보쌈 — Print Recipe — The Culinary Codex

Tender slices of slow-simmered beef brisket wrapped in crisp salted napa cabbage leaves with raw garlic, fresh chili, and briny salted shrimp paste — a communal feast of contrasting textures and bold flavors.

Ingredients

1 kg beef brisket
1 onion, halved
6 cloves garlic, whole
2 tbsp doenjang
1 tbsp whole black peppercorns
3 bay leaves
1 tbsp instant coffee (for color and depth)
1 head napa cabbage, leaves separated and lightly salted
Saeujeot (salted shrimp paste)
Fresh garlic cloves, sliced
Fresh green and red chilies, sliced
Ssamjang (wrapping sauce)
Pickled radish

Instructions

1 Place beef brisket in a large pot with onion, garlic, doenjang, peppercorns, bay leaves, and instant coffee. Cover with water.
2 Bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer. Cook for 1.5-2 hours until the meat is tender enough to slice but not falling apart.
3 While meat cooks, separate napa cabbage leaves, sprinkle with salt, and let wilt for 30 minutes. Rinse briefly and pat dry.
4 Remove the cooked brisket from the broth and let rest for 10 minutes. Slice against the grain into thin pieces.
5 Arrange sliced meat on a platter with cabbage leaves, ssamjang, saeujeot, sliced garlic, and chilies on the side.
6 To eat, place a slice of meat on a cabbage leaf, add a dab of ssamjang or saeujeot, garlic, and chili, then wrap and eat in one bite.

Did You Know?

Bossam is traditionally eaten during kimjang season (late November) when families gather to make the year's supply of kimchi — the freshly boiled meat is the reward for a long day of kimchi-making.