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Korean BBQ Pulled Pork Tacos

Spicy, crunchy, and full of flavor this blend of Korean and Mexican cuisine is guaranteed to delight.
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 5 hours
Total Time 5 hours 30 minutes
Servings 8
Author Matthew Cetta

Ingredients

  • Approximately 8 Pound Pork Shoulder - Bone In
  • 2 Quarts of Beef stock

For The Rub

  • 1/2 Cup Brown Sugar
  • 1/2 Cup Coarse Gochugaru
  • 2 Tablespoons Onion Powder
  • 3 Tablespoons Garlic Powder
  • 1 Teaspoons Salt
  • 2 Teaspoons Freshly Ground Black Pepper

For The Korean BBQ Sauce

  • 1/2 Cup Gochujang
  • 1/2 Cup plus 2 Tablespoons Korean Rice Syrup You Can Substitute Honey
  • 1/4 Cup Rice Vinegar
  • 2 Tablespoons plus 2 Teaspoons sesame oil

For The Topping

  • 2 Cups Cucumber - Thinly julienned crosswise
  • 1 Cup Daikon - Peeled and thinly julienned crosswise
  • 1 Cup Water
  • 1 1/2 Tablespoons Green Onions
  • 2 Tablespoons Cider Vinegar
  • 2 Tablespoons Sugar
  • 1/2 Teaspoons Salt
  • 1/2 Teaspoons Soy Sauce
  • 1/2 Tablespoons Sesame Seeds
  • 2 Dozen Taco Shells

Instructions

To Do The Night Before

  1. Whisk all the rub the ingredients in a medium bowl. Break up any lumps of brown sugar.
  2. Trim the skin off the pork shoulder, or if you're squeamish have the butcher do it.
  3. Rub all the spices into the meat making sure you get all the spices into all the nooks and crannies.

To Cook The Meat

  1. Preheat oven to 325°F.
  2. Preheat a Large Heat a dutch oven over medium-high heat. Put the meat in the pot and sear on each side until nicely browned (About 3-5 minutes per side).
  3. Take the meat out and transfer it to a plate.
  4. Add 1 quart of stock and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and put the meat in the pot. Cover and transfer the whole thing to the oven.
  5. Let cook for 4 - 4 1/2 hours, flipping every 45 minutes. You most likely will need to add another quart of stock after the first 2 hours.
  6. While the meat cooks, whisk all the sauce ingredients together in a medium bowl. Cover and put in the fridge.
  7. The meat is ready when you can gently tug on it with a fork and it falls of the bone.
  8. Transfer the meat to a cutting board or a plate and pull apart with 2 forks. Shred the whole thing and transfer it to a bowl.
  9. Toss with the barbecue sauce making sure it's all evenly coated.

For The Topping

  1. While the meat is cooking, prepare the topping. In a large glass bowl, mix the vinegar, water, sugar, salt, soy, and sesame seeds until the sugar dissolves.
  2. Add the cucumber, daikon, and green onion and toss in the liquid. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

To Assemble Tacos

  1. Warm the shells in a toaster oven for a couple of minutes.
  2. Spoon the meat into shells and top with the cucumber mixture using a slotted spoon.
  3. Eat
  4. Repeat!