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Smoked Bo Ssam (Kamado Joe), Momofuku-Inspired

Momofuku’s famous bo ssam, taken off the oven and onto the kamado: an overnight sugar-salt cure spiked with ginger and gochujang, then applewood smoke until it pulls apart. Serve it as lettuce wraps with kimchi and two punchy sauces.
Prep Time1 day
Cook Time7 hours

Ingredients

For the cure

  • 1 whole bone-in pork butt or picnic 8 to 10 lb
  • ¾ cup kosher salt
  • ½ cup white sugar
  • ½ cup packed brown sugar
  • 2 tbsp powdered ginger heaping
  • 1 tbsp gochujang heaping
  • Applewood chunks for smoking
  • Ginger-scallion sauce

For the Ginger Scallion Sauce

  • 2½ cups thinly sliced scallions green and white parts
  • ½ cup ginger peeled and minced
  • ¼ cup neutral oil
  • 1½ teaspoons soy sauce
  • 1 tsp sherry vinegar
  • ½ tsp kosher salt

For the Ssam Sauce

  • 2 tbsp ssamjang fermented bean-and-chili paste
  • 1 tbsp gochujang Korean chili paste
  • ½ cup sherry vinegar
  • ½ cup neutral oil
  • To serve

For Serving

  • Lettuce leaves separated, washed and dried (bibb is traditional; I used romaine)
  • Kimchi store-bought is fine
  • 1 english cucumber chopped
  • ½ red onion thinly sliced and lightly pickled (toss with white vinegar and a pinch of sugar, 20 minutes)

Instructions

  • Cure. Mix the salt, both sugars, powdered ginger, and gochujang into a rough paste. Coat the butt all over. Cover and refrigerate overnight (up to 24 hours). It’ll draw out liquid and melt into the meat.
    1 whole bone-in pork butt or picnic, ¾ cup kosher salt, ½ cup white sugar, ½ cup packed brown sugar, 2 tbsp powdered ginger, 1 tbsp gochujang
  • Fire the kamado. Get it stable at 225°F, set up for indirect low-and-slow cooking, with applewood chunks for smoke.
    Applewood chunks
  • Smoke. Put the butt on and smoke at 225°F until it probes tender and reads 205 to 210°F internal. For me this ran just under 7 hours (on at 11:51 a.m., off at 6:37 p.m.). Cook to temperature, not the clock.
  • Rest and pull. Rest 15 minutes, then pull with two forks. Chop any dark bark back through the meat.
  • Make the ginger scallion sauce first. Let it sit and meld while you make the other sauce. .
    2½ cups thinly sliced scallions, ½ cup ginger , ¼ cup neutral oil, 1½ teaspoons soy sauce, 1 tsp sherry vinegar, ½ tsp kosher salt
  • Make the Ssam sauce. Taste and adjust spice to your liking
    2 tbsp ssamjang, 1 tbsp gochujang, ½ cup sherry vinegar, ½ cup neutral oil
  • Serve. Set out lettuce, pork, both sauces, kimchi, cucumber, and pickled onion. Everybody builds their own wrap or cup.
    Lettuce leaves, Kimchi, 1 english cucumber, ½ red onion

Notes

  • Cook to temp, not time. This ran faster than the usual 1.5 to 2 hours-per-pound rule of thumb. Don’t panic if yours takes longer (or shorter); the thermometer is the boss.
  • The bark runs dark. The brown sugar takes the crust well past mahogany, and you may get a few charred bits near the bottom. Chop them back through the pull; they’re delicious. Want a lighter bark? Cut the brown sugar to ¼ cup.
  • Two butts, cooked separately. I ran them one at a time for a faster cook and less babysitting. Double the cure if you do the same.
  • Kimchi. Store-bought is a perfectly honest choice.
  • Rice. I skipped it (cutting carbs). Add 2 cups cooked white rice for the full traditional spread.
  • Oysters. Same as above. July is not oyster season and I don't live near the coast to get them fresh. If you're making this in a month that contains an R, I highly recommend you add oysters.
  • Make-ahead. The overnight cure is a feature, not a chore. Pulled pork holds warm and reheats beautifully.