Slow Cooker Ginger-Soy Pork with Daikon

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

A dump-and-walk-away take on Japanese simmered pork. Chunks of pork shoulder and thick coins of daikon spend the day in a soy, mirin and ginger broth until the meat shreds under a spoon and the daikon turns silky and translucent. No searing, no fuss — just pile everything into the crockpot in the morning and ladle it over hot rice at dinner.

Ingredients

• 2 lb boneless pork shoulder, cut into 2-inch chunks
• 1 lb daikon radish, peeled and cut into 1-inch half-moons (or 4 carrots)
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1/3 cup mirin
• 1 cup water
• 3 tbsp light brown sugar
• 1 tbsp rice vinegar
• 3 inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and sliced into thin coins
• 4 cloves garlic, smashed
• 5 scallions, whites cut in 2-inch lengths, greens thinly sliced for serving

Instructions

1. Scatter the daikon half-moons across the bottom of a 6-quart slow cooker, then pile the pork chunks on top. Tuck in the ginger coins, smashed garlic and the white parts of the scallions.
2. Pour the soy sauce, mirin, water and rice vinegar over everything and sprinkle the brown sugar on top. Do not stir and do not brown anything — the liquid will not cover the pork, and that is correct.
3. Cover and cook on LOW for 8 hours (or HIGH for 4 1/2 hours), without lifting the lid, until the pork pulls apart easily with a fork and the daikon is translucent and tender all the way through.
4. Turn off the cooker and tilt it slightly, then spoon off and discard the layer of fat pooled at the surface. Fish out the ginger coins and scallion whites if you like, then gently stir the pork and daikon through the glossy braising liquid and let it stand 10 minutes to absorb.
5. Spoon the pork, daikon and plenty of the salty-sweet broth over hot steamed rice in bowls and shower with the sliced scallion greens.

Chef's tips

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

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