Korean Pork Tacos with Kimchi Slaw and Mirin Crema

Here’s your recipe for Taco Tuesday tomorrow!  A little sweet, a little spicy and a lot funky, these tacos are a mash-up between Korean and Mexican food.

I got the idea for these after seeing them in a Williams-Sonoma catalog as a use for their Korean braising liquid.  Knowing I could make an imitation of this while saving myself some $$$, I set out to recreate it.  I used some spicy Korean Chile paste and flakes, gochujang and gochujaru, to add that characteristic heat in so many Asian dishes.  You can order these online (the ones I used are linked above) or peruse your local Asian market.  Miso paste and anchovies add the umami also characteristic of Asian food.

Kimchi is combined with cabbage to create a spicy, crunchy topping for your (again) spicy, super-tender pork.  Drizzle with some sour cream spiked with mirin and lime for a tangy cooling sauce.

Don’t be intimidated by the long ingredient list and multiple steps in the recipe!  Braising the meat is almost completely hands-off once you get everything in the pot, and with just a little chopping, both the kimchi slaw and mirin crema are a throw in a bowl and stir to combine type of component.

I said this dish was funky, and I mean that in the best way.  There’s a lot of unfamiliar flavors in this recipe but using them in an application we are familiar with (TACOS! SLAW! CREMA!) helps the introduction go smoothly.  Happy Monday!

Korean Pork Tacos with Kimchi Slaw and Mirin Crema

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• Author: Amanda
• Yield: 6 to 8 servings

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Description

A little sweet, a little spicy and a lot funky, these tacos are a mash-up between Korean and Mexican food.  Korean peppers spice this dish up, kimchi slaw gives you a little crunch and a little funk, and mirin-lime crema cools you off at the end!

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

PORK:

• 2-1/2 to 3 pound boneless pork shoulder
• 2 tablespoons gochujang
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

BRAISING LIQUID:

• 3 tablespoons gochujang
• 1 teaspoon gochujaru
• 1 tablespoons sesame oil
• 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons white miso
• 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
• 3 to 4 anchovies packed in oil
• 1 small onion, coarsely chopped
• 3 to 4 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
• 3 cups (24 ounces) water

KIMCHI SLAW:

• 2 cups (8 ounces) your favorite kimchi, coarsely chopped
• 2 cups (6 ounces) shredded green cabbage
• 2 green onions, white and green parts thinly sliced
• Cilantro leaves, picked from stems
• Juice of 1 lime
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

MIRIN CREMA:

• 1 cup sour cream
• 2 tablespoons mirin
• Zest of 1 lime
• Pinch of kosher salt

TO SERVE:

• Warm corn or flour tortillas
• Fresh cilantro leaves, picked from stems
• Lime wedges
• Gochujaru pepper flakes, to taste

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Instructions

1. At least 12 hours in advance: If you have a large piece of pork, cut in half.  Generously season with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper.  Massage the gochujang paste into the meat.  Cover and let marinate in the refrigerator for at least 12 hours and up to 24 hours.
2. Preheat the oven to 300°.  
3. Combine the braising liquid ingredients in the blender and process until smooth (it may still be a little chunky from the onions and garlic).  Place the pork shoulder in a large, heavy-bottomed Dutch oven.  Pour the braising liquid over the top.  Bring to a boil over medium heat.  Transfer to the oven and cover, leaving the lid slightly offset to allow the liquid to evaporate and thicken.  Cook for 3 to 3-1/2 hours, until the pork is tender and falls apart when shredded with a fork.  Remove from the oven and remove the pork to a cutting board.  When cool enough to handle, shred the pork into bite-sized pieces.  Return to the cooking liquid, stirring to coat; keep warm.
4. For the Kimchi Slaw: Combine all of the ingredients in a medium bowl.
5. For the Mirin Crema: Combine all of the ingredients in a small mixing bowl.
6. When ready to serve, layer the shredded pork, kimchi slaw and mirin crema in the warmed tortillas.  Serve with fresh cilantro leaves, lime wedges and sprinkle with Gochujaru pepper flakes, if desired.

Notes

You can make this in a slow cooker also: combine the pork with the braising liquid, ensuring the pork is mostly covered.  Place the lid on the cooker, slightly offset to allow for some evaporation of the braising liquid, and set to cook over high heat for 4 hours, or until fork-tender.

Inspiration: Slow-Cooker Korean Pork Tacos on williamssonoma.com

• Category: Pork, Latin-American, Asian Influence