Korean Pulled Pork Sandwiches with Caramel Apple Crumble
Ingredients
For the Korean Pulled Pork
1 3-4poundBoston butt or pork butt
kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper
2tablespoonsvegetable oil
1medium size white onionthinly sliced
2Asian pearsstemmed, seeded and grated
5clovesgarlicchopped
1 14.5ouncecan beef broth
1cupbrown sugar
¾cupsoy sauce
¾cuprice vinegarnot seasoned
¼cupAsian chili sauce
⅛cupsesame oil
For the Caramel Apple Crumble Topping
1Granny Smith applecored and thinly sliced
1small red applecored and thinly sliced
½lemonjuiced
2tablespoonsbutter
¼cupbrown sugar
¼cupcream
¼cupinstant oats
½teaspooncinnamon
pinchof kosher salt
For the Asian Slaw
1 12ouncepackage Chopped Asian Blend salad
4green onionswhites and greens chopped
2tablespoonsslivered almonds
1tablespoonblack sesame seeds
1 ½tablespoonsvegetable or grapeseed oil
6tablespoonsseasoned rice vinegar
1teaspoonsesame oiladd more to taste if you prefer a strong sesame taste
1 ½teaspoonssugar
2teaspoonslight soy sauce
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
8rosette buns or other splitwhite buns
Instructions
For the Korean Pulled Pork
Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
Generously season the pork butt on all sides with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Heat the vegetable oil in a large dutch oven over medium high heat and sear the pork until a nice crust forms, about 5 minutes for each side. Remove from pan and set aside.
Add the onions, Asian pear and garlic and cook for about 3 minutes. Nestle the pork butt into the onion mixture.
Mix the beef broth, brown sugar, rice vinegar, Asian chili sauce and sesame oil in a large bowl or 4-cup measuring cup. Pour the mixture over the pork and onion mixture, cover and cook in the oven for 4 hours or until the meat is tender and falling apart.
Transfer the pork to a large bowl and let cool. Shred with two forks or your fingers.
Cook the remaining sauce over medium heat until reduced by half. Blend with an immersion blender until smooth. You should have about 4 cups of sauce. Add 3 cups of sauce to the shredded pork an mix well. Add more sauce if desired. Reserve the extra sauce for dipping.
For the Caramel Apple Crumble Topping
Mix the apples with the lemon juice in a medium bowl and set aside.
Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the brown sugar and stir to mix. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring continuously. Stir in the cream until smooth. Add the apples and cook for about 3-4 minutes. Mix in the oats, cinnamon and salt. Remove from heat.
For the Asian Slaw
Add the chopped Asian blend salad to a large bowl. Stir in the green onions, slivered almonds and black sesame seeds. Mix the oil, rice vinegar, sesame oil, sugar, soy sauce and freshly ground black pepper in a small bowl. Drizzle over the slaw mix and toss to combine.
To assemble sandwiches
Split buns in half. Layer with Asian slaw, pulled pork and caramel apple crumble. Top with bun and serve.