Slow Cooker Chinese Style Shredded Pork with Broccoli and Rice
Tender Chinese style shredded pork, broccoli and rice come together in this satisfying slow cooker meal, perfect for a cosy family dinner with minimal fuss.
This slow cooker Chinese style shredded pork with broccoli and rice makes a comforting, satisfying family dinner. The pork cooks until tender enough to pull apart, giving you soft, flavourful shreds to serve alongside the broccoli and rice. It’s a welcome meal for cooler evenings, especially when you want the slow cooker to handle most of the cooking.
Tender Shredded Pork with Broccoli and Rice
This Chinese style shredded pork brings together tender meat, broccoli and rice for a hearty, comforting meal. The soft pork contrasts nicely with broccoli that still has a little bite, while the rice makes a simple base for serving everything together.
Why Slow Cooking Works for Shredded Pork
Slow cooking gives the pork time to soften until it pulls apart easily with two forks. That tenderness makes all the difference. Shred it into bite-sized pieces rather than very fine strands so the meat keeps some texture and is easy to scoop up with the rice.
A Comforting Dinner for Busy Evenings
Serve this slow cooker pork with broccoli and rice for a relaxed family dinner or a weekend meal at home. It’s especially appealing on chilly evenings. Bring everything to the table separately so everyone can help themselves to the balance of pork, vegetables and rice they prefer.
How to Make Slow Cooker Chinese-Style Shredded Pork, Broccoli and Rice
Slow Cooking the Seared Pork Shoulder
The seared pork shoulder goes into the slow cooker with cooking liquid and red and yellow potatoes tucked around the edges. Browning the meat first adds savoury depth to the shredded pork. Keep the potatoes in fairly even pieces so they cook at a similar rate, then cover with the lid. The pork is ready for shredding when a fork turns easily in the meat.
Bringing the Shredded Pork and Broccoli Together
The slow cooked shredded pork is tossed in the frying pan before the broccoli joins it, bringing colour and texture to this Chinese style pork dinner. Fold the florets through gently so they stay intact and pick up the savoury juices. Keep an eye on the broccoli—it should be tender with a little bite. Serve over rice to catch those flavourful juices.
Fluffy Rice for Chinese Style Shredded Pork
Freshly cooked white rice makes a simple base for the shredded pork and broccoli, catching the savoury sauce without competing with its flavour. Once the rice cooker finishes, let the rice rest briefly before gently fluffing it with a rice paddle. Loosen the grains with a light lifting motion rather than stirring firmly, which can mash them and make the rice sticky.
My Kitchen Tip for Juicy Shredded Pork
I like to keep a little of the slow cooker liquid aside before finishing the shredded pork and broccoli in the pan. The meat can soak up moisture surprisingly quickly once it’s pulled apart. If it starts looking dry, add a small splash and toss gently before adding more. This helps keep the pork juicy without making the rice bowl watery. Taste before adding extra seasoning, especially once the sauce has reduced.
Slow Cooker Chinese-Style Shredded Pork, Broccoli and Rice
Equipment
- Slow cooker
- Large skillet or wok
- Rice cooker
- Cutting board
- Chef’s knife
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Mixing bowl
- Whisk
- Two forks, for shredding the pork
- Wooden spoon or spatula
- Tongs
- Serving spoon
Ingredients
Slow Cooker Pork
- 3 pounds pork shoulder boneless and trimmed of large pieces of excess fat
- 1 yellow onion large and sliced
- 5 garlic cloves chopped
- 1 cup chicken broth preferably reduced-sodium
- 2 tablespoons light soy sauce such as Lee Kum Kee
- 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon fresh ginger finely grated
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 pound baby red and yellow potatoes halved if large and optional
Rice
- 1½ cups jasmine rice rinsed
- Water measured according to the rice package directions
- 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
Pork and Broccoli Sauce
- ½ cup reserved pork cooking liquid
- 3 tablespoons light soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons hoisin sauce
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar or honey
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons cold water
For the Skillet
- 1 tablespoon vegetable or avocado oil
- 5 cups broccoli florets cut into bite-sized pieces
- 4 to 5 cups pork cooked and shredded
- 4 to 5 cups rice cooked and seasoned
- 3 green onions thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds toasted if desired
Instructions
Slow-cook the pork
- Place the sliced onion and chopped garlic in the bottom of the slow cooker. Set the pork shoulder over the onion.
- Arrange the baby potatoes around the pork, if using.
- Pour in the chicken broth, light soy sauce, hoisin sauce and rice vinegar. Sprinkle the ginger and black pepper over the pork.
- Cover and cook on low for 8 hours or high for about 5 hours, until the pork is very tender and pulls apart easily.
Shred the pork
- Transfer the pork to a large plate or cutting board. Remove and set aside the potatoes.
- Reserve at least ½ cup of the cooking liquid. Scoop out the softened onion and garlic as well.
- Shred the pork with two forks, discarding any large pieces of fat.
Prepare the seasoned rice
- Cook the jasmine rice according to the package directions.
- Fluff the cooked rice with a fork, then gently stir in the light soy sauce and sesame oil. Set it aside while preparing the pork and broccoli.
Mix the sauce
- Whisk together the reserved pork cooking liquid, light soy sauce, hoisin sauce, oyster sauce, rice vinegar, brown sugar and sesame oil.
- In a separate small bowl, stir together the cornstarch and cold water. Add this mixture to the sauce and whisk until combined.
Cook the broccoli and pork
- Heat the oil in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add the broccoli with about 2 tablespoons of water. Cover and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until the broccoli is bright green and just beginning to soften.
- Add the shredded pork along with the cooked onion and garlic from the slow cooker. Cook uncovered for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until some of the pork develops lightly browned edges.
Add the sauce and rice
- Pour the prepared sauce over the pork and broccoli. Stir and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, until the sauce thickens slightly and coats everything evenly.
- Add the cooked seasoned rice directly to the skillet. Gently toss until the pork, broccoli and rice are thoroughly combined and the rice has absorbed some of the sauce.
- Add a splash more reserved cooking liquid if the mixture appears dry.
Serve
- Sprinkle the finished Chinese-style shredded pork and broccoli rice with sliced green onions and sesame seeds.
- Serve the slow-cooked baby potatoes on the side, or save them for another meal. They are best kept separate rather than mixed into the rice.
Notes
- Sear the pork shoulder before slow cooking to build deeper flavour and give the outside of the roast a rich, browned finish.
- Boneless pork shoulder or pork butt works best for this slow cooker shredded pork recipe because the meat becomes tender and pulls apart easily.
- The pork is slow-cooked with onion, garlic, broth and optional baby potatoes. The potatoes are not added to the final rice dish, but they make an easy side for another meal.
- One pork shoulder can provide enough tender shredded meat for several family meals. Use the extra pork in sandwiches, tacos, soups or another rice bowl.
- Reserve some of the slow cooker broth before shredding the pork. It adds moisture and extra flavour to the hoisin pork and broccoli rice.
- Remove large pieces of fat while shredding the cooked pork. Pork shoulder is naturally well marbled, but any unwanted pieces are easy to pull away once the meat is tender.
- Cook the jasmine rice separately in a rice cooker so the grains stay fluffy and do not become mushy.
- Lightly seasoning the rice with soy sauce and sesame oil gives the finished Chinese-style pork and rice dish flavour throughout, not just on the surface.
- Keep the broccoli slightly tender-crisp when cooking it in the skillet. It will continue to soften after the sauce and hot rice are added.
- Let the shredded pork sit in the hot skillet for a minute or two before stirring. This creates lightly browned edges and improves the texture.
- Add the cooked rice gradually so you can control the balance of pork, broccoli, sauce and rice.
- Light soy sauce adds saltiness, while hoisin sauce adds sweetness and body. Taste the finished dish before adding extra soy sauce.
- A large skillet or wok is helpful because the pan becomes quite full once the shredded pork, broccoli and jasmine rice are mixed together.
- Add a splash of broth or water if the pork and broccoli rice skillet becomes too dry. Rice absorbs sauce quickly, especially as it sits.
- Garnish with green onions, sesame seeds or a small drizzle of sesame oil just before serving for extra flavour and freshness.