Instant Pot Pork Bossam

This Instant Pot Pork Bossam gets a modern twist from the traditional Korean version!  Save cooking time and upgrade flavors while keeping it healthy! Super moist, delicious, shredded pork is sure to be a crowd pleaser!

A bit different from the traditional bossam version, this recipe uses pork shoulders instead of pork belly. Infused with fresh aromatics and Asian condiments, the result is really out of this world!  This recipe may become your next favorite Instant pot Korean dish!  Enjoy them with homemade sauce and spicy radish kimchi! You will love it!

What is bossam?

Bossam is a boiled pork dish from Korea. It’s been around for quite a long time. The pork meat (pork belly) is typically boiled with aromatics for about an hour until tender. Once it’s cool enough to touch, it’s sliced thinly and served with brined napa cabbage (whole leaves) and dipping sauce. Then you would make pork belly wraps with the cabbage and consume it with spicy shrimp dipping sauce and shredded radish kimchi.

The word ssam means to wrap. There are many variations to Korean Ssam, but bossm is one of the most popular one. You can also find tofu bossam, bossam kimchi, etc…

What kind of pork meat do I need?

The traditional recipe calls for a whole pork belly meat. But for this recipe I used the whole pork shoulder. I wanted to create a dish with more meat than fat.

This also helped my family members who’s not really into the pork belly texture. I personally have a hard time eating pork belly unless it has a crispy texture.

Lastly, this dish was better for my daughter who has braces and can’t seem to cut the pork belly meat. With the shredded meat, it was much easier to cut into smaller pieces.

Can you cut the meat before cooking pork bossam?

I strongly advise keeping the meat as a whole and not cutting it until the meat has been cooked. This will allow the meat to stay tender, moist and flavorful. If you precut the meat before cooking, it will lose moisture and flavor while being steamed/boiled.

What pairs well with bossam?

Bossam is typically paired with a dipping sauce, radish kimchi, and brined nappa cabbage leaves (tender yellowish leaves).  If you don’t have the napa cabbage leaves, you can also use lettuce to make lettuce wraps or regular cabbage leaves that are boiled to make cabbage wraps. I have tried both and they all work fantastic!

Bossam and Kimchi?

Bossam was a very popular meal to consume during the kimchi making days called ‘gimjang’.  Where housewives/ladies would sit in a circle, with families or with neighbors, to make kimchi together. The goal would be to make enough kimchi to share and divide afterward. And plenty to last through the long winter months. Bossam was a perfect meal for gimjang day since there were plenty of salted cabbage and spicy radish kimchi.

Sadly, little by little, the gimjang days are not as popular anymore in Korea. More families are buying premade kimchi rather than making it at home.

What do you need to make instant pot pork bossam?

Again, this is my personal version. The ingredients may vary with other cooks.

• pork shoulder
• water
• bay leaves
• green onions
• soybean paste
• garlic cloves
• instant coffee granules
• sea salt
• sweet soy sauce
• apple
• onion
• ginger

Here are some optional ingredients you can also add:

sugar

sesame oil

fish sauce

brown sugar

What are some benefits of cooking bossam in the instant pot vs. boiling on the stove top?

With instant pot, you have the freedom to walk away. You don’t have to worry about temperature control since it’s already programmed for you. If you do forget, the instant pot will keep your meat warm for you. another benefit is that you do save some time. On a stove top, It typically takes about an hour to cook bossam in medium heat. but with Instant Pot, the cooking time is halved.

How do you make instant pot bossam?

1. wash meat in cold water and dab with paper towel.
2. Gather all the ingredients and set aside.
3. Insert the trivet into the instant pot and place the meat. Add the aromatics, and seasonings. Then add 4 cups water.
4. Twist the lid on the instant pot, cook high pressure for 15min. Then natural pressure release for 10min. The meat should be tender and fall off easily.
5. Lift the meat with serving forks and place it on a cutting board. Once cool to touch, shred the meat. Discard water and aromatics in Instant Pot when cooled.
6. Serve bossam with korean side dishes, dips and vegetable wraps.

How do you get rid of the pork smell?

Asian aromatics are great for getting rid of the pork smell, such as fresh garlic, bay leaf, ginger, sake, soju and soy bean paste. I have heard some people even use coke and rice-rinsing water before boling the pork!

Can you save bossam?

I have saved the shredded meat in the freezer and it worked out just fine. You can thaw it in the fridge then either stir fry on a skillet or air fry it until warm. Dip them in sauces of your choice.

How do you brine napa cabbage?

I didn’t serve this meal with napa cabbage leaf but with lettuce instead. If you want to serve this dish with salty cabbage, you need to know how to brine the napa cabbage, please click here. For bossam, make sure you use the inner part of the napa cabbage. The leaves should be the yellowish color and not green, since the yellow ones are more tender and easier to wrap.

Can you eat korean bossam hot or cold?

I am not a big fan of eating cold pork meat, but some people actually like bossam cold? It’s pretty much personal preference. I still think eating pork warm after being freshly made is still the best!

How do you make the dipping sauce for bossam?

You can purchase premade samjjang at your nearest Asian grocery store. I prefer this option though, making my special yummy sauce. You can find the recipe here:

• Korean Dipping Sauce with Salted Shrimp.

Did you enjoy this instant pot pork recipe?

Next time you are craving bossam, skip the Korean restaurant, instead try making it from home! You can still achieve a delicious Korean meal straight from home using the tips and tricks I have shared with you today! You can also use the leftover pork meat in sandwiches, with eggs for breakfast or use them as toppings for noodles!

Korean food can be labor intensive, but sometimes you can find ways to simplify it without losing the flavors! I am all for it! This bossam recipe is super fun and easy! Whip this up for your family in less than an hour! Save this recipe card and give it a try one day!

Be sure to check out my other instant pot recipes!

• Instant Pot Bulgogi Jjim
• INSTANT POT BRAISED KIMCHI AND PORK, KOREAN KIMCHI JJIM
• INSTANT POT KOREAN OXTAIL SOUP