Jokbal is a dish made by boilied pig trottter. Jokbal is also famous as BTS’ Jimin’s favorite food. Also, in Korean dramas, it is often seen that the main characters have food delivered for late-night snacks(Yasik).
The history of Jokbal
Jokbal, a form of cooking we eat today, originated in Jangchung-dong, Seoul. Jangchung-dong is where refugee villages were formed when refugees began to sneak in and live in empty houses left by the Japanese when they returned to Japan at the end of the Japanese colonial period. This is where the food made by fusion of pork trotter, which was a North Korean food, with Chinese cuisine (wuxiangjiangrou, 五香醬肉) is derived.
The Chinese-style jokbal had Anais in it and the fragrance was very strong. The flavor of Korean jokbal has weakened a lot, but I still tend to add a piece of Anais when cooking. In addition, the color of jokbal is often dark brown, which is said to be due to Chinese soy sauce. Korean jokbal also looks delicious when the color is dark. So, if you add ingredients such as soy sauce, soybean paste, caramel sauce, and coffee powder when cooking, it will remove the smell of pork and make the color darker, making it look delicious.
Ingredients for Jokbal
For jokbal, pig’s front leg is preferred. The forelegs have more cartilage and fat, so they taste better. Therefore, restaurants that sell pork feet proudly advertise that they use only the front legs. Pig trotters are not sold at nearby marts, but can be purchased at large traditional markets.
Key essence of Jokbal
Jokbal is cooked to the skin of the pig. In particular, the harmony between the chewy skin and the soft flesh is the beauty of Jokbal. Koreans believe pork skin is good for the skin because they contain a lot of collagen. And that is the most popular excuse for ordering Jokbal. So, among the famous Jokbal restaurants in Seoul, there is a shop called “Collagen Factory”.
How to eat Jokbal
Jokbal can be eaten as it is, but it is usually eaten with salted shrimp sauce or ssamjang. t This sauce is made by mixing salted shrimp with red pepper powder, garlic, and sugar and the taste is sweet and salty.
Ssamjang is a sauce made by mixing soybean paste with sugar, garlic, onion, and mayonnaise. When Koreans eat meat, they love to wrap lettuce or sesame leaves in a widespread, add slices of hot pepper and slices of raw garlic, top with meat and ssamjang, wrap it like a pouch, and eat it.
Jokbal’s best friend
Jokbal is a typical delivery food. And the food eaten with Jokbal is also very famous, and that is Makguksu. Makguksu is a dish mixing buckwheat noodles, vegetables, and laver in a cool sauce. Thanks to the taste of the spicy and sweet sauce, you can eat more Jokbal dishes that can be greasy. People often order Jokbal and Makguksu as a set menu.
Jokbal have been loved by people for a long time as a dish, but the variations of Pig’s trotter dishes have recently increased. Examples include ‘cold Jokbal’ served with vegetables in a spicy mustard scent and sweet and sour sauce, and ‘Bul-Jokbal’ stir-fried pork feet in a spicy sauce with a high Scoville index.
Jokbal’s trick
Jokbal is served thinly sliced, making it easy to eat. A pork leg bone is hidden under this appetizing sliced pork leg. Thanks to this whole bone, there is an optical illusion that the amount is large. It’s a trick that everyone in Korea knows. Koreans hold the pork leg bone with their hands and eat meat or skin attached, but also give it as a snack to their pet dog.
