Bossam was one of those dishes I always ordered when going out for Korean food but never attempted myself, mostly because braising a big piece of pork belly felt like a commitment I didn't always have time for in college. But I finally carved out a weekend for it. 

I braised the pork belly low and slow in a mix of soybean paste, garlic, ginger, and aromatics right before it was fall-apart tender, then let it cool completely before slicing it thin. The trick I picked up is searing those slices afterward to crisp up the edges, so you get that tender braised center with a little bit of crunch on the outside. 

I served it with ssam leaves, kimchi, and a ssamjang I mixed myself with a bit of extra garlic since I can never leave well enough alone. Wrapping each bite fresh at the table, a little different every time depending on how much sauce or kimchi you piled on, made this feel less like a meal and more like an event.