Description
These Korean BBQ Tacos combine slow-cooked shredded pork, a sweet-savory Korean-style sauce, and a crunchy quick kimchi for a bold taco night favorite.
Ingredients
Scale
For the pulled pork
- 2-3 pounds Pork shoulder or pork butt
- ½ cup Reduced sodium soy sauce
- ½ cup Water
- 1 teaspoon Sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon Rice vinegar
- 3 cloves Garlic, minced
- ½ teaspoon Ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon Ground black pepper
For the Korean BBQ sauce
- ¼ cup Low sodium soy sauce
- ¼ cup Water
- ¼ cup Light brown sugar
- 1 clove Garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon Rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Sesame oil
- ½ teaspoon Ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon Ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoons Chili paste such as Sambal Oelek
- 1 tablespoon Cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons Water, for slurry
For the quick kimchi
- 6 cups Shredded cabbage
- 3 tablespoons Canola oil
- 6 tablespoons Rice vinegar
- 2 teaspoons Chili paste such as Sambal Oelek
- ½ teaspoon Ground ginger
- 3 tablespoons Granulated sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons Sesame oil
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- ½ teaspoon Black pepper
For serving
- 1 package Corn tortillas
- 1 cup Shredded Mexican cheese
- ½ cup Diced green onions
- Sesame seeds, optional
Instructions
For the pulled pork
- Place the pork shoulder in a slow cooker.
- In a separate bowl, stir together the soy sauce, water, sesame oil, rice vinegar, garlic, ginger, and black pepper.
- Pour the mixture over the pork, cover the slow cooker, and cook on low for about 8 hours or on high for about 4 hours, until the meat is fall-apart tender.
- Transfer the cooked pork to a cutting board or large bowl and shred it with two forks. Remove any bones if needed.
- Return the shredded pork to the slow cooker so it can soak up more of the cooking liquid.
- Preheat the broiler to high and let it heat fully.
- Spread the shredded pork in a single layer on a dark baking sheet, allowing some of the excess liquid to drain off as you transfer it.
- Place the baking sheet on the top rack of the oven and broil the pork for 5 to 10 minutes, stirring once during broiling, until some of the edges become crisp and browned.
- Watch closely so the pork does not burn.
- Transfer the finished pork to a bowl for serving or storing.
For the Korean BBQ sauce
- Add the soy sauce, water, brown sugar, garlic, rice vinegar, sesame oil, ginger, black pepper, and chili paste to a skillet over medium heat.
- Bring the mixture to a boil.
- In a small bowl, whisk the cornstarch and water together until the cornstarch fully dissolves.
- Pour the slurry into the simmering sauce while stirring.
- Continue boiling for about 2 minutes, or until the sauce thickens enough to coat a spoon.
- Remove from the heat and set aside.
- For extra sauce, you can double the batch.
For the quick kimchi
- Place the shredded cabbage in a large mixing bowl and set it aside.
- In a smaller bowl, combine the canola oil, rice vinegar, chili paste, ginger, sugar, sesame oil, salt, and pepper.
- Pour the dressing over the cabbage.
- Toss well until the cabbage is evenly coated.
- Let it sit until you are ready to assemble the tacos, or store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
To assemble
- Wrap the tortillas in a damp paper towel and place them on a microwave-safe plate.
- Microwave on high for about 2 minutes, or until the tortillas are hot and flexible.
- Add the pork to each tortilla.
- Spoon sauce over the meat.
- Top with shredded cheese and quick kimchi.
- Finish with green onions and sesame seeds.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
- Make the pork, sauce, and kimchi ahead of time for easy weeknight assembly.
- Reheat the pork in a skillet with some sauce before serving, or simply drizzle the sauce over the tacos.
- Store leftover pork in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Freeze leftover pork in freezer-safe bags for up to 3 months.
- Thaw frozen pork in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.
- The quick kimchi can be made ahead and keeps well in the fridge.
- These tacos are easy to scale up for parties and large gatherings.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 4 hours 15 minutes
- Category: Dinner
Nutrition
- Calories: 249kcal
- Sugar: 9g
- Sodium: 651mg
- Fat: 11g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 1g
- Carbohydrates: 23g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 14g
- Cholesterol: 40mg