Trader Joe's ethnic products are always worth trying. For instance, I've tried TJ's potstickers (decent), chicken masala curry and naan (pretty darn good), and their pad thai (very oily and not so good). I was very curious to see new Korean inspired cuisine listed in their recent Fearless Flyer, so I decided to give it a spin!

According to Google, Bossam is a "pork dish in Korean cuisine. The centerpiece is pork belly, boiled in spices and thinly sliced. The meat is served with side dishes including garlic, onion, ssamjang, saeujeot and newly made kimchi." I've only had it once in New York, at Momofuku Ssam Bar. 

By the way, if you haven't had Momofuku Ssam Bar - SO good. I highly, highly recommend it.

I purchased the Korean-inspired pork shoulder at TJ's for under $6. It's about $5.99 for a pound, and it is found in the refridgerator section. However, if you're like me and was in a total haze when putting away your groceries, you might accidentally put it in the freezer. Don't do that.

It's not supposed to look like this, but here is what the inside of the box when you accidentally freeze it (oops!).

Following the instructions on the box, you can either defrost it via microwave or via an oven. I'm sure an oven would taste better. However, I was impatient and hungry so I used the microwave.

I also bought lettuce from TJ's and was very excited to utilize them in some wraps. But ... I also stupidly, accidentally froze them. So I boiled the lettuce and made the pork shoulder into a noodle dish.

The verdict = the meat itself is pretty good! It was not dry at all, and pretty fresh. The sauce complemented the meat well. It was actually fairly spicy, which I did not expect at all. I also expected it to be more teriyaki based, but the flavor was closer to ginger and chile. Overall, I say it is worth trying to see if it's something you like.

Another Korean-inspired goodie I tried was TJ's scallion pancakes. I love eating these at Korean restaurants, and at $3.50 for a bag of 4 pancakes, these were a steal. 

They were really delicious and tastes just like the ones from some Korean restaurants that I've tried. You simply plop them onto your pan and sautee until the edges are nice and crispy.

The filling is filled with scallions, carrots, and other lovely goodies. I will definitely be picking this up again!