Miso Gochujang Braised Pork Roast

You might not guess from miso's intense brininess and gochujang's savory spicy pungency, that using both of these together in this recipe results in a tender, braised pork roast that is deeply flavourful, yet wonderfully mellow.

I have been looking forward to sharing this Miso Gochujang Braised Pork Roast with you! It is an absolute gold star recipe. There's a bit of a cultural mash-up, wherein the miso hails from Japan and the gochujang from Korea.  They are both fermented condiments involving soybeans and rice and yet they are definitely different, but works in harmony in the recipe.  The saké in the recipe imparts a subtle floral note that adds another level of nuance. 

My recipe uses a 4-lb pork roast which would technically feed 8 adults (assuming 1/2 lb each).  But don't hesitate for a second to make the full recipe even if you have a smaller crowd or smaller family to feed like me.  I always want leftovers. There are so many ways to stretch the leftover pork into another meal or two or even three!  In fact, I have posted some ideas before to use leftovers from a more "classic" beer-braised pork roast recipe from last year, such as this 'Pulled Pork & Brussels Sprouts Fried Rice' or 'Pappardelle with Pulled Pork & Wilted Spinach'.    

As for the pork itself, try to get the best quality you can find and afford, even if it means eating it less often and/or less of it at any one meal by eating more veggies and sides.  For a pork roast, I first ask my butcher if they have a 'capicola' (which is usually less lean than their 'standard' pork shoulder) or a Berkshire pork shoulder (the Berkshire breed is renowned for it's more tender and fatty meat). Even if they don't have either and I go for the regular pork shoulder, I ask to see a few pieces and select one based on the visible marbling.  More marbling (of fat and collagen) means more tender and juicy roast! It’s more expensive to get higher quality meat but one roast can stretch into two if not three meals so the math kinda works out.

If you're looking to switch up your been-there-done-that Sunday roast, then make this one instead.  We love it!

Don’t forget to check out the follow-on recipes using leftover braised pork. Make this roast on a Sunday and have weeknight meals sorted!

Eat well and be well,

Sonia x

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Miso Gochujang Braised Pork Roast

Recipe serves 7-8.  (I often make this for our family of 4.  Leftovers are easily reinvented into different meals!  See head notes for suggestions.)

Yield: 8

Author: sonia wong | www.saltnpepperhere.com

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Miso Gochujang Braised Pork Roast

You might not guess from miso's intense brininess and gochujang's savory spicy pungency, that using both of these together in this recipe results in a tender, braised pork roast that is deeply flavourful, yet wonderfully mellow.

Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 3 HourTotal time: 3 H & 10 M

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Ingredients

• 4 lb boneless pork shoulder
• 3 leeks, white and light green parts only cut into 1" pieces, or substitute with 3 celery stalks or 3 white onions
• 4 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1" large pieces
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
• 1 tbsp gochujang
• 2 tbsp white miso paste
• 300ml Japanese saké (can substitute dry white wine)
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 cups chicken broth, homemade or quality store-bought low sodium
• Water to top up braising liquid, as needed
• 2 tbsp arrow starch or cornstarch for thickening
• Kosher salt & pepper

Instructions

1. Place a large Dutch oven or roasting pan (with lid) on the stove over medium-high heat.
2. While that heats, season entire pork liberally with kosher salt. As a guideline, you may use about ½ teaspoon kosher salt for each pound of roast. However if using Diamond Crystal brand of kosher salt, increase to 1 teaspoon per pound of roast. This may seem like a lot but you are seasoning the entire thickness of the roast, not just the surface.
3. Add a drizzle of oil to the heated Dutch oven/ pan and immediately put in pork shoulder, fat cap side down if there is a fat side. The fat will render into oil. Continue to brown the pork on all sides. Add oil as needed, if pork roast is not fatty. Sear all sides including ends until golden brown. Set roast aside.
4. If there is a lot of oil rendered into the pot, use a pair of kitchen tongs holding a paper towel to mop excess oil, leaving 2 to 3 tablespoons of fat for the next step.
5. Add leeks, carrots and smashed garlic cloves to the oil. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Sauté until veggies start to soften. Add gochujang and miso paste, stirring to break them down a bit and to heat through to develop flavor. Deglaze pot with saké. Simmer for a minute to dissipate the alcohol. Once the sharp alcohol smell diffuses, stir in honey and soy sauce.
6. Place the pork roast back in the Dutch oven/ pan. Add chicken broth, and top up with water as needed so liquid is ¾ way up the sides of the roast.
7. Bring to a boil. Cover and braise either (1) ON THE STOVE at a low simmer for about 1.5 hours or (2) IN THE OVEN with the lid on at 325°F (165°C) for 2 to 2.5 hours. When roasting large pieces of meat like this, it's helpful to have a meat thermometer to take the guessing out of whether the meat is done or not. For pork roast, a thermometer inserted into the thickest part should read ~170°F (75°C) and it will cook a further 10 degrees or so as it rests. This gets the roast to a tender stage but still firm enough to slice into ¾" thick pieces for serving, which is our favourite way to enjoy it. Braise longer if you prefer it to be "fork tender" aka you can pull the meat apart with two forks, which is when the meat's internal temperature reaches ~180°F (82°C) and again, it will cook further 10 degrees or so as it rests. Once done, pull the roast out to rest on a cutting board, tented lightly with foil, for about 20 minutes to allow the juices to re-absorb into the meat. This ensures juicy pork roast every time.
8. While the roast rests on the cutting board, check the liquid in your pot and decide whether you want to thicken it or not. I typically whisk 1 to 2 tablespoon of arrowroot powder (or cornstarch) and simmer on low on the stovetop for a minute until thickened. Turn off heat, and keep warm on residual heat until ready to serve.
9. To serve Miso Gochujang Pork Roast, slice into ¾" thick slices and serve along with the thickened sauce.

Nutrition Facts

Calories

383

Fat

8 g

Sat. Fat

3 g

Carbs

10 g

Fiber

1 g

Net carbs

9 g

Sugar

4 g

Protein

54 g

Sodium

474 mg

Cholesterol

136 mg

Disclaimer: nutritional information is auto-generated and should only be used as an approximation.

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