''Jokbal'' () is a

Korean Korean may refer to: People and culture * Koreans, people from the Korean peninsula or of Korean descent * Korean culture * Korean language **Korean alphabet, known as Hangul or Korean **Korean dialects **See also: North–South differences in t ...

dish consisting of

pig's trotters A pig's trotter, also known as a pettitoe, is the culinary term for a pig's foot. It is used as a cut of pork in various dishes around the world, and experienced a resurgence in the late 2000s. Description image:Crubeens 2008.jpg, Pigs' trotters ...

cooked with

soy sauce Soy sauce (sometimes called soya sauce in British English) is a liquid condiment of China, Chinese origin, traditionally made from a fermentation (food), fermented paste of soybeans, roasted cereal, grain, brine, and ''Aspergillus oryzae'' or ''A ...

and spices.Jokbal
at

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It is usually braised in a combination of soy sauce, ginger, garlic, and rice wine. Additional ingredients used can include onion, leeks, garlic, cinnamon, and black pepper.

History

''Jokbal'' is presumed to have originated from braised pork, a local food of

Hwanghae Province Hwanghae Province (''Hwanghae-do'' ) was one of the Eight Provinces of Korea during the Joseon era. Hwanghae was located in the northwest of Korea. The provincial capital was Haeju. The regional name for the province was Haeseo (). It is a reg ...

, where pigs' legs are boiled. The current jokbal is a food that started in Jangchung-dong in the 1960s and is known to have been developed by grandmothers from

Pyongan Province Pyongan Province (; ) was one of Eight Provinces of Korea during the Joseon dynasty. Pyongan was located in the northwest of Korea. The provincial capital was Pyongyang. History Pyongan Province was formed in 1413. Its name derived from the name ...

and Hwanghae Province for a living. In the 1960s and 1970s, it became widely known through visitors to Jangchung Gymnasium, where professional wrestling games were frequently held. The etymology of the term ''jokbal'' is disputed. The first presumption is that the word ''jokbal'' is from word ''jjokbal'' () meaning ''

cloven hoof A cloven hoof, cleft hoof, divided hoof, or split hoof is a hoof split into two toes. Members of the mammalian order Artiodactyla that possess this type of hoof include cattle, deer, pigs, antelopes, gazelles, goats, and sheep. The two digits ...

'' and the word ''jjokbal'' was pronounced softly to sell as menu and became ''jokbal''. The second presumption is that the Sino-Korean word ''jok'' () which means foot and the Korean word ''bal'' () which also means foot was written together on a menu for customers who cannot read Korean and it became a single word.

Serving

As ''jokbal'' is a dish usually shared by several people, it is generally served in large portions, and as it is greasy and has a strong flavour, Korean diners often eat it as ''

ssam ' () are dishes in Korean cuisine where one food is wrapped in another. A common variety is meat such as pork wrapped in a leafy vegetable.anju'' and thus is often accompanied with

soju Soju (English pronunciation: ; ) is a clear and colorless distilled alcoholic beverage from Korea, traditionally made from rice, but later from other grains and has a flavor similar to vodka. It is usually consumed neat. Its alcohol content ...

. Restaurants serving ''jokbal'' frequently offer both a regular and a spicy version of the dish, with especially spicy versions being dubbed ''buljokbal''—literally "fire ''jokbal''". Most also offer other variations, including Busan-style ''naengchae jokbal'', which is served cold and garnished with chilled vegetables.

Nutrition

''Jokbal'' contains a lot of

gelatin Gelatin or gelatine () is a translucent, colorless, flavorless food ingredient, commonly derived from collagen taken from animal body parts. It is brittle when dry and rubbery when moist. It may also be referred to as hydrolyzed collagen, coll ...

and is thus said to promote firm, wrinkle-free skin. The

amino acid Amino acids are organic compounds that contain both amino and carboxylic acid functional groups. Although over 500 amino acids exist in nature, by far the most important are the 22 α-amino acids incorporated into proteins. Only these 22 a ...

methionine Methionine (symbol Met or M) () is an essential amino acid in humans. As the precursor of other non-essential amino acids such as cysteine and taurine, versatile compounds such as SAM-e, and the important antioxidant glutathione, methionine play ...

, found in pork, is claimed to counteract the effects of alcohol and prevent

hangover A hangover is the experience of various unpleasant physiological and psychological effects usually following the consumption of alcohol (beverage), alcohol, such as wine, beer, and liquor. Hangovers can last for several hours or for more than ...

s. Korean sources also attribute numerous other beneficial effects to pork products like ''jokbal''.

Jokbal Street

The area around Dongguk University Station in

Jangchung-dong Jangchung-dong () is a '' dong'' (neighborhood) of Jung District, Seoul, South Korea. Etymology The name Jangchung-dong originated from the Jangchungdan that was located in this area. Established in 1900, Jangchungdan was a place where ceremonie ...

Seoul Seoul, officially Seoul Special Metropolitan City, is the capital city, capital and largest city of South Korea. The broader Seoul Metropolitan Area, encompassing Seoul, Gyeonggi Province and Incheon, emerged as the world's List of cities b ...

, is known for its numerous ''jokbal'' restaurants. The restaurants have long histories, some having been open for as many as 50 years, and all claim to be the "original" ''jokbal'' restaurant. Most of the restaurants have opened franchises throughout the country and offer delivery services.Jangchung jokbal chains
, Hankyung, 2009-04-22. Retrieved 2010-06-30.

Gallery

File:Jokbal 2.jpg, Standard ''jokbal'' File:Jokbal on a plate 2011.jpg, With sauces File:Korean cuisine-Jokbal-01.jpg Jokbal korea.jpg File:Jokbal 3.jpg File:Bossam and jokbal.jpg, With ''

bossam ''Bossam'' () is a pork dish in Korean cuisine. It usually consists of pork shoulder that is boiled in spices and thinly sliced. The meat is served with side dishes such as spicy radish salad, sliced raw garlic, ''ssamjang'' (wrap sauce), ''saeu ...

'' File:Jokbal-namdaemunmarket.jpg, At a vendor in Namdaemun Market File:Korean food-Jokbal-01.jpg, At Korean Town in

Osaka is a Cities designated by government ordinance of Japan, designated city in the Kansai region of Honshu in Japan. It is the capital of and most populous city in Osaka Prefecture, and the List of cities in Japan, third-most populous city in J ...

Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...

References

External links

{{Commons category
Jangchung-dong Jokbal Street
Korea Tourism Organization
The story of food: Jokbal
Korean pork dishes Pig's trotters Street food