Gochujang Korean Pulled Pork
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Win over the whole family with this flavor-packed Korean pulled pork. The meat slowly cooks away for hours, soaking up ALL the flavor from a delicious marinade of Korean gochujang, soy sauce, honey, and chicken stock. The best part: it's super easy thanks to the slow cooker. This succulent, melt-in-your-mouth masterpiece practically cooks itself!
For more Korean-inspired dinners, try these Korean chicken thighs or gochujang pork chops.
This Korean pulled pork has all the qualities you adore in tender, fall-apart pulled pork but elevates it with a twist of Korean flavors ā slightly sweet, smoky, and a little spicy. The magic happens by letting your gochujang pork simmer away in the slow cooker, mingling all the flavors. It's a super easy dinner recipe that shines as a main dish, on pizza, noodles, tacos, and more.
Is this an authentic Korean pulled pork recipe?
This recipe features tender, pulled pork wrapped up in our favorite Korean flavor ā gochujang. It is quite different than bossam, traditional Korean boiled pork. Bossam is made by boiling a braising cut of pork in a flavorful broth and then thinly slicing it to serve. My Korean Kitchen has a great bossam recipe you should check out.
While our recipe for Korean pulled pork is not authentic, it is a fan favorite made with the flavors you associate with Korean food ā sweet, salty, spicy, delicious!
What is gochujang
Gochujang is a staple of Korean cooking! The name comes from the Korean words: gochu, which means chili or hot pepper, and jang, which means paste or sauce. It's a fermented chili paste that has a distinct and complex flavor profile: it's spicy, a little sweet, and totally umami flavor ā kind of like miso, but spicy.
Made from red chili peppers, it brings moderate heat. It has some sweetness, usually from a rice syrup. The deep umami flavor comes from the fermentation process, giving a rich savory taste.
Ingredients needed
This succulent Korean pulled pork uses only a few simple ingredients ā this is what you need:
- Gochujang: The star of the show, this Korean chili paste gives a bold, umami, and spicy kick.
- Soy sauce: Adds saltiness and a dark savory note. Opt for low sodium, or gluten-free if needed.
- Honey: Contributes natural sweetness, balancing out the other flavors.
- Chicken stock:Ā A savory and rich addition to keep the pork moist.
- Pork shoulder or butt: Our protein source!
How to make Korean pulled pork
We don't know what's best about this Korean pulled pork recipe: the mouthwatering flavor or the sheer simplicity ā It takes around five minutes of prep time before you let the slow cooker work its magic. These are the instructions:
- Throw it in the crockpot: Whisk the sauce ingredients together in a bowl. Put the pork in your slow cooker, pour the sauce over the top, then walk away and let the magic happen!
- Shred the pork: When ready, remove the pork, put it into a baking dish, and shred it with forks.
- Reduce the sauce: Pour all the juice left from the slow cooker into a small pot and bring it to a boil until it thickens and becomes saucy. We like to scoop out the fat that rises to the top as there's usually quite a bit.
- Mix and enjoy: Pour the thickened sauce over the pulled pork and toss it all to make sure it's coated ā enjoy!
What cut of meat to use for pulled pork
When it comes to selecting the meat for your pulled pork, look for pork shoulder ā also known as pork butt or boston butt. (Despite the name, it's from the upper part of the pig's front shoulder rather than from the rear!) The reason why we opt for this is it has a beautiful marbling of fat, meaning a juicy and flavorful end result. You can find bone-in or boneless. While the bone-in variety is favored by some as it adds extra flavor, boneless is more convenient to shred the meat after cooking and fits easier in a slow cooker.
Some people tend to lean towards using pork loin, as it's leaner, however, it is a bit too lean for this recipe as the lower fat content will mean it's less juicy and will dry out easily.
How to serve Korean pulled pork
Gochujang pork shines as a standalone main, served alongside basmati rice and Asian vegetables, such as these garlic sugar snap peas or sauteed bok choy. Sprinkle with red pepper flakes, sesame seeds, or green onion slices before serving. This asian coleslaw works as a side dish or make delicious gochujng pork sliders by adding the pork and slaw to a bun.
This Korean pulled pork is also delicious on this Korean pizza. Top off some soy ginger noodles with gochujang pork or replace the pork in these pulled pork tacos to make a Korean version.
Recipe FAQs
Where to buy gochujang
Find gochujang paste in Asian supermarkets, in the international food section of your local supermarket, or find gochujang online.
What else can I make with gochujang?
Rub some on your potatoes before they go in the oven, whisk some into your scrambled eggs, make a stir-fry sauce, coat your veggies, spread it on pizza, or mix some with your mayo for a spicy sandwich. Or try these gochujang Korean BBQ chicken thighs. They're delicious!
Is gochujang gluten-free?
It is usually gluten-free as it's made from fermented soybeans and rice ā however, always check product labels as some brands may include additives that contain gluten.
Can I store leftovers?
Yes, you can store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days or freeze them in a freezer-proof container for up to three months. Thaw in the fridge a day before you intend to use it.
Can I make this in an Instant Pot?
While the flavors would work, the cooking time would vary. We recommend trying it for an hour in the Instant Pot and keeping an eye on it to adjust as needed.
More pulled pork recipes
Gochujang Korean Pulled Pork Recipe
Ingredients
- Ā½ cup chicken stock
- ā cup gochujang (gluten-free gochujang or homemade gochujang if needed)
- Ā¼ cup low-sodium soy sauce (gluten-free if needed)
- Ā¼ cup honey
- 5 lb pork shoulder or butt
Instructions
- In a medium-sized bowl, whisk the chicken stock, gochujang, soy sauce, and honey.Ā½ cup chicken stock, ā cup gochujang, Ā¼ cup low-sodium soy sauce, Ā¼ cup honey
- Put the pork into your slow cooker and then pour the sauce over the top.5 lb pork shoulder or butt
- Cook the pork for 4-6 hours on high heat or 8-10 hours on low heat.
- Remove the pork from the slow cooker and place it into a baking dish. Pour the juice that is in the slow cooker into a small pot and bring it to a boil. Let it boil hard until it thickens and becomes saucy. Pour or scoop the fat off of the sauce.
- While the sauce is reducing, shred the pork using 2 forks. Pull it across the grain to make long strands rather than short chunks. When the sauce is finished, pour it over the pulled pork and gently toss so everything is well coated.
Nutrition
We have thoroughly tested this recipe for accuracy. However, individual results may vary. See our full recipe disclosure here.
For more inspiration, check out all of our pork recipes and our dinner ideas!
This recipe has made its way into a monthly (if not more frequent) routine for me. The only reason I come back to the site at this point is to salivate at the pictures while my slow cooker does its job.Ā
Oh I love it! That’s so great to hear!
I absolutely love this receipe!! I make it all the time. I’d love to cook it for a party this weekend but was curious if I could cook this on high for 5 hours if that would work?
I haven’t tried it but I suspect that it would work. If you try it, I’d love to hear how it turned out!
Is the nutritional info provided for all 12 servings? I’m trying to calculate how many WW points this recipe will be. This looks so yummy and I’m hoping to try out your recipe. Thanks!
I’ve just updated the nutritional information to make it more clear. It is for 1/12 of the recipe or approximately 3 ounces of meat.
LOVE THIS RECIPE! I just made this using an instant pot in place of a crock pot. Only change was 1hr vs. 8hr cook time. Came out perfect, thank you so much for a flavorful recipe. I’d been searching and searching for a pork shoulder recipe that wasnt basic bbq pulled pork or pot roast. This is it! Served with a chopped cabbage salad w/honey ginger dressing and kimchee.
I recently got an Instant Pot so will have to try this recipe with that. I like the idea of being able to make it in only an hour!
I’m thinking this wants cabbage as a go-with, but probably not the cole slaw that we usually make with pork shoulder (North Carolina style). Doesn’t seem like that would be the right flavor profile. What do you recommend?
I think something like this carrot salad (only adding some cabbage) would be great. https://www.theendlessmeal.com/asian-salad-recipe/
I making this for the second time , but instead of soy using coco aminos and a tbs of lemongrass.. l have tried pork roast in the instant p** but it was rather rubbery . Ill stick with Mr Crock and enjoy the smell all day long this Sunday :)> .
Great recipe ,was a hit at church wednesday night too !
Thanks for letting us know about the Instant Pot results! I was actually thinking of trying it in mine but will stick to my crock pot. š
i’d love to try this recipe
Have you ever done this in an Instant Pot? If so how long you!d you recommend?
I haven’t but I suspect it would work just fine. I’d recommend looking for an Instant Pot pork recipe and using the timing on that one and the sauce from this one. š
Hi! Just curious about freezing this. I’ve never really saved leftovers by freezing them and would like to start doing it to reduce food waste. What are your suggestions for how long this could stay in the freezer and how do you usually thaw/prepare it after being frozen?
I freeze it in Ziplock freezer bags in portions that I would use for dinner then thaw it overnight in the fridge. If I’m in a hurry I’ll thaw it in a bowl of cold water – it makes it pretty quick but you do run the risk of water getting in the bag. If you have a microwave you could use that instead. From a food safety perspective, it will last nearly forever in your freezer, but the quality will decrease with time. Try to eat it within 3 months so it will taste the best. š
I made this and it was amazing! I used some of the leftover sauce in my coleslaw and that made it 10x better! I had some leftover so I froze it and when I pulled it out later just as delicious!
I’m so happy you like the recipe!!
Love it, served on rolls with lime, ginger coleslaw
Such a great call on the buns and coleslaw!
We made this in a Dutch oven and roasted it for four hours at 325 deg F, a good substitute for the low slow cooker and it makes a more concentrated sauce. We added 6 cloves of minced garlic to the sauce before cooking, totally shocked none was called for in the recipe. We liked it but did not love this dish. It needs some acid to brighten it – we added rice wine vinegar after cooking which helped but it was still missing some punch. My recommendation would be to double the gochujang, add 6 to 8 cloves minced garlic, 1/2 cup rice wine vinegar and some black pepper, maybe some crushed red orpper as well.
Thank you for sharing your suggestions!
Love your site and recipes. Made this yesterday and it is really good.
I’m so happy you like the recipe! Hooray!!
Could I use a pork loin roast?
I wouldn’t use pork loin in this recipe as it’s too lean. You want a tough and fatty cut for anything crock pot or braising. If you’re wanting the flavors but have a loin on hand, you could try making a rub with the gochujang and then slow roasting it. It won’t turn out like pulled pork, but it would still be delicious.
Should this be on low medium or high heat?
You’ll want to set it on low heat for 8-10 hours. š
Kristen – I cooked this yesterday and everyone was bowled over. My husband loved it, our friends loved it. Husband is enjoying the leftovers today…and will tomorrow…. š
I liked it because it wasn’t sweet – we also piled on some more chilies after serving as we like it extra spicy – the Korean chili flakes are good for sprinkling over the top.
This will be part of my repertoire from now on.
I’m so happy to hear you like the recipe! It’s one of my favs, too. š
This is by far my new favorite slow cooker pulled pork recipe. Thank you for introducing this new ingredient to me!
Isn’t gochujang the best?! Lately I’ve been basting roasted veggies in it. So delicous!
I love your blog and your enthusiasm but this pork dish? well….I think I just wasted five pounds of pork. blech
Oh no! I wonder what went wrong. Have you tried gochujang before? Maybe it’s a flavor you’re fond of??