Name: Slow-Cooker Korean Lettuce Wraps
Total time: 6 h
Ingredients: 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce; 2 tablespoons gochujang; 4 teaspoons grated fresh ginger; 4 garlic cloves , minced; 1 tablespoon instant tapioca; 3 pounds boneless English-style beef short ribs , trimmed; Salt and pepper; 1 tablespoon rice vinegar; 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil; 2 scallions , sliced thin; 2 heads Bibb lettuce (8 ounces each), leaves separated

Why This Recipe Works

Tender short ribs covered in a sweet and spicy glaze are classic Korean barbecue fare, but when they're made in a slow cooker, that bold flavor tends to become watered-down. For a Korean-inspired glaze, we created a base of fruity hoisin sauce, gochujang (a Korean chile-soybean paste), minced ginger, garlic, and a little toasted sesame oil. Instead of adding extra liquid (broth or water) to our base as we do for most braises, we allowed the meat's natural juices to meld with the glaze base to build a flavor-rich sauce. A tablespoon of instant tapioca helped ensure that the glaze was properly thickened. The addition of rice vinegar and more hoisin after cooking brightened the flavor of the dish while scallions provided welcome notes of freshness.

Before You Begin

We prefer to eat these tender short rib pieces wrapped in a lettuce leaf and eaten by hand, but they are equally delicious served over rice. Gochujang can be found in Korean markets and in some supermarkets. If you can't find gochujang, substitute an equal amount of sriracha.

Instructions

Combine ½ cup hoisin, gochujang, ginger, garlic, and tapioca in slow cooker. Season short ribs with pepper and nestle into slow cooker. Cover and cook until beef is tender and fork slips easily in and out of meat, 8 to 9 hours on low or 5 to 6 hours on high.

Transfer short ribs to cutting board, let cool slightly, then pull apart into large chunks using 2 forks; tent with aluminum foil to keep warm.

Transfer cooking liquid to fat separator and let sit for 5 minutes. Whisk defatted liquid, vinegar, oil, and remaining 1 tablespoon hoisin together in large bowl. Add beef and scallions and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve beef with lettuce leaves.