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In my house, summer time means trying to keep the house as cool as possible, which means I am pulling out my crock pot! Sometimes I still want a hearty, home cooked meal. I just don’t want the whole house being victim to the heat of the stovetop or oven. Which is why pulled pork is a g0-to recipe. But every now and then, the traditional pulled pork with my favorite hickory BBQ sauce gets a little repetitive. So this time, I switched it up and went Asian. Gochujang pulled pork made right in the slow cooker is spicy, salty, and sweet, and with a quick blitz in the oven, is also juicy and crispy all in one bite!
Dry Rub and Gochujang Sauce
For all of my pulled pork recipes, I start with a bone-in pork shoulder, usually 3-5lbs. And like a traditional American BBQ pulled pork recipe, I start by patting my shoulder dry and then brushing all of the sides with yellow mustard. Next, I mix together a quick dry rub to sprinkle all over the meat. This one includes:
- 3 tbsp salt
- 1½ tbsp ground black pepper
- 1 tbsp onion powder
- 1 tbsp smoked paprika
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp Chinese five spice optional
- 2 tbsp your favorite BBQ rub (a no or low sodium works best to control the salt level)
Once the meat is covered, place it into a crock pot. You can also use a large dutch oven or roasting pan if you are cooking in the oven, just make sure it has a heavy lid. Next it is time for our Korean-inspired BBQ sauce. The star of this sauce is the gochujang, a Korean fermented chili paste that sweet, spicy, and salty. In a blender or bowl, mix together the following (adjusting to taste):
- 3-4 tbsp gochujang paste
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- ½ cup low sodium soy sauce
- ¼ cup hoisin
- 2-3 tbsp lime juice
- 2 tbsp minced garlic
- 1 tbsp minced/grated ginger
- ⅓ cup vegetable stock
Pour the sauce right over the pork and place the lid on. Cook on high for 3-4 hours, or until fork tender. If cooking in the oven, cook at 275 degrees for the same amount of time.
Crispy Gochujang Pulled Pork
The pork is done once it is fall apart tender in the pot. I like to let it cool a bit and then skim off some of the fat. Next, take two forks and shred, shred, shred! Remove the bone and make sure to mix the meat with the looking liquid in your pot. You can serve it just like that, or your can crisp it up!
Transfer the pulled pork to a lipped and lined baking sheet. I like to drizzle on a bit more of the cooking liquid as well. Place on the second to top rack in the oven with broil set on high. Broil for 6-8 minutes, or until the meat is dark and crisp and all of the sugar in the sauce starts to caramelize. I toss mine halfway through so some of the pork on the bottom gets the chance to crisp as well.
And there you have it, caramelized, crispy, salty, sweet, and spicy Asian-inspired pulled pork! Garnish with some chopped green onion and white sesame seeds! The fin thing about this dish is you can serve it in all of the same ways as the pulled pork you know and love. On a bun, in a taco, with slaw and corn on the cob. This of it as a new way to enjoy a summertime classic.
Want More Slow Cooker Recipes?
- Slow Cooker Carnitas
- Slow Cooker Chili
- Slow Cooker Ribs With Alabama White Sauce
- French Onion Pot Roast
- Chicken Tortilla Soup
- Spicy Korean Pork Tacos
Gochujang Pulled Pork
Ingredients
- 3-4 lb pork shoulder (boneless or bone in)
- 2 tbsp yellow mustard
Dry Rub
- 3 tbsp salt
- 1½ tbsp ground black pepper
- 1 tbsp onion powder
- 1 tbsp smoked paprika
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp Chinese five spice optional
- 2 tbsp your favorite BBQ rub
Gochujang BBQ Sauce
- 3 tbsp gochujang paste
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- ½ cup low sodium soy sauce
- ¼ cup hoisin
- 2-3 tbsp lime juice
- 2 tbsp minced garlic
- 1 tbsp minced/grated ginger
- ⅓ cup vegetable stock
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 275° or your slow cooker to high.
- Pat your pork shoulder dry then brush all over with mustard
- Mix all of the dry rub ingredients together and sprinkle liberally on all sides of the shoulder.
- Place the shoulder in a crock pot (or if cooking in the oven, place deep roasting pan with a heavy lid).
- Next, pour all of the sauce ingredients into a bowl or blender and mix until combined. Pour the sauce over the shoulder.
- Put the lid on, and cook for 3-4 hours or until fall apart tender.
- Skim the fat off of the liquid in the pot, then take 2 forks and shred the meat, removing the bone if there is one.
- Transfer the shredded pork to a lined baking sheet and spoon on some of the cooking liquid.
- Set the broiler to high, and place the sheet pan on the second highest oven rack. Allow to broil until the meat us dark brown and crispy, about 6-8 minutes
- Garnish with green onion and sesame seeds. Serve on buns, in tacos, or alongside rice or your favorite BBQ sides.
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