Oct 28

Oct 28 Ssamjang Pulled Pork

Spicy, tangy and a little sweet, this pulled pork has all the familiarity of something from the American South with a Korean spin.

Ssamjang Pulled Pork

Serves 6

Ssamjang is a paste made by combining gochujang, doenjang, sesame oil, garlic and other flavorings. It is most often served with grilled meats and used as a sauce wrapped in a ssam with the meat and toppings.

When I originally thought of this dish, I wanted it to be a sandwich or taco but the flavors just didn't work. So, I went back to the drawing board and the original flavors that accompany ssamjang, ssam or lettuce wraps. I added back lots of the typical vegetables you are served at a ssamgyeopssal (grilled pork belly) restaurant or a Korean barbecue restaurant with a little twist to mimic what you would have when eating American pulled pork.

What I ended up with was rich braised pork, brightened by lots of vegetable toppings and made lighter with the ssam lettuces and pickled vegetables.

Leftovers make a great rice bowl the next day (see Recipe Tips below) or as a topping for jook.

“Recipe Tips:

1. Leftovers make a delicious rice bowl with the addition of a hot corn salsa made of canned corn, scallion, garlic, red and green bell pepper, minced ginger, turmeric, coriander and cumin.”

Ingredients

Braise

1 T veg oil

1,021g (2.25 lbs) pork shoulder, cut into 4 in chunks

10g (2 t) ginger, minced

10 garlic cloves, crushed

2 T gochujang

400ml (2 c) water

2 bay leaves

4 T mirin

3 T soy sauce

3 T doenjang

1.5 T honey

1.5 T maesil

1.5 T sesame oil

2 t rice vinegar

2 t kosher salt

2 t gochugaru

Aromatic Vegetables

445g (2 medium) onions, sliced 0.50 in thick with the grain

50g (5) scallions, cut into 4cm (1.5 in) lengths

2 cheongyang or serrano chilis, sliced

Slaw

454g (1 lb) green cabbage, finely shredded

140g (10 - 12) scallions, white and green parts, thinly sliced

Slaw Dressing

60g (3 T) mayo

5 garlic cloves, minced

1.5 t mirin

1.5 t yondu or soy sauce

1 t ground coriander

1 t Asian hot mustard or Dijon

1 t maesil or honey

0.75 t kosher salt

0.25 t ground black or white pepper

0.25 t MSG

Serving

Ssam lettuces (red leaf lettuce, chickory, butter lettuce)

Perilla leaves

Pickled Garlic or Raw Garlic

Pickled Onion

Oi Chili - optional

Rice

Recipe Know-how

Braise

1. Over medium-high heat the vegetable oil.

Add the pork cubes and brown well on all sides.
Remove the pork from the pan and drain all but 1.5 t of the fat.
Add ginger and garlic, cooking for 30 – 45 seconds or until fragrant.
Add the gochujang and cook, stirring often for 1 minute.
Add the water, scraping up any gochujang and fond that has stuck to the pan.
Add the remaining braise ingredients along with the pork to the pan.
Cover and bring to a boil.
Reduce to a simmer and cook, covered for 45 minutes.

Make the slaw while the pork cooks.

Slaw

2. In a small bowl, combine all of the slaw dressing ingredients.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the cabbage and scallions.
Pour over dressing and toss well to combine.

The dressing should just coat the vegetables, the goal is not a creamy coleslaw, rather a lightly dressed slaw.

Taste for seasoning, adjusting as necessary.
Refrigerate until well chilled.

Finishing

3. Add the aromatic vegetables to the braise and cook 30 -45 minutes longer.

After 30 minutes, test the pork chunks. They should be tender and falling apart.
If the pork is not yet tender, continue to cook until tender.

Once tender, turn off the heat and allow the pork to sit off the heat for 10 minutes, covered.
Remove the pork to a bowl.
Place the pot of braising liquid over a medium-high heat and bring to a strong simmer.
Simmer for 10 – 15 minutes or until reduced by 25% and slightly thickened.