Chef's Notes
Sriracha Hot Sauce is a sweet, tangy paste made from sun-ripened chili peppers, garlic, vinegar, sugar and salt. Though most people associate Sriracha with the plastic bottle with the rooster on the front and the green lid, it actually originated from Si Racha, Thailand. Therefore, when buying Sriracha, try to find brands that say “made in Thailand” as these are generally more authentic, superior in flavor and contain no preservatives. Be sure to check the labels.
This recipe is adapted from “The Sriracha Cookbook” by Randy Clemens.
Step 1: Brining the Pork
- 6 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tbsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp kosher salt
- 2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 2 tsp smoked paprika (or 1 tsp smoked & 1 tsp hot)
- 4 cups water
- 1/4 cup kosher salt
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 red onion, sliced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 bay leaves
- 1 cup ice cubes
- 6 to 8-lb bone-in pork shoulder (Boston butt)
Before preparing the brine, first prepare the spice rub, by mixing together the first 6 ingredients. Reserve.
Next prepare the brine. Place the water into a suitable sized pot. Once it comes to a boil, add the salt, brown sugar, onion, garlic, bay leaves and 2 tablespoons of the reserved spice rub (keep the rest for later). Remove the brine from the heat and add 1 cup of ice cubes.
Once the brine has completely cooled, place the meat into a heavy duty plastic bag or a suitable-sized container. Pour the brine over the meat, making sure it is covered. Place into the refrigerator overnight.
Step 2: Cooking the Pork
- 3 tbsp yellow mustard
- 1/3 cup Sriracha sauce*
- 1/4 cup cold water
*See note below for more information on Sriracha sauce.
When ready to start cooking, preheat your oven to 200˚F (95˚C). Alternatively, this can be cooked using a slow-cooker.
Next, mix together the yellow mustard and Sriracha sauce. Drain the pork from the brine, reserving the onions. Pat the meat dry and then liberally cover it with the mustard mixture. Next, sprinkle and press the reserved spice mixture all over and into the meat.
Place the reserved onions into a suitable-sized pot. Pour the 1/4 cup cold water into the pot and then place the pork on top. Cover and cook for 8 to 12 hours. Time will depend on what temperature you use to cook the meat, whether or not you use a slow-cooker and how big the meat was to begin with.
If necessary, and/or possible, turn the meat every few hours to ensure it cooks evenly.
In the meantime, you can prepare the dressing and even cut the cabbage and carrots for the coleslaw (see Step 4).
Step 3: Finishing the Pork
Once the pork is fork tender, remove from the oven and let cool for approximately 45 minutes to an hour. This is just so it is cool enough to handle for shredding.
Note: You can make this dish up to this point and then refrigerated it overnight. You can shred it first but it presents nicer if shredded after it has been reheated the next day.
To finish the pork, pull the meat apart, using two forks. Don’t get too carried away though, as the meat is nice with bigger pieces or chunks rather than it all being finely shredded. Discard any fat and then keep the meat warm while you finish up.
Step 4: Preparing the Coleslaw
Here is the full text recipe for the Asian Coleslaw. This can be prepared, but not dressed, the day before.
Step 5: Assembling the Buns
- 12 buns (preferably sweet Pan de Sal)
For the buns, sweet Pan de Sal buns go very well with this dish.
To assemble the buns, place a generous amount of pork onto each bun and then top with a good amount of coleslaw. Garnish with extra Sriracha sauce, if desired.