Dirty South Korean Pulled Pork Sandwich
- Level: Intermediate
- Yield: 12 servings
- Total: 1 day 6 hr 40 min (includes brining time)
- Active: 6 hr 40 min
Ingredients
Pulled Pork:
One 6-pound boneless pork butt
1/2 cup kosher salt
1/2 cup light brown sugar
Quick Pickles:
1 European cucumber
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
Pinch of dried chile flakes
Kimchi Slaw:
1 cup store-bought or homemade kimchi, recipe follows
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
Korean BBQ Sauce:
1/2 cup minced garlic
1/2 cup minced fresh ginger
1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup gochujang (Korean red chile pepper paste), or similar like Sriracha
1/4 light brown sugar
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon red chile pepper flakes
1 small white onion, minced
12 potato rolls, such as Martin's, or any soft rolls
Kimchi:
1 head napa cabbage
1/2 cup kosher salt
1/3 cup Korean red pepper powder
1/4 cup fish sauce
2 ounces minced fresh ginger
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 1/2 teaspoons granulated sugar
Directions
- For the pulled pork: Rub the pork butt with the salt and brown sugar in a shallow pan. Cover and refrigerate for at least 24 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 225 degrees F. Pour out and discard the excess liquid from the pan. Roast the pork, uncovered, until the internal temperature reaches 180 degree F, about 6 hours.
- While the pork is roasting, make the quick pickles, kimchi slaw and Korean BBQ sauce.
- For the quick pickles: Cut the cucumber into 1/8-inch-thick slices and mix with the salt, sugar and chile flakes in a bowl. Refrigerate until ready to use
- For the kimchi slaw: Roughly chop the kimchi and mix with the mayonnaise in a bowl. Refrigerate until ready to use.
- For the Korean BBQ sauce: Blend the garlic, ginger, soy sauce, gochujang, brown sugar, vinegar, sesame oil, black pepper, red pepper flakes and onions together in a food processor until well combined.
- Remove the pork from the oven and pull into shreds with a fork while still hot. Put the pork in a large bowl, pour over the Korean BBQ sauce and mix well.
- To prepare the sandwiches: Put some shredded pork on a roll, top with some kimchi slaw and finish with some quick pickles. Repeat with the remaining rolls and serve.
Kimchi:
- Cut the cabbage into 1-inch slices, put in a large container, sprinkle with the salt and add about 12 cups (3 quarts) of cold water so the cabbage is just covered. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 24 hours.
- Drain the cabbage and mix with the red pepper powder, fish sauce, ginger, garlic and sugar. Store in an airtight mason jar.