Tender and Aromatic Boiled Pork Belly (Suyuk)
Tender and Aromatic Boiled Pork Belly (Suyuk)
How to Make Delicious Boiled Pork Belly (Suyuk) for Your Kimchi-Making Home Party
The quintessential dish for any Kimchi-making day! This recipe teaches you how to perfectly boil pork belly (Suyuk/Bossam) without any gamey odor, resulting in incredibly tender meat.
Main Ingredients- 600g Pork Belly block for Suyuk
- 1 handful Garlic cloves (approx. 7 cloves)
- 30g Hovenia dulcis (Hutgai-namu)
- 10g Acanthopanax sessiliflorus (Ogamok)
- 4g Pueraria montana var. lobata root (Galgeun)
- 20g Morus alba (Ppongnamu)
- 8g Saururus chinensis (Sambaekcho)
- 16g Kalopanax septemlobus (Eomnamu)
- 8g Cinnamon stick
- 0.4g Bay leaves
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
Lightly score the top surface of the pork belly block every 2cm. This scoring helps the aromatics penetrate better and ensures even cooking, leading to a more delicious Suyuk.
Step 2
Bring a pot of water to a boil. Once boiling, add the pork belly and blanch for 1-2 minutes. This step removes impurities from the surface of the meat, helping to eliminate any gamey odors. Discard the blanching water and rinse the pot.
Step 3
Fill the clean pot with fresh cold water. Add all the prepared medicinal herbs (Hovenia dulcis, Acanthopanax sessiliflorus, Pueraria root, Morus alba, Saururus chinensis, Kalopanax, cinnamon stick, and bay leaves) along with the whole garlic cloves. Bring the water to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes to allow the herbal essences to infuse thoroughly into the water.
Step 4
Once the herbal broth is simmering, carefully place the blanched pork belly into the pot. Increase the heat to high and boil for 10 minutes. This initial high-heat cooking helps to sear the outside of the pork, locking in the juices.
Step 5
After boiling on high heat for 10 minutes, reduce the heat to medium and continue to simmer for another 30 minutes. Finally, lower the heat to low and let it gently cook for an additional 10 minutes, until the pork belly is completely tender and cooked through. This total cooking time of about 50 minutes ensures the meat remains moist and succulent. To check for doneness, insert a skewer or fork into the thickest part; if no pink juices run out, it’s ready.
Step 6
Once cooked, remove the Suyuk from the pot and let it cool slightly for 5-10 minutes until the steam subsides. It’s important to let it rest and cool a bit before slicing, as it will be easier to cut neatly and prevent it from falling apart.
Step 7
Place the cooled pork belly on a cutting board. Slice it against the grain into approximately 0.5cm thick pieces. Serve warm with rice, kimchi, ssamjang (dipping sauce), and other accompaniments for a delightful home party spread!
