Korean Tacos in the Crock Pot with Homemade Kimchi - March Secret Recipe Club

One of the things I am most proud of in my life is getting the chance to travel. Being a small town girl with parents who never had the opportunity to go to college I had big dreams of seeing the world. Till I was 16 I hadn't been very far past my own little 'burg and hadn't even been outside the US.

Through an exchange program and college internship I feel in love with Asia! It wasn't hard and the food has left a lasting impression on me to this day.

After college I taught English in Japan. That job gave me the opportunity to travel during school breaks. I saw a lot of Japan, but I also wandered through China, Thailand and of course, Korea.

Korea was so warm and friendly with food that I just couldn't get enough of. Now, in Oregon a good Korean restaurant is pretty hard to come by. Buying a bottle of kimchi at the store can be a spendy endeavor and over far too quickly. So this month for my Secret Recipe Club assignment I took a little culinary journey within my own home to create these delicious Korean Tacos and quick Kimchi.

Oh, my! These are sure to get your taste buds dancing.

For March I was assigned to Angela's Kitchen. Now, if you haven't had the pleasure of perusing her lovely site yet, well... you better remedy that quickly! With recipes, menu plans and general food knowledge all at your fingertips, you will need to pin, bookmark and subscribe to really take advantage of all Angela has to offer her readers. She is an expert on cooking dairy free and gluten free as well as a Master Food Preserver. Oh, swoon! I have been trying to find a way to fit those great courses into my own busy schedule.

Okay, am I gushing? I might just have a foodie crush...

This particular recipe spoke to little 'ole me because it utilizes time and a crock pot. Being pregnant and tired, that is about all I have to give at the moment.

I recommend trying both recipes as the kimchi does an amazing job complimenting the beef. I am really the kimchi fan in the family, but I did get my 5-year old to try it as well. My husband went the whole shredded cheese and sour cream route (don't judge!) but we both agreed that the recipe was a keeper. ...Even if we dress our tacos a little differently.

So grab your ingredients, a crock pot and let's start cooking!

Quick Kimchi
Adapted from Angela's Kitchen.

You Will Need:

• 1 head of napa cabbage
• 1 bunch of green onions, sliced
• 1/2 c. carrots, grated
• 1/2 c. daikon radish, grated
• 1 Tbsp. minced garlic
• 1 Tbsp. ginger, grated
• 4 Tbsp. whey
• 1 Tbsp. sea salt
• 1 Tbsp. fish sauce
• 1/4 c. Kochakaru (Korean chili pepper powder) or 1/2 tsp. dried chili flakes

Combine all the vegetables, salt and whey in a large bowl. Squeeze all the vegetables until the juices have been released. Squeeze for about 10 minutes. 

Add the remaining ingredients and mix well. Put the vegetables into 2 quart jars, packing down the vegetables well so the juices cover the vegetables and are at least an inch from the top of the jar. 

Let these set out at room temperature for 3 days and then refrigerate to slow the fermentation process. I used lids on mine, but left them loose so they don't build up any pressure from the fermentation process. The kimchi is ready to be eaten at this point. 

*I call this quick kimchi because some is fermented much longer and remember the aroma coming from dorm room experiments from exchange students making their own under their beds in college.

Korean Tacos in the Crock Pot
from Angela's Kitchen

You Will Need:

• 3 lb. beef roast
• 1/4 c. brown sugar
• 1/4 c. soy sauce
• 10 cloves of garlic, smashed
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 2 Tbsp. freshly grated ginger
• 2 Tbsp. rice wine vinegar
• 1 Tbsp. sesame oil
• 1/2 Tbsp. jalapeno, seeded and diced

Place all the ingredients in your crock pot and turn on for 8 - 10 hours.

Fork shred and serve on tortillas with kimchi.

Enjoy!