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Bo Ssam (Korean pulled pork)

caliking
caliking Posts: 18,727


I had been wanting to egg a pork butt for a while, but also wanted to do something different. Stumbled upon David Chang's Momofoku recipe for bo ssam, which seems to be popular on the interwebz.


The rub is simple - kosher salt and sugar. I added some 5-spice powder for good measure. Liberal sprinkle of it all over, then wrapped up the butt for about 36 hrs. Rinsed it off, lit the egg, and started it off at 275°F indirect. I had to keep ramping the temp up though, because I needed it done in 5 hrs. Went into the oven, covered, for the last hour.

Cool gif at the point of transfer from egg to oven. I poured the fat from the pan over the butt and it sizzled all sexy like.

Sauces - ssam (miso, gochujang, honey, soy, garlic, onion, pecans

And ginger scallion sauce (but I can't post that pic for some reason).

Plated shot - top left is the pineapple anchovy sauce from a recent cook, ssam sauce, shredded pork on bibb lettuce, sushi rice, and the ginger scallion sauce at 6 o'clock. But, doh!... I forgot to plate the kimchi!!


This was REALLY good!! The pork is salty sweet. The last step involves sprinkling some salt and brown sugar on the top of the butt and broiling it, so you get this nice caramelized crust/bark on it. I was a tad skeptical about how good pork could taste with that simple a rub, but it works. The sauces add all kinds of flavors to offset the saltiness of the pork - sweet, funky (from the miso), heat.


Must have turned out alright, because caliqueen requested that this cook be added to the regular rotation. AND she admitted that she had married well 😃


#1 LBGE December 2012 • #2 SBGE February  2013 • #3 Mini May 2013
A happy BGE family in Houston, TX.
«13

Comments

  • Hub
    Hub Posts: 927

    That looks crazy good!!!!

    Beautiful and lovely Villa Rica, Georgia
  • JohnInCarolina
    JohnInCarolina Posts: 30,864

    Amazing

    "I've made a note never to piss you two off." - Stike
  • Mattman3969
    Mattman3969 Posts: 10,457

    You and your family ate well tonight!!


    -----------------------------------------

    analyze adapt overcome

    2008 -Large BGE. 2013- Small BGE and 2015 - Mini. Henderson, Ky.
  • nolaegghead
    nolaegghead Posts: 42,102

    Go back to Iowa you damn show-off!

    Looks delicious, I would have added kimchee though. I kid, I can read.

    ______________________________________________
    I love lamp..
  • Photo Egg
    Photo Egg Posts: 12,110

    You and your fantastic food, and dancing gifs...I quit.

    Thank you,
    Darian

    Galveston Texas
  • Hotch
    Hotch Posts: 3,564

    36 Hours? Wow!

    Nicely done my friend!! 😎

    Large BGE, MiniMAX BGE, 2 Mini BGE's, R&V Fryer, 36" Blackstone Griddle, Camp Chef Dual Burner 40K BTU Stove
    BGE Chiminea
    Prosper, TX
  • Canugghead
    Canugghead Posts: 11,452

    Another wicked home run cook! I did that a while ago but it paled in comparison 😊

    canuckland
  • bgebrent
    bgebrent Posts: 19,636

    Dude. That sounds delicious.

    Sandy Springs & Dawsonville Ga
  • lkapigian
    lkapigian Posts: 10,706
  • caliking
    caliking Posts: 18,727

    Thanks for the kind words. The payoff exceeded the effort involved to put this together. The sauces really add alot, and only take minutes to prepare.

    @Hotch - the butt cured in the salt/sugar rub for 36hrs, but smoked for about 5hrs. I had to keep upping the temp while we were at caliprince's tee-ball game (yay flameboss!) to get it done in time.

    @Canugghead - This turned out better than expected. The caramelized brown sugar and salt crust was a win. I might try this with chicken some time, for a quicker cook.

    @Photo Egg - dude, you're needed here for inspiration!


    #1 LBGE December 2012 • #2 SBGE February  2013 • #3 Mini May 2013
    A happy BGE family in Houston, TX.
  • oh hell yes. I've had Momofuku Bo Ssam and it was really good. Thanks for posting this- I'm going to try soon. I'll check in with you when I do for the sauces.

    Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX
  • MaskedMarvel
    MaskedMarvel Posts: 3,136

    wow!! That looks FANTASTIC! Cool gif!

    Large BGE and Medium BGE
    36" Blackstone - Greensboro!


  • caliking
    caliking Posts: 18,727

    @The Cen-Tex Smoker you can really play with the sauces to change this up a bit, even when repeated.

    SSAM SAUCE

    • 1/4 cup doenjang (korean soybean paste)
    • 2 Tbsp gochujang (korean chili paste)
    • 2 Tbsp sesame oil
    • 1/2 Tbsp honey
    • 2 tsp sesame seeds
    • 1/2 tsp minced garlic
    • 10 g onion, chopped
    • (optional) 2 Tbsp walnuts or your choice of nuts – this will add more nutty flavor and creamier texture.
    • 1 Tbsp green onion, thinly sliced


    GINGER-SCALLION SAUCE:

    • 2 ½ cups thinly sliced scallions, both green and white parts
    • ½ cup peeled, minced fresh ginger
    • ¼ cup neutral oil (like grapeseed)
    • 1 ½ teaspoons light soy sauce
    • 1 scant teaspoon sherry vinegar
    • ½ teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste

    I’ll add some lime juice and mirin to the ginger scallion sauce next time.


    The anchovy pineapple sauce was from The Slanted Door cookbook:

    Anchovy fish sauce 1/4 cup

    pineapple, diced 1 cup

    thai chile 1 or more

    lime juice, fresh 1 TBSP

    sugar. 1 TBSP


    I know you can come up with more. Playing up the sweet and acid elements in whatever sauce you’re making will balance the salty richness of this pork.


    #1 LBGE December 2012 • #2 SBGE February  2013 • #3 Mini May 2013
    A happy BGE family in Houston, TX.
  • Thatgrimguy
    Thatgrimguy Posts: 4,722

    Amazing! Definitely doing this cook!

    XL, Small, Mini & Mini Max Green Egg, Shirley Fab Trailer, 6 gal and 2.5 gal Cajun Fryers, BlueStar 60" Range, 48" Lonestar Grillz Santa Maria, Alto Shaam 1200s, Gozney Dome, Gateway 55g Drum
  • 20stone
    20stone Posts: 1,961

    Bo ssam? I say BO DAAAAAAMN!

    (now only 16 stone)

    Joule SV
    GE induction stove
    Gasser by the community pool (currently unavailable)
    Scale (which one of my friends refuses to use)
    Friends with BGEs and myriad other fired devices (currently unavail IRL)
    Occasional access to a KBQ and Webber Kettle
    Charcuterie and sourdough enthusiast
    Prosciuttos in an undisclosed location

    Austin, TX
  • bucky925
    bucky925 Posts: 2,029

    This is just off the hook! Tagged for my next dinner party. I hope I can do it justice .

    Be careful when following the masses. Sometimes the M is silent.

  • caliking
    caliking Posts: 18,727

    This would be great for a dinner party. Relatively easy to do, folks make their wraps/plates however they want, and you can make a couple or more sauces to suit different palates.


    #1 LBGE December 2012 • #2 SBGE February  2013 • #3 Mini May 2013
    A happy BGE family in Houston, TX.
  • alaskanassasin
    alaskanassasin Posts: 7,597

    Nice post and photos!

    South of Columbus, Ohio.


  • SGH
    SGH Posts: 28,791

    @caliking

    It looks mighty fine brother👍

    Location- Just "this side" of Biloxi, Ms.

    Status- Standing by.

    The greatest barrier against all wisdom, the stronghold against knowledge itself, is the single thought, in ones mind, that they already have it all figured out. 

  • This one is next
    Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX
  • pgprescott
    pgprescott Posts: 14,544
    This old thread is outstanding. however, my favorite part is seeing @bgebrent on the list. Cheers buddy!
  • SciAggie
    SciAggie Posts: 6,481
    Where/how have I missed this thread. This is a great cook. If your wife gives a compliment you know you done did good...
    Wonderful cook my friend. 
    Coleman, Texas
    Large BGE & Mini Max for the wok. A few old camp Dutch ovens and a wood fired oven. LSG 24” cabinet offset smoker. There are a few paella pans and a Patagonia cross in the barn. A curing chamber for bacterial transformation of meats...
    "Bourbon slushies. Sure you can cook on the BGE without them, but why would you?"
                                                                                                                          YukonRon
  • GATraveller
    GATraveller Posts: 8,207
    Wow. Somehow I missed this thread the first time around. I sat and watched the gif so long my lock screen came on!
    Awesome cook. 

    "Social media gives legions of idiots the right to speak when they once only spoke at a bar after a glass of wine, without harming the community [...] but now they have the same right to speak as a Nobel Prize winner. It's the invasion of the idiots."

                                                                                  -Umberto Eco

    2 Large
    Peachtree Corners, GA
  • HendersonTRKing
    HendersonTRKing Posts: 1,803
    I surrender. Have a butt in the freezer that will get the Dave Chang/Caliking treatment very soon. 
    It's a 302 thing . . .
  • thetrim
    thetrim Posts: 11,352
    Ya, I missed this too, so thank you for knocking the dust off of it.  It looks and sounds incredible.
    =======================================
    XL 6/06, Mini 6/12, L 10/12, Mini #2 12/14 MiniMax 3/16 Large #2 11/20 Legacy from my FIL - RIP
    Tampa Bay, FL
    EIB 6 Oct 95
  • YukonRon
    YukonRon Posts: 16,984
    Risk vs reward. Caliqueen admitting she "married well" is all I needed to know about the success of this cook.

    I do however believe in both circumstances,  they were a given; this man can flat out cook, and Caliqueen married very well.

    Following the posts of this man, makes me understand how much I do not know about cooking and how much I appreciate his teaching.

    He remains one of my most faves.

    Late to the party, but thank you for posting this cook.
    "Knowledge is Good" - Emil Faber

    XL and MM
    Louisville, Kentucky
  • SonVolt
    SonVolt Posts: 3,314
    Nice! I've had this recipe bookmarked for years and never got around to making it. I think I'll give it a go this weekend. 
    South of Nashville  -  BGE XL  -  Alfresco 42" ALXE  -  Alfresco Versa Burner  - Sunbeam Microwave 
  • SonVolt
    SonVolt Posts: 3,314
    caliking said:

    @The Cen-Tex Smoker you can really play with the sauces to change this up a bit, even when repeated.

    SSAM SAUCE

    • 1/4 cup doenjang (korean soybean paste)
    • 2 Tbsp gochujang (korean chili paste)
    • 2 Tbsp sesame oil
    • 1/2 Tbsp honey
    • 2 tsp sesame seeds
    • 1/2 tsp minced garlic
    • 10 g onion, chopped
    • (optional) 2 Tbsp walnuts or your choice of nuts – this will add more nutty flavor and creamier texture.
    • 1 Tbsp green onion, thinly sliced


    GINGER-SCALLION SAUCE:

    • 2 ½ cups thinly sliced scallions, both green and white parts
    • ½ cup peeled, minced fresh ginger
    • ¼ cup neutral oil (like grapeseed)
    • 1 ½ teaspoons light soy sauce
    • 1 scant teaspoon sherry vinegar
    • ½ teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste

    I’ll add some lime juice and mirin to the ginger scallion sauce next time.


    The anchovy pineapple sauce was from The Slanted Door cookbook:

    Anchovy fish sauce 1/4 cup

    pineapple, diced 1 cup

    thai chile 1 or more

    lime juice, fresh 1 TBSP

    sugar. 1 TBSP


    I know you can come up with more. Playing up the sweet and acid elements in whatever sauce you’re making will balance the salty richness of this pork.

    @caliking -  Where did you get the recipe for the Ssam sauce? From memory that doesn't match the version in Dave's Momofuku cookbook. Yours actually looks better. 
    South of Nashville  -  BGE XL  -  Alfresco 42" ALXE  -  Alfresco Versa Burner  - Sunbeam Microwave