Jokbal is closer to bossam than to any Korean pork dishes, but not everyone falls in love with it at first sight just as you would with, say, bibimbap. To explain its charm is also to embrace the potential reaction that people might have with it. It is boiled pig leg and feet, and the image might not appeal to many people, but it is cleaned thoroughly and deboned with the hair strands plucked with the utmost care.
The broth is also very different from bossam, with jokbal’s primarily scallions, garlic, ginger, cheongju (rice wine) and water. The pig’s feet are then boiled in this broth for two to three hours until soft. When served it comes with several side dishes such as lettuce, kimchi, radish, leeks with the usual ssamjang and salted leaves.
*photo taken by Grey Jang, This is KOREA
