Chinese-Inspired Barbecue Pulled Pork

Inspired by Chinese Char Siu, this easy slow cooker pulled pork recipe mimics the flavors of Chinese five spice, soy sauce, honey and garlic but uses every day ingredients you probably already have on hand. Enjoy this on rice, in sandwiches or use it to make some Asian flavored tacos.

Jump to:

• The Ingredients
• The Method
• Leftovers and Storage
• Serving Ideas and Uses
• And if you liked this recipe...
• Recipe Card
• Comments

Have you ever had Char Siu? If so, you will love this Chinese Barbecue Pulled Pork! The "Char Siu Sauce" is adapted to be made with the wholesome ingredients you probably have in your pantry!

Coat the pork, throw it all in the slow cooker and enjoy an easy dinner in a few hours!

The Ingredients

• Boneless Pork- The pork gets cooked for a long time so you can use cheaper and tougher cuts of meat. Fattier cuts of meat tend to turn out the juiciest. However, I have used several types for this recipe and gotten great results! Pork shoulder, pork loin, pork tenderloin and even a pack of pork chops.
• Sauce
  • Honey- Molasses or maple syrup will also work.
  • Rice Vinegar- Be sure to use unseasoned.
  • Coconut Aminos- Tamari or Soy Sauce can be used instead. These tend to be saltier than coconut aminos so I would reduce the added sea salt by half.
  • Fine Sea Salt
  • Sesame Oil
  • Black Pepper
  • Cinnamon
  • Cloves
  • Minced Garlic- 1 teaspoon of garlic powder could be used in a pinch.
• Water

The Method

1. Mix sauce. Combine all of the sauce ingredients in a small bowl.

2. Coat pork. Place the pork in the bottom of a slow cooker. Pour ⅓ of the sauce over top and use a brush or spatula to ensure that it is evenly coated. Turn the pork over and pour the remaining sauce overtop. Again, brush it to ensure that it is coated. Pour ¾ cup of water around the outside of the pork.

3. Cook. Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours or high for 4-5 hours until tender.

4. Shred. Use a fork to shred the pork. Allow to continue to cook for 10-15 minutes to soak up some of the juices.

5. Enjoy!

Leftovers and Storage

Make Ahead: Marinade can be prepared up to 2 days in advance. Cover in an airtight container and refrigerate. Pork can also be marinated up to 1 day in advance. Cover the slow cooker insert and place in the refrigerator until ready to cook.

To Store: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months. See Pulled Pork Storage and Freezing for tips.

To Reheat: Rewarm in the microwave or repurpose in one of the ways suggested below!

Serving Ideas and Uses

This Chinese barbecue inspired pork is so full of flavour and would be great for so many things! Enjoy it on a bed of rice (or Coconut Rice) alongside some steamed, roasted or stir fried vegetables for an easy dinner. Or you could:

• Use it to make sandwiches
• Have Asian inspired tacos- this slaw would be great on top!
• Use it in place of Char Siu to make Singapore Noodles
• Add it to:
  • Salads
  • Stir Fries
  • Fried Rice
• Or check out this post on 28 Ways to Eat Pulled Pork for even more ideas!

And if you're making it for a crowd, here's how to determine How Much Pulled Pork you need.

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And if you liked this recipe...

...you might also like:

• The Best Sugar Free Pulled Pork
• Pork Banh Mi Burgers
• Chinese Inspired Scrambled Eggs

Recipe Card

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