Hours in the slow cooker make this watermelon-spiked sweet pork succulent and juicy. The cucumber watermelon salad gives these wraps a nice crunch while the sesame seeds gives the dish texture.
Serves 4 to 6
Ingredients
For the pork
- 1 ½ to 2 pounds (680 to 908g) country style pork ribs
- Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
- 1/4 cup (60 mL) low sodium soy sauce
- 1/4 cup (60 mL) rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons (30 mL) honey
- 1 tablespoon (15 mL) sesame oil
- 1 to 2 tablespoons (15 to 30 mL) gochujang or sriracha
- 1 cup (250 mL) seedless watermelon, cubed and pureed
For the Cucumber Watermelon Salad
- 2 teaspoons (10 mL) sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon (15 mL) soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon (15 mL) rice vinegar
- 2 mini cucumbers, thinly sliced
- 1 cup (250 mL) seedless watermelon, diced
- Salt to taste
- 2 tablespoons (30 mL) black sesame seeds
- 1/4 cup (60 mL) basil, thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon (15 mL) mint, thinly sliced
- 2 heads bibb lettuce, leaves separated
Instructions
- Begin by seasoning the ribs with salt and pepper. Arrange the seasoned ribs in the bottom of a crock pot.
- In a small bowl, combine the soy sauce, rice vinegar, honey, sesame oil, gochujang (or sriracha), and watermelon puree. Whisk until smooth and pour over the ribs. Cook on low for 8 to 10 hours.
- Meanwhile, begin to prepare the salad by whisking together the sesame oil, soy sauce, and rice vinegar in a small bowl. Add the cucumbers and watermelon. Toss to combine and season with salt as needed. Add the sesame seeds, basil and mint and refrigerate until ready to serve.
- When the ribs are finished cooking, use forks to shred the meat. To assemble the lettuce wraps, take a leaf of bibb lettuce and fill it with the shredded pork. Top with the watermelon salad, and drizzle with additional gochujang or sriracha as desired.
*You can also use beef short ribs for this recipe.
Source: watermelon.org
