When you think of pork shoulder in the slow cooker, you probably think of pulled pork. But did you know you can make even more delicious meals like this Garlic Ginger Pork as well?
What is pork shoulder?
Pork shoulder is a tough cut of meat from the upper shoulder area of the pig. It has a higher amount of fat than other cuts. Because of its toughness and fattiness, pork shoulder lends itself perfectly to being cooked in a slow cooker. When pork shoulder is cooked this way, the fat breaks down and tenderizes the meat.
Ingredients
Do I have to use rice vinegar in Garlic Ginger Pork? Yes! Rice vinegar has a light, sweet flavor while regular white vinegar is sour. Using white vinegar instead of rice vinegar will affect the flavor of your Garlic Ginger Pork.
Why does this recipe use tapioca flour? Tapioca flour thickens sauces without grittiness. It quickly makes a paste that is added to the liquid from the bottom of the slow cooker.
Do I have to add the veggies? This meal combines veggies with the pork to make Garlic Ginger Pork a delicious and healthy one-pot meal.
Can this be made gluten-free? If you are gluten/grain sensitive, make sure you substitute soy tamari for soy sauce and use tapioca instead of corn starch to make Garlic Ginger Pork gluten-free.
Preparation
Do I cook the pork shoulder whole? You can. However, cutting the pork into smaller pieces will help it cook quicker. Smaller pieces will also absorb more of the flavor from the Garlic Ginger Sauce.
What do I do if my pork won't shred? Meat will shred once it reaches an internal temp of 205 degrees. If it doesn't shred easily cook it longer.
Serving Suggestions
How should I serve Garlic Ginger Pork? Garlic Ginger Pork tastes amazing when served over rice or noodles. If you have an Instant Pot, you can quickly make up a side of your favorite rice. Brown rice, basmati rice, or jasmine rice compliment Garlic Ginger Pork nicely.
Related Recipes
The Best Slow Cooker Pulled Pork
Slow Cooker Garlic Ginger Pork
Ingredients
- 2 pounds boneless pork shoulder
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 2 carrots sliced thick
- 4 oz snap peas
- ¼ cup soy sauce tamari for gluten-free
- ¼ cup honey
- 2 teaspoons dried powdered ginger
- 2 teaspoons jarred minced garlic
- 2 teaspoons rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons tapioca flour
Instructions
- Cut pork into 4 smaller pieces
- Add pork to slow cooker and sprinkle with pepper and top with veggies
- Mix together soy sauce, honey, ginger, garlic and vinegar and pour over pork and veggies
- Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours for high for 3-4
- Remove pork and shred
- Stir together tapioca flour with an equal amount of water to make a thin paste
- Stir the paste into the juices in the slow cooker
- Add the pork and cover
- Leave on high for 15-30 more minutes until sauce thickens
- Serve over rice
Notes
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Pork cooks quicker when cut into smaller pieces
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Meat will shred once it reaches an internal temp of 205 degrees. If it doesn't shred easily cook it longer
This recipe is called "Slow Cooker Garlic Ginger Pork" yet there is no garlic in the recipe which makes me believe there are errors in the recipe. Is there supposed to be garlic in this recipe? Please advise.