All you need are a few simple ingredients and you'll have this slow cooker gochujang pulled pork recipe ready for a busy weeknight! Sweet and spicy, this gochujang pulled pork is versatile and can be used in so many ways that you'll want to add this to your regular dinner rotation!
There is nothing better than tender, fall-apart pulled pork, and this Korean-inspired version has been on repeat at my house. I especially made this recipe a ton when we were in the thick of packing and moving homes, so it's definitely a super easy recipe to whip up for a busy weeknight dinner.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- As I mentioned earlier, I made this Korean-inspired pulled pork recipe while I was in the thick of showing my house and prepping to move. I only had a few kitchen appliances on hand and a limited selection of pantry items, so I had to be creative with my meals. This slow cooker gochujang pulled pork recipe really proved itself to be a staple in my meal rotation, as it only took a handful of ingredients to prep, and the slow cooker did all the work during the day. Clean up was easy as well, as we only had so much time in the evenings between packing and cleaning!
- It's so versatile! There are so many ways to serve this tender gochujang pork recipe, from using it in a rice bowl, tacos, nachos, on burger buns, and more! You don't even have to broil the pulled pork if you don't want the pork to be crispy.
- It's so flavorful! Just a handful of ingredients create such a delicious mix of flavors that you'll want to lick your bowl clean.
Ingredients You'll Need
pork — it's best to use boneless pork butt or pork shoulder. You want the meat to have fat on it so it doesn't dry out as it slowly cooks. Skip the pork loin or tenderloin
salt and pepper
onion — you can use a standard yellow onion or a sweet onion. I usually use sweet onions as I like the sweeter flavor it imparts.
garlic — the more, the merrier! There's no such thing as too much garlic!
chicken or vegetable stock — feel free to use whatever you have on hand.
gochujang — also known as Korean red chili pepper paste. Keep in mind that they come in different levels of spiciness, so make sure to double-check the container. Feel free to get a super spicy one or a mild one, depending on your preference.
low-sodium soy sauce — I prefer to use low-sodium. If you are using regular soy sauce, you might want to slightly reduce the added salt to the pork.
rice vinegar — to add a bit of tang to the overall sauce and cut through the richness of the gochujang.
honey — I like to use honey, but you can also use maple syrup. If you have neither, brown sugar is a good substitute.
How To Make Slow Cooker Gochujang Pulled Pork
- Pat dry the pork shoulder with paper towels, if needed.
- Generously season the pork shoulder with salt and pepper.
- Mix together the chicken stock, gochujang, soy sauce, rice vinegar, and honey together and set aside.
- Add the onions and garlic to the bottom of the slow cooker and place the pork shoulder on top.
- Pour the mixture on top of the pork.
- Cook for 4-6 hours on high heat or 8-10 hours on low heat.
- When done, shred pork with two forks directly in the slow cooker and let sit for 10 minutes, allowing the pork to soak up the liquid.
- Optional: Place the shredded pork on a large rimmed baking sheet. Pour 1 cup of the liquid from the slow cooker over the shredded pork.
- Broil for 5 to 10 minutes or until the pork becomes golden brown and crispy around the edges. You might need to do this twice to fit all the shredded pork if it does not all fit.
Tips and Notes
- It is best to avoid opening the lid of the slow cooker while the pork is cooking. Doing so can release the heat that has built up inside, causing a drop in temperature and requiring additional time for the heat to build back up again.
- You can prepare pulled pork as a freezer meal by adding the seasoned pork, onion, garlic, chicken stock, gochujang, soy sauce, rice vinegar, and honey to a large freezer-friendly ziptop bag. When ready to enjoy, thaw it overnight and add it to your slow cooker.
- Slow cooker liners help make clean-up easier. Same with parchment paper or foil on the sheet pan.
Storage
- To store the leftover crockpot pulled pork, allow the pork to cool to room temperature and then transfer to an airtight container. Store in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat in the microwave.
- To freeze the shredded pork, allow it to cool to room temperature and transfer to a freezer-safe bag, and freeze it for up to three months. Thaw fully before reheating.
Recipe
Slow Cooker Gochujang Pulled Pork Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 5 pounds pork shoulder or butt
- salt and pepper
- 1 onion, sliced
- 4 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
- ½ cup chicken stock, or vegetable stock
- ⅓ cup gochujang
- ¼ cup low-sodium soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- ¼ cup honey
Instructions
- Pat dry the pork shoulder with paper towels, if needed.
- Generously season the pork shoulder with salt and pepper.
- Mix together the chicken stock, gochujang, soy sauce, rice vinegar, and honey in a bowl.
- Add the onions and garlic to the bottom of the slow cooker and place the pork shoulder on top. Pour the gochujang mixture on top.
- Cook for 4-6 hours on high heat or 8-10 hours on low heat.
- When done, shred pork with two forks directly in the slow cooker and let sit for 10 minutes, allowing the pork to soak up the liquid.
- Place the shredded pork on a large rimmed baking sheet. Pour 1 cup of the liquid from the slow cooker over the shredded pork.
- Broil for 5 to 10 minutes or until the pork becomes golden brown and crispy around the edges. You might need to do this twice to fit all the shredded pork if it does not all fit.
- Serve immediately.
Nutrition
More Recipes You May Like
- Slow Cooker Carnitas
- Slow Cooker Beef Tips and Gravy
- Slow Cooker Cilantro Lime Chicken
- Slow Cooker Honey Chipotle Chicken
More places to find me: @onepotonlyrecipes on Instagram and One Pot Only on Pinterest.
Leave a Reply