Until this day, purchasing a pork butt roast was completely unmarked territory for me. The name alone intimidated me. As well as, it’s prehistoric size and time-intensive preparation.

That is until I discovered the slow cooker could take care of the entire cooking process without my supervision or  additional steps. I would have never guessed making pulled pork could be as easy as sliding a switch to low. Also, I have to mention it’s incredible price. A $5 roast could feed 5-8 people, which seems incredibly cheap when you compare it to chicken or beef.  Plus, most of the marinade’s ingredients may already be in your pantry, which makes this recipe that much more appealing.

To turn the volume up a bit and add a little fresh pop of flavor, I decided to some pickled vegetables would do the trick. But instead of dropping $5 on a jar from the grocery store, you can easily make a quick pickling liquid for a fraction of the price. Simply boil some sugar and vinegar and flavor it with garlic and ginger. Pour over vegetables, chill in the fridge and you’ve got perfectly sweet and sour vegetables. It’s so easy and flavorful that I think this will be popping up in my meals more often. There is just something addicting about food that eases your sweet tooth and tickles your jaw.

The combination of pork and vegetables hits every spot on your tongue, so you want just one more bite. The pulled pork is warm and spicy, which juxtaposes the vinegary pop of chilled vegetables — an incredibly addicting pairing in food. You can’t say I warned you.

I made half this batch to feed my home, but I think this recipe would be perfect for upcoming Superbowl Parties, so I wrote the recipe to feed more. You could really prepare the roast and vegetables the night before, shred the pork in the morning and keep it warm and/or chilled all day. When it’s time to serve, everything is ready to go. The perfect recipe for a fun, relaxing party.

Recipe Adapted from Spoonful.com

4.5 from 2 reviews

Asian Style Slow Cooker Pulled Pork

 

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Author: Morgan Cox

Ingredients

• ½ cup low sodium soy sauce
• ½ cup hoisin sauce
• 2 tablespoons ketchup
• 2 tablespoons sriracha hot chili sauce
• 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
• ¼ cup honey
• 3 cloves garlic, put through a garlic press
• 1½ tablespoons peeled and grated fresh ginger
• 2 teaspoons dark sesame oil
• 1½ teaspoons Chinese five-spice powder
• 4 pounds boneless butt pork roast, trimmed of fat and cut into 2 inch chunks
• pickled vegetables, recipe follows
• 8-10 kaiser rolls

Instructions

1. Add all ingredients except pork butt, vegetables and rolls into a slow cooker. Whisk together until honey is incorporated. Add pork and toss with clean hands until it is completely coated. Put on high for one hour, then put to low and cook for an additional 8 hours. If possible, stir after 7 hours (not necessary if time doesn’t permit). Remove pork with a slotted spoon to a cutting board. Shred the pork by pulling the pieces apart with two forks. Remove a ¼ of the liquid before adding the meat back to the cooker. Skim off fat as needed. Add vegetables to the bottom of each roll and then top with the pulled pork. Top with buns and serve immediately.
2. Pulled pork can be made 2 days ahead. Store in an airtight container.

Notes

Recipe adapted from Spoonfull.com

3.1.09

The following is a recipe for quickly pickling vegetables. Making them at least a day ahead is best, but you could also make them with only 1 hour to spare.

Quick Pickled Peppers and Cucumbers

1 large yellow bell pepper, sliced into 1/4 inch matchsticks

1/2 hot house cucumber, sliced into 1/4 inch matchsticks

1 serrano pepper, seeds and ribs removed, sliced into 1/4 inch matchsticks

1/4 cup white sugar

1/4 cup rice whine vinegar

1/2 tablespoon salt

1/2 inch fresh ginger, peeled and sliced

1 large garlic clove, put through garlic press

Directions:

Place all vegetables in a large glass or ceramic bowl. Toss gently.

Add sugar, vinegar, salt, ginger and garlic to a medium sauce pan. Whisk and place over medium high heat until boiling. Once boiling, remove from heat and pour mixture over vegetables. Cover with plastic wrap and chill from 1 hour to 8 hours. Drain vegetables before use. Store in liquid.

I promise all your guests will be impressed.