Korean Tonight: How To Make Pork Belly Lettuce Wraps

Judy Joo June 15, 2016

Article featured image — Tender, savory roasted pork belly lettuce wraps make a delicious interactive dinner for a crowd.

Cooking Channel host Judy Joo’s new cookbook, named for her popular show, is a fresh, spicy collection of Korean recipes you can 100 percent make at home. Craving bulgogi? Can’t shake your kimchi craving? Hit the Asian market and get cooking!

Sharing is a common theme underlying all Korean food. Bo ssam embodies this convivial sentiment — everyone sharing from the same plate, yet creating a small bespoke parcel for their own consumption. The lettuce leaves and pickles cut the fat nicely and bring a welcome freshness to the dish. If your pork belly comes with the ribs on, cut them off and slather with some doenjang-honey-ginger-gochujang paste (make extra). Roast until cooked through and caramelized and you’ll have the tastiest ribs ever.

Reprinted with permission from Korean Food Made Simple

Korean Tonight: How To Make Pork Belly Lettuce Wraps

Prep Time: 35 minutes plus refrigerating time
Cook Time: 2 hours, 45 minutes
Level of Difficulty: Easy
Serving Size: 4 to 6

Ingredients

4 tablespoons doenjang (Korean soybean paste)
1 (3- to 3 1/2-pound) boneless, skin-on pork belly
1 onion, cut into eighths
8 cloves garlic, crushed
7 scallions, coarsely chopped
6 thick slices unpeeled fresh ginger
2 tablespoons honey
1 1/2 tablespoons grated peeled fresh ginger
1 teaspoon gochujang (korean chili paste)

For serving

Red or green lettuce leaves
Perilla leaves (ggaennip), also known as sesame leaves (optional)
Steamed white rice

Spicy Lettuce Wrap Sauce (makes about 1 1/2 cups)

1/2 cup plus 1 tablepsoon doenjang (Korean soybean paste)
1/4 cup gochujang (korean chili paste)
1/4 cup mirin
2 tablespoons roasted sesame seeds
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
2 cloves garlic, grated or minced
2 scallions, thinly sliced on an angle

Spicy pickled radish salad (makes about 1 1/2 cups)

6 ounces Korean white radish (mu) or daikon, peeled and julienned
1 1/2 tablespoons Korean apple vinegar (sagwa-shikcho) or rice vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)
1 small clove garlic, grated or minced
1 teaspoon kosher salt or sea salt

Directions

For the radish salad

In a medium bowl, stir together all the ingredients until the radish is coated. Cover and refrigerate for about 1 hour before serving.

For the wrap sauce

In a small bowl, whisk together all the ingredients until smooth. Cover and store in the refrigerator if not using immediately.

For the pork belly and lettuce wraps

In a large, wide, heavy-bottomed saucepan, whisk together 2 tablespoons of the soybean paste and 1 cup water until smooth. Add the pork belly, skin side up, the onion, garlic, scallions, sliced ginger, and enough water to cover the pork.
Bring to a boil over high heat and then reduce the heat to maintain a simmer until the pork is cooked through and very soft, about 2 hours. Transfer the pork belly to a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil and let cool. Discard the cooking liquid. When the pork is cool enough to handle, remove the skin (but not the fat) and discard.
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the remaining 2 tablespoons soybean paste, honey, grated ginger, and chili paste until smooth and then smear the paste all over the top (skin side) of the pork belly. Roast the pork until the top is nicely caramelized, about 30 minutes. You can also broil the pork briefly for a little more char, if you like.
Let the pork rest in a warm place for about 15 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and thinly slice into two-bite pieces. Serve the pork on a platter with the lettuce, perilla leaves (if using), rice, sauce, and pickled radish on the side. To assemble, put a lettuce leaf in one hand and top with a perilla leaf (if using), a spoonful of rice, a smear of sauce, a piece of pork, and some pickled radish. Wrap the lettuce around the ingredients and take a bite. You’ll love it.