Asian Pulled Pork
The perfect blend of sweet, spicy, and savory, this Asian pulled pork is incredibly flavorful and makes amazing tacos. Boneless pork shoulder country-style ribs are smothered in a delicious Asian blend of soy sauce, sesame oil, rice wine vinegar, garlic, ginger, and green onions. The pork is either slow-cooked or cooked in a pressure cooker until it is fork-tender and shreddable.
This recipe uses boneless pork shoulder country-style ribs. These are not ribs at all, rather are long pieces of pork shoulder, which makes it easier to cook for fewer people since a pork sirloin roast is quite large. This recipe feeds 4.
Since I am cooking something almost every day, I’m making a concerted effort to have fewer leftovers since my family is not big on leftovers.
These tacos are sweet, savory and spicy all at the same time. Top with shredded cabbage, carrots and pickled onions for a delicious meal in under an hour in the pressure cooker.
Ingredients in Asian Pulled Pork
- 2.5 lbs. boneless pork shoulder country style ribs
- salt and pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- olive oil
- 2/3 cup rice wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil
- 1/2 cup soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons minced garlic
- 2 tablespoons ginger, grated
- 1/4 cup green onions, chopped
- 2 tablespoons chili garlic sauce
- 1/4 cup brown sugar, plus 2 tablespoons, divided
- 1 tablespoon corn starch
- tortilla shells
- Optional Garnishes: pickled onions, shredded cabbage, shredded carrots, green onion
How to Make Asian Pulled Pork
You can make Asian pulled pork in the slow cooker, oven or Instant Pot. The methods are listed below for the slow cooker and Instant Pot.
Instant Pot Method
Trim the excess fat from the ribs.
Turn the saute feature on to heat the pressure cooker. Season the meat with salt, pepper, and onion powder.
Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to the pressure cooker and sear the meat on all sides until brown. You may need to do this in batches so the meat sears. Turn off the saute function and add all the pork back to the pot.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the rice wine vinegar, sesame oil, soy sauce, grated ginger, minced garlic, green onions, chili-garlic sauce, and brown sugar. Pour this sauce over the pork in the pressure cooker.
Close the lid and set the pressure cooker to Manual mode for 45 minutes. Allow for natural release for 15 minutes and you’ll have tender, shreddable pork in under an hour.
Shred the pork. and remove it from the Instant Pot, leaving the liquid behind.
Remove 1/4 cup of the liquid to a small bowl. Add 1 tablespoon corn starch and stir to combine.
Turn on the saute function on the pressure cooker. Add the corn starch slurry to the pot and bring the mixture to a boil. Add 2 tablespoons of brown sugar and stir until combined. Cook for 1-2 minutes until the sauce thickens. This can burn, so don’t walk away. Remove the pot liner from the pressure cooker. At this point, you can either add the pork back to the pot to mix with the sweet sauce, or you can use it as a drizzling sauce over the tacos.
Slow Cooker Method
Time the excess fat from the pork shoulder ribs.
Season the pork with salt, pepper, and onion powder. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and sear the meat evenly on all sides. Transfer the pork to the slow cooker.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the rice wine vinegar, sesame oil, soy sauce, grated ginger, minced garlic, green onions, chili-garlic sauce, and brown sugar. Pour this sauce over the pork in the slow cooker.
Cook on high for 5-6 hours or on low for 8-10 hours until the meat is fork-tender.
Shred the pork and remove it from the slow cooker, leaving the liquid behind.
Remove 1/4 cup of the liquid to a small bowl. Add 1 tablespoon corn starch and stir to combine to create a slurry.
Pour the liquid into a saucepan and add the corn starch slurry. Bring the mixture to a boil. Add 2 tablespoons of brown sugar and stir until combined. Cook for 1-2 minutes until the sauce thickens. This can burn, so don’t walk away. At this point, you can either add the pork and sauce back to the slow cooker to mix with the sweet sauce, or you can use it as a drizzling sauce over the tacos.
Ingredients
- 2.5 lbs. boneless pork shoulder country style ribs
- salt and pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- olive oil
- 2/3 cup rice wine vinegar
- 1/2 cup soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons minced garlic
- 2 tablespoons ginger grated
- 1/4 cup green onions chopped
- 2 tablespoons chili garlic sauce
- 1/4 cup brown sugar plus 2 tablespoons, divided
- 1 tablespoon corn starch
- tortilla shells
Instructions
Instant Pot Method
- Trim the excess fat from the ribs.
- Turn the saute feature on to heat the pressure cooker. Season the meat with salt, pepper, and onion powder.
- Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to the pressure cooker and sear the meat on all sides until brown. You may need to do this in batches so the meat sears. Turn off the saute function and add all the pork back to the pot.
- Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the rice wine vinegar, soy sauce, grated ginger, minced garlic, green onions, chili-garlic sauce, and brown sugar. Pour this sauce over the pork in the pressure cooker.
- Close the lid and set the pressure cooker to Manual mode for 45 minutes. Allow for natural release for 15 minutes and you'll have tender, shreddable pork in under an hour.
- Shred the pork. and remove it from the Instant Pot, leaving the liquid behind.
- Remove 1/4 cup of the liquid to a small bowl. Add 1 tablespoon corn starch and stir to combine.
- Turn on the saute function on the pressure cooker. Add the corn starch slurry to the pot and bring the mixture to a boil. Add 2 tablespoons of brown sugar and stir until combined. Cook for 1-2 minutes until the sauce thickens. This can burn, so don't walk away. Remove the pot liner from the pressure cooker. At this point, you can either add the pork back to the pot to mix with the sweet sauce, or you can use it as a drizzling sauce over the tacos.
Slow Cooker Method
- Time the excess fat from the pork shoulder ribs.
- Season the pork with salt, pepper and onion powder. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and sear the meat evenly on all sides. Transfer the pork to the slow cooker.
- Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the rice wine vinegar, soy sauce, grated ginger, minced garlic, green onions, chili-garlic sauce, and brown sugar. Pour this sauce over the pork in the slow cooker.
- Cook on high for 5-6 hours or on low for 8-10 hours until the meat is fork-tender.
- Shred the pork and remove it from the slow cooker, leaving the liquid behind.
- Remove 1/4 cup of the liquid to a small bowl. Add 1 tablespoon corn starch and stir to combine to create a slurry.
- Pour the liquid into a saucepan and add the corn starch slurry. Bring the mixture to a boil. Add 2 tablespoons of brown sugar and stir until combined. Cook for 1-2 minutes until the sauce thickens. This can burn, so don't walk away. At this point, you can either add the pork and sauce back to the slow cooker to mix with the sweet sauce, or you can use it as a drizzling sauce over the tacos.
Additional Pork Recipes
Sheet Pan Pork Tenderloin With Vegetables and Apple Cider Gravy
Slow Cooker Pulled Pork With Spicy Slaw Using Santa Maria Seasoned Pork Roast
Colorado Green Chili With Pork
Pork Medallions with Creamy Mushroom Herb Sauce
Pork Carnitas Mexican Slow Cooker Pulled Pork
You can get all the ingredients for this recipe at your local Safeway, which also offers curbside pick up and Safeway Home Delivery!
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