Korean Braised Pork and Kimchi Quesadilla

This post is sponsored by Farmer John. 

The tender, practically melt-in-your-mouth braised pork complements the melty cheese and kimchi in this grown up version of your childhood (or “drunk food”) classic. When the temperatures dip below 60ºF in Los Angeles I go into full braise mode. While the Korean braised pork can be eaten alone I love adding it to quesadillas with a mix of Monterey Jack, sharp Cheddar cheese and kimchi for an added kick.

Korean Braised Pork and Kimchi Quesadilla

Key Ingredients in This Recipe

Gochujang

This recipe uses Gochujang in the braised meat; it’s a spicy Korean paste with a subtle sweetness made from fermented chilies.

Pork Shoulder

Pork shoulder is my favorite for braises, coming from the upper portion of the shoulder blade of the pig. This cut of meat is tougher, marbled with fat and connective tissue, and therefore will benefit from long, slow cooking. Because it’s a tougher meat, it is also more reasonably priced. While I break down the large cut of meat into smaller pieces for faster cooking, I still leave the piece with the bone in the braise for added flavor.

Cheese

I use a combination of both Monterey Jack and sharp Cheddar cheese in this recipe. They are both semi-soft cheeses that melt well, resulting in gooey, stringy quesadillas. Opt for both or choose one for a great quesadilla. For added spice Pepper Jack cheese can also be used.

Kimchi

Pieces of chopped kimchi, fermented cabbage, add a bit of spice and a funky, tangy flavor that complements the rich cheese and pork combination.

How to Make Braised Pork and Kimchi Quesadillas

For the braised Korean pork:

1. Heat oven. Preheat oven to 300ºF (150ºC).
2. Sauté onion. Heat a 7¼-quart Dutch oven over medium heat, add the oil and heat through. Add the onion and sauté, stirring occasionally, until the onion is tender and opaque, about 5 minutes. Remove from the pan and set aside.
3. Sear pork. Season the pork with salt and pepper. Working in batches, add the pork and sear until golden brown on all sides, about 5 minutes. In a small bowl stir together half of the gochujang and soy sauce.
4. Braise pork. Add the onions back to the pan with garlic, gochujang mixture and the beef stock. Raise the heat to high and bring to a boil. Cover and move to the oven. Cook, stirring every 30 minutes, until the pork is fork tender, about 2 hours.
5. Skim oil then shred meat. Use a spoon to skim the oil from the top and discard. Remove the meat from the broth to a large mixing bowl and gently shred the meat, discarding and fatty pieces. Stir in the remaining gochujang and lime juice.

For assembling the quesadilla:

1. Assemble quesadilla. Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add one tablespoon of the butter and allow to melt. Add one of the tortillas and evenly top with ½ cup of Monterey Jack cheese, ½ cup of the Cheddar, 1 cup of the shredded meat with sauce and ¼ cup of the kimchi.
2. Cook the quesadilla. Top with the other tortilla and cook, flipping once, until the quesadilla is golden brown on both sides, about 3 minutes per side.
3. Cut and serve. Remove from the pan and slice into 6 equal slices. Repeat with the remaining ingredients.

Tips and Tricks for This Recipe

• Since the recipe makes a lot of meat, I set aside what I don’t use for the quesadillas and turn it into sandwiches or use it to eat by itself in another meal.
• The braised pork can be substituted for any other leftover meat from braised beef to pulled chicken or crispy chopped pieces of bacon.

Other Recipes to Try

If you enjoy this quesadilla recipe, I recommend checking out these:

• Pulled Pork Quesadilla
• Mushroom and Spinach Quesadilla
• Authentic Birria Tacos

Korean Braised Pork and Kimchi Quesadilla

Print Pin

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 2 hours hrs 30 minutes mins

Serves 4

US Customary – Metric

Ingredients:

For the braised Korean pork:

• 2 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 medium yellow onion roughly chopped
• 4 ½ pounds Farmer John bone-in pork shoulder cut into 3” cubes
• Kosher salt to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 8 cloves garlic smashed
• ½ cup gochujang paste divided
• ¼ cup soy sauce
• 1½ cups beef broth
• 2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lime juice

For assembling the quesadilla:

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 4 (8-inch) flour tortillas
• 1½ cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• 1 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
• ½ cup kimchi roughly chopped

Instructions:

For the braised Korean pork:

• Preheat oven to 300ºF (150ºC).
• Heat a 7¼-quart Dutch oven over medium heat, add the oil and heat through. Add the onion and sauté, stirring occasionally, until the onion is tender and opaque, about 5 minutes. Remove from the pan and set aside.
• Season the pork with salt and pepper. Working in batches, add the pork and sear until golden brown on all sides, about 5 minutes. In a small bowl stir together half of the gochujang and soy sauce.
• Add the onions back to the pan with garlic, gochujang mixture and the beef stock. Raise the heat to high and bring to a boil. Cover and move to the oven. Cook, stirring every 30 minutes, until the pork is fork tender, about 2 hours.
• Use a spoon to skim the oil from the top and discard. Remove the meat from the broth to a large mixing bowl and gently shred the meat, discarding and fatty pieces. Stir in the remaining gochujang and lime juice.

For assembling the quesadilla:

• Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add one tablespoon of the butter and allow to melt. Add one of the tortillas and evenly top with ½ cup of Monterey Jack cheese, ½ cup of the Cheddar, 1 cup of the shredded meat with sauce and ¼ cup of the kimchi. Top with the other tortilla and cook, flipping once, until the quesadilla is golden brown on both sides, about 3 minutes per side.
• Remove from the pan and slice into 6 equal slices. Repeat with the remaining ingredients.

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