Slow Cooker Shredded Korean Pork

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Slow Cooker Korean Pork is sweet, spicy, and incredibly easy to make. Use it in tacos, sandwiches, salads, and rice bowls for a delicious dinner with plenty of leftovers for lunches. This healthy dish will quickly become a family favorite.

251 CAL 13g CARBS 5g FAT 37g PROTEIN
2 Comments

Slow Cooker Korean Pork made with a homemade sweet and spicy bulgogi style sauce couldn't be more delicious. This healthy and lean dish has all the flavor of your favorite Korean takeout but is so much better for you since it is made with pork tenderloin. Have a full-on Korean feast with these Korean Beef Bowls and Stewed Korean Chicken Thighs.

Asian sweet and spicy pulled pork!?! Need I say more? I recommend making this immediately. If you have been around for awhile, you may recognize this recipe. It is the same recipe I use for the Korean Beef Tacos, but with pork tenderloin instead of beef. The beef recipe is one of the most popular, so I figured why not use it again and switch up the protein?

This Slow Cooker Korean Pork is perfect for sandwiches, tacos, burritos, salads, with wraps, or right out of the slow cooker, which is usually how I end up eating it. 

Slow Cooker Korean Pork on tortillas with slaw and Sriracha next to a plate of shredded pork.

The key to this dish is the sauce. It's made with a combination of soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, red onion, ginger, rice vinegar, and jalapenos. It' a little sweet, a little spicy, and a little savory. The perfect combination in my opinion. To kick up the spice, you can add in some sambal olek, Siracha, or extra jalapeno. I recommend tasting the sauce as you go to get it to just the right spice level, remembering that the spice will mellow out a bit as it cooks. You can always add extra at the end, so opt for slightly less spicy if you are worried.

Tips for Making Slow Cooker Korean Pork

  • Protein: Pork tenderloin is the healthiest option when it comes to pork for this dish. However, if you want a more traditional texture, you may want to opt for a pork shoulder. Just made sure to trim all the fat of the shoulder before cooking it if you want to cut back on calories. If you don't want to use pork, this dish is delicious with beef or chicken. I like using an eye round roast or chicken thighs. Chicken breast works too just be careful not to overcook it so it doesn't get too dry.
  • Spice level: If you want a spicy Korean pork, I would recommend swapping in sambal olek for the jalapenos. The chili sauce will add a delicious heat to the sauce. 
  • Garlic: Yes! Use ten whole cloves of garlic. Since the garlic isn't minced, the flavor won't be overpowering. 
  • Gluten-free: For a gluten-free version, use coconut aminos in place of the soy sauce.

Serving Ideas for Crockpot Korean Pork

  • Tacos: My favorite option for serving this pork is to stuff it into some lightly charred tortillas. Then top it high with cabbage or broccoli slaw and add some Sriracha, cilantro, and freshly chopped onions. Sometimes I add chopped pineapple or mango as well.
  • Lettuce Wraps: Much like tacos, these make great lettuce wraps. I like to use butter lettuce for my wraps and usually I add shredded carrots, diced cucumbers, and edamame.
  • Rice bowls: Use quinoa, brown rice, or cauliflower rice to create a wholesome grain bowl. Top it with your favorite raw or cooked veggies. I like using red cabbage, carrots, cucumbers, edamame, and some pickled ginger.
  • Sandwiches: This makes a really killer sandwich, think of it as a Korean style pulled pork. 

Originally this recipe was shared in 2015. Here is one of the photos from the old post, not the prettiest but still an amazing sandwich.

Crockpot Korean pork served in a sandwich roll with red cabbage.

The Recipe
Slow Cooker Korean Pork served in corn tortillas with slaw and hot sauce.

Slow Cooker Shredded Korean Pork

251 CAL 13g CARBS 5g FAT 37g PROTEIN
PREP TIME: 10 Min
COOK TIME: 8 Hours
TOTAL TIME: 8 Hours, 10 Min
2 Comments
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Ingredients

US METRICS
  • 3 lb lean pork tenderloin
  • 1/3 cup brown sugar (or Stevia)
  • 1/3 cup low sodium soy sauce
  • 10 cloves garlic, whole
  • 1/2 cup red onion, diced
  • 2 jalapenos, diced (or substitute 2-4 tbsp. Sriracha)
  • 2 tbsp. fresh ginger root, peeled and grated
  • 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
  • 2 tbsp sesame seeds

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Instructions

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1

Combine the sugar, soy sauce, red onion, jalapenos, ginger, rice vinegar, sesame seeds in a small bowl.

2

Add the pork and garlic to the crock pot and cover with the sauce.

3

Cook for 8 hours on low. When it has 30 minutes left to cook and the pork can be easily shredded with a fork, break it into larger pieces. Continue cooking without the lid on so the sauce thickens up. Finish shredding the pork.

Diets:
Nutritional Facts
Serving Size: 2/3 cup (210g)
Amount Per Serving
Calories 251
Calories from Fat 44
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 5g
7%
Saturated Fat 1g
7%
Monounsaturated Fat 0g
0%
Polyunsaturated Fat 0g
0%
Cholesterol 111mg
37%
Sodium 449mg
20%
Total Carbohydrate 13g
4%
Dietary Fiber 1g
3%
Sugars 10g
Protein 37g

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

The Nutritional Values provided are estimates only and may vary based on the preparation method.

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About the author Meet Kristen McCaffrey
Hi, I’m the cookbook author, recipe developer, and food enthusiast behind Slender Kitchen. I am obsessed with making healthy food that is easy to prepare and absolutely delicious. Meal planning is my secret weapon and I hope I can make meal time easier for you with our tried and tested recipes and foolproof meal plans. Learn More
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2 Comments
On Slow Cooker Shredded Korean Pork
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Mathew
March 9, 2024 - 09:46
I’m making this today. Smells so good. I wanted to point out though that typical soy source is not considered gluten free. You would want to use liquid aminos for this to be truly gluten free.
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Lea
September 26, 2018 - 10:21
Add a Rating:
5
I made this the other night and it was delicious. The garlic cloves were amazing! Next time we make it, we are going to put in at least 20 cloves. Because they are whole, they don't add any harsh flavor.
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