I’ve Made This Korean Pulled Pork a Dozen Times—and I’m Never Stopping

Want an easy pulled pork recipe with serious main-character energy? Channeling the same thrill as “The Price Is Right” Showcase Showdown, chef David Chang’s Momofuku's bo ssam—the Korean dish he popularized at his East Village restaurant—relies on little more than salt, sugar, and a low-and-slow roast to produce outrageously flavorful, fall-off-the-bone pork.

Bo ssam makes such a gorgeous and fun, family-style supper for special occasions, but it's equally comfy as a Sunday dinner on rare weekends when you've got the time, and feel a little extra. Ssam is Korean for "wrapped," inviting you to experience a flavor bomb-bite of warm, crispy pork crust and tender white rice, with herbaceous and tangy toppings—so you never have to go back to boring lettuce cups again.

I’ve made this bo ssam at least a dozen times and have zero regrets—and I’ll probably keep making it forever. Roughly 10,000 five-star reviews on The New York Times recipe page back me up. A restaurant-worthy dish that’s still beginner-friendly, this bo ssam recipe all but guarantees compliments. Even without the optional oysters, serving it with store-bought kimchi is pure chef’s kiss.

How To Make Momofuku's Bo Ssam

Once you lock down a pork butt—you can use pork shoulder, blade or picnic roast, and Boston butt—plus ssamjang, and gochujang for the ssam sauce, you only need a few common pantry staples. If it came with rice and kimchi, the ssamjang and gochujang set on Amazon would basically be the bo ssam starter kit.

Always use pork butt. One time, out of desperation, I used a much leaner pork loin, and it dried out like the turkey in "Christmas Vacation." Find a juicy, bone-in pork butt with a fat cap at your local grocery, butcher, or specialty food store.

The night before: Place the pork butt in a large bowl or baking dish, and rub the salt and sugar mixture all over it. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap, and let it rest in the fridge for at least six hours.

The day of: Preheat the oven to 300°F. Remove the pork from the fridge, brush off any extra rub and discard the juices. If not already on one, place the pork in a baking dish. Roast for six hours, basting every hour starting at two hours in.

While the pork roasts, assemble the sauces. In a medium bowl, mix thinly chopped scallions and minced fresh ginger with oil, sherry vinegar, soy sauce, and salt. Separately in a small bowl, mix ssamjang, gochujang, sherry vinegar, and oil. Also, cook the rice.

While the pork roasts, assemble the sauces. In a medium bowl, mix thinly chopped scallions and minced fresh ginger with oil, sherry vinegar, soy sauce, and salt. Separately in a small bowl, mix ssamjang, gochujang, sherry vinegar, and oil. Also, cook the rice.

Once the pork falls off the bone, remove it from the oven and turn the oven up to 500°F. Carefully, press the brown sugar and salt mixture onto the pork, then roast until a caramelized crust begins to form, or about 15 minutes. Allow the meat to rest for at least 20 minutes once it's out of the oven.

How To Eat This Delicious Bo Ssam

To serve, transfer the sauces, kimchi, and rice to bowls, and arrange clean Bibb lettuce leaves and the whole pork butt on platters. For easy, family-style eating, pull the pork off the bone with forks.

Along with your favorite store-bought kimchi—or a quick homemade version—you can add any toppings you like, such as chili crisp or hot sauce. When we inevitably run out of lettuce, my boyfriend switches to warm, street-taco-size tortillas.

If you have leftovers, the roasted pork keeps for three to four days in the refrigerator and makes an excellent lunch bowl. The accompanying sauces also elevate breakfast eggs, salads, and soups—even without their pork-and-rice counterparts.

They say everything’s best in moderation. But for a pork dish your family will be thrilled to see in regular rotation, sometimes you’ve just got to go all in.