Low FODMAP Slow Cooked Asian-Style Pork
Low FODMAP Slow Cooked Asian-Style Pork can be made in 4 hours in your slow-cooker set on high. It features flavors of Chinese five-spice powder, ginger, soy sauce, garlic and a bit of red pepper. Dried shiitake mushrooms add an earthiness and umami but are optional – and they do have a low FODMAP serving size! More on that below. You need a 6-quart (5.7 L) slow-cooker for this recipe.
Ingredients:
- 3- pounds (1.4 kg) trimmed pork shoulder or Boston butt (trimmed of excess fat)
- 1 ¼ teaspoons Chinese five-spice powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 ½ cups (600 ml) Low FODMAP Chicken Stock, homemade or purchased equivalent
- 1 cup (240 ml) low-sodium, gluten-free soy sauce, such as San J
- ½ cup (30 g) roughly chopped scallions, green parts only
- ¼ cup (54 g) firmly packed light brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 1 1/2- inch (4 cm) knob peeled fresh ginger, sliced into hunks
- 1- ounce (30 g) dried shiitake mushrooms; optional
- 2 teaspoons FreeFod Garlic Replacer
- 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
Preparation:
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Use your hands to rub the pork all over with the five-spice powder, salt and pepper. Add the chicken stock, soy sauce, scallion greens, brown sugar, red pepper and ginger to your 6-quart (5.7 L) slow cooker. If you are going to use the mushrooms, crumble them into the pot now. Sprinkle the FreeFod Garlic Replacer into the liquid and stir everything together, then stir in the toasted sesame oil.
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Add the pork, turning it over a few times to coat evenly with the liquid mixture. Cover the cooker, set it to high, and cook for 4 hours. Check the pork; it should be tender and shred-able with a fork. If it is not, set the slow cooker to low and continue to cook until the meat is very tender, maybe another 30 minutes to an hour.
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Transfer the pork to a cutting board, cover lightly with foil, and let rest 15 minutes. Meanwhile, pour the cooking liquid into a measuring cup and skim off and discard any fat that rises to the surface. Fish out and discard the ginger chunks but leave the scallion greens and mushrooms (if used) in there. If you like, you can boil the sauce in a pot on the stovetop to reduce a bit.
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Shred the meat while still warm using two forks and return to the sauce. We love this dish with low FODMAP noodles, but it goes well with rice as well. A green veggie on the side such as broccoli, green beans or bok choy is a nice addition. Serve immediately or leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for 4 days.
Notes:
FODMAP Information
All recipes are based upon Monash University & FODMAP Friendly science at time of initial publication.
• Ginger: Monash University has lab tested fresh ginger root and has determined it to be free of FODMAPs, making it one of our go-to no FODMAP foods.
• Low FODMAP Garlic Powder: Conventional garlic powder is made from dried and granulated or powdered garlic cloves and is considered high FODMAP. There are a couple of low FODMAP garlic powders on the market: FreeFod Garlic Replacer and Fodmazing Garlic Substitute Replacer. The FreeFod has been lab tested and is certified low FODMAP by FODMAP Friendly. They both contain the same ingredients – maltodextrin and natural garlic flavor. We find them to be excellent additions to your herb and spice collection. Use them as you would conventional garlic powder.
• Scallions: The green parts of scallions are low FODMAP as determined by Monash University lab testing and can be used to add onion flavor to your low FODMAP cooking.
• Sugar: Monash University and FODMAP Friendly have both lab tested white, granulated sugar. Monash states that a Green Light low FODMAP serving size of white sugar is 1/4 cup (50 g). FODMAP Friendly simply states that they have tested 1 tablespoon and that it is low FODMAP. Regular granulated white sugar is sucrose, which is a disaccharide made up of equal parts glucose and fructose. Sucrose is broken down and absorbed efficiently in the small intestine.
Please always refer to the Monash University & FODMAP Friendly smartphone apps for the most up-to-date lab tested information. Foods will be retested from time to time; in the case of raw ingredients, such as fruits and vegetables, results may vary. All lab tested results are valid and represent a snapshot in time. As always, your tolerance is what counts; please eat accordingly. The ultimate goal of the low FODMAP diet is to eat as broadly as possible, without triggering symptoms, for the healthiest microbiome.