This Asian Pulled Pork is tender, juicy, and coated in a bold sweet-and-spicy garlic ginger sauce that’s absolutely irresistible. Made with slow-cooked pork shoulder, soy sauce, sesame oil, rice wine vinegar, fresh ginger, and chili garlic sauce, this easy pulled pork recipe delivers the perfect balance of savory, sweet, tangy, and heat in every bite.
Course Main Course
Cuisine Asian
Keyword Asian Pulled Pork, Asian Pulled Pork Tacos, Korean Pulled Pork Tacos
Prep Time 10 minutesminutes
Cook Time 45 minutesminutes
Natural Release Time 15 minutesminutes
Total Time 1 hourhour5 minutesminutes
Servings 6servings
Calories
Author Eva Fry
Ingredients
2.5lbs.boneless pork shoulder country style ribs or pork shoulder
salt and pepper
1/2teaspoononion powder
olive oil
2/3cuprice wine vinegar
1/2cupsoy sauce
2tablespoonsminced garlic
2tablespoonsgingergrated
1/4cupgreen onionschopped
2tablespoonschili garlic sauce
1/4cupbrown sugarplus 2 tablespoons, divided
1tablespooncorn 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.