a snug, high-sided roasting pan, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
To Make the Ginger Scallion Sauce:
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Mix the scallions, minced or grated ginger, oil, vinegar and soy sauce. Cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes or up to 4 days to let flavors meld.
To Cook the Bo Ssäm:
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Preheat oven to 300°F with a rack in the center.
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Pour off any excess liquid and salt/sugar that collected under the pork. Place the roast fat-side up in the pan and roast, uncovered, for 4–7 hours. Baste about every hour with the fat that pools beneath the meat. Smaller roasts will need less time; larger roasts will need more. When the meat is so tender it yields easily to tongs and almost falls apart, remove it from the oven.
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Transfer the roast to a rimmed baking sheet, tent loosely with foil and let rest 30–60 minutes at room temperature, or wrap tightly and refrigerate for up to 3 days after the initial cook.
About an Hour Before Serving:
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If refrigerated, bring the roast to room temperature for about 30 minutes.
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Preheat the oven to 500°F (or set broiler to HIGH). Mix the brown sugar with the remaining tablespoon kosher salt and sprinkle it over the roast, pressing lightly to adhere. Place the roast in the hot oven and watch carefully—the sugar will caramelize quickly. Remove when the sugar has melted and formed a sticky, dark crust; a few charred bits are fine.
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Let the pork rest on the pan for about 10 minutes before transferring to a serving platter.
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Serve hot, warm, or at room temperature with lettuce leaves, rice, kimchi, and Ginger Scallion Sauce.
Notes
Nutritional information is an estimate and provided as a courtesy. Calculate nutrition using the exact ingredients you use.
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