Slow-Cooker Chinese Barbecued Pork

Slug Icon WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS Unlike what we typically think of as barbecue, Chinese barbecued pork is made neither on a grill nor in a smoker: It’s usually cooked (and then glazed) in an oven. But we made this dish even more convenient—by adapting it to the slow cooker. Boneless pork butt renders lots of flavorful fat and pork juices as it cooks. Because this fat diluted any sauce we tried, we instead used a dry rub and then cooked the pork with a glazy sauce under the broiler. The finished “barbecued” pork was tender with a shiny, slightly charred exterior that tasted even better than it looked, earning it the nickname “meat candy” in the test kitchen. See the sidebar that follows the recipe.

SERVES 8

Pork butt roast is often labeled Boston butt in the supermarket. Look for five-spice powder and hoisin sauce in the international aisle at your supermarket.

1½

teaspoons salt

1½

teaspoons five-spice powder

½

teaspoon pepper

1

(5- to 6-pound) boneless pork butt roast, trimmed and sliced crosswise into 1-inch-thick steaks

⅓

cup hoisin sauce

⅓

cup honey

¼

cup sugar

¼

cup soy sauce

¼

cup ketchup

2

tablespoons dry sherry

1

tablespoon toasted sesame oil

1

tablespoon grated fresh ginger

2

garlic cloves, minced

1. Combine salt, ¾ teaspoon five-spice powder, and pepper in bowl. Rub spice mixture all over pork and transfer to slow cooker. Cover and cook on low until pork is just tender, 5 to 6 hours.

2. When pork is nearly done, combine hoisin, honey, sugar, soy sauce, ketchup, sherry, oil, ginger, garlic, and remaining ¾ teaspoon five-spice powder in bowl. Set wire rack inside aluminum foil–lined rimmed baking sheet. Pour 1 cup water into sheet. Adjust oven rack 4 inches from broiler element and heat broiler.

3. Using tongs, transfer pork from slow cooker to prepared wire rack in single layer. Brush pork with one-third of hoisin mixture and broil until lightly caramelized, 5 to 7 minutes. Flip pork, brush with half of remaining hoisin mixture, and broil until lightly caramelized on second side, 5 to 7 minutes. Brush pork with remaining hoisin mixture and broil until deep mahogany and crispy around edges, about 3 minutes. Transfer to carving board and let rest for 10 minutes. Slice crosswise into thin strips. Serve.