Vaguely Vietnamese Slow Cooker Pork Tacos

From the New York Times.

This recipe uses a mixture of hoisin and fish sauces as braising liquid, and is a riff on an old Corinne Trang recipe for wok-fried rib tips. It results in a vaguely Vietnamese tangle of pulled pork that is best accompanied by a bright and crunchy slaw, and served on warm flour tortillas that recall the soft pliancy of Chinese bao. Cooking time will vary depending on the slow cooker you’re using, but generally the meat begins to fall apart nicely in the neighborhood of 5 to 7 hours.

1 tablespoon sesame oil

1 medium-size yellow onion, peeled and diced

8 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

2 tablespoons fresh ginger, peeled and minced

1/2 cup hoisin sauce

1/4 cup fish sauce

1 tablespoon sriracha sauce

1/2 bone-in pork shoulder, skin and fat removed, approximately 5 pounds

12 to 16 flour tortillas, warmed

1/3 cup rice vinegar

2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger

1 tablespoon sesame oil

2 tablespoons neutral oil, like peanut or grapeseed

1 teaspoon sriracha sauce, or to taste

1 small green cabbage, cored and sliced thinly

2 medium-size cucumbers, peeled and sliced into julienne

2 medium-size carrots, peeled and sliced into julienne

1 Asian pear, peeled, cored and sliced into julienne

1/2 bunch fresh cilantro, rinsed, dried and roughly chopped

1. Place a sauté pan over medium-high heat. After a minute or so, swirl in the sesame oil and then the onions, stirring to combine. Sauté for about 5 minutes, then add the garlic and continue to cook until the onions are soft and becoming translucent. Turn off the heat, stir in the ginger and set aside.

2. Add the hoisin sauce and the fish sauce to the pan, and stir to combine, loosening the mixture with a little less than half a cup of water. Add sriracha sauce to taste.

3. Put a few spoonfuls of the sauce in the bottom of a slow cooker, then nestle the pork on top of it. Pour the remaining sauce over the top of the pork. Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 5 to 7 hours, or until the pork shreds easily with a fork. Remove the pork from the slow cooker and allow to rest for a few minutes.

4. Meanwhile, make the slaw. Put the vinegar, ginger, sesame oil, neutral oil and sriracha sauce in a large bowl and whisk to combine. Add the cabbage, cucumbers, carrots and Asian pear and toss to combine.

5. Shred the pork with a pair of forks. Discard bones. Return the pulled pork to the slow cooker and stir to combine with the juices. Serve with the slaw and warmed tortillas, with the cilantro on the side.

Yield: 6 to 8 servings