Slow Cooker Asian Pulled Pork
If you’re using a 4 pound pork butt and it’s larger than your slow cooker, cut the pork into 2-3 smaller pieces. It’ll cook quicker. And, remember, don't waste the sauce!If you have a pork butt that’s about 3 pounds or smaller and don't like too much sauce, then make half the sauce. If you're making the full batch of sauce on a 3.5 pound pork butt, you'll have plenty of sauce left over for your pasta, noodles or rice.
Ingredients
- 4 - 4.5 pounds (1.75-2 kg) pork butt or pork shoulder
- oil , to coat pork
- salt , for seasoning pork
- 15 oz. (425 g) diced or crushed tomatoes
- 5-6 cloves garlic , minced
- 1 onion , diced
- 1.5 inch (4 cm) knob fresh ginger , finely grated or minced (about 2 Tablespoons (30ml))
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) fish sauce , or soy sauce (but fish sauce tastes better! try it) For Gluten Free use Tamari
- 2 Tablespoons (30 ml) chili garlic sauce , or Gluten Free Hot Sauce
- 1 Tablespoon (15 ml) spicy brown mustard
- 1/4 cup (55 g) brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) fresh cracked black pepper , plus more for seasoning pork
Equipment
Instructions
- Lightly coat the pork shoulder with oil and season all sides with salt and pepper.
- Optional Sear (for caramelization and better flavor): Heat large skillet on medium-high heat. Sear all sides of the pork butt or shoulder on the hot pan until the pork is brown. About 3 minutes per side. Remove the pan from heat.
- In the slow cooker, add tomatoes, garlic, onion, ginger, brown sugar, fish sauce, chili garlic sauce, mustard, and black pepper. Stir together until well combined.
- Add the seared pork into the slow cooker with the sauce and ladle the tomato sauce mixture over the pork.
- Place lid on the slow cooker. Cook the pork for about 5-6 hours on high (8 hours on low), or until the pork is tender and easily shreds with a fork.
- During the cooking about halfway through, we like to gently flip the pork (you don't have to do this, but it helps everything cook a little more even).
- Skim off any excess fat.
- When pork is tender enough to shred with a couple forks, turn the slow cooker on “warm”. Shred the pork into pieces and stir into the sauce.
- Serve the pulled pork on rice, pasta, noodles, as a slider, sandwich or in tacos. We also love making pulled pork quesadillas and burritos!
Nutrition
Calories: 361kcal, Carbohydrates: 14g, Protein: 44g, Fat: 13g, Saturated Fat: 5g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 6g, Trans Fat: 0.1g, Cholesterol: 136mg, Sodium: 1019mg, Potassium: 994mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 11g, Vitamin A: 118IU, Vitamin C: 7mg, Calcium: 68mg, Iron: 4mg