pulled pork - a slow cooker recipe

I don't know how long I've been wanting a slow cooker... but I've been lusting after one for an embarrassingly long time.  (Maybe that came with having kids?)  I finally got one (this one - it was on sale at Target at almost 50% off), and the first thing I made was pulled pork.  Immediately I screamed "why didn't I buy a slow cooker earlier?!  We could have been eating this all the time!!"  It's good... like REALLY good.  The 2 year old is a picky eater and wouldn't try it - but the 11 month old couldn't get enough and was licking pieces from his arm after they'd fallen from his pork clenched fists.  I should have taken pictures of the process and finished product, but I was too busy enjoying every moment... maybe next time.

makes 8-10 servings | 30 minutes to prep, 6-10 hours to cook 

Ingredients:
2 medium yellow onions, thinly sliced

4 medium garlic cloves, minced

2 cups chicken stock or chicken broth, (or 2 cups of water and 2 bouillon cubes)

1 tablespoon packed dark brown sugar

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 tablespoon kosher salt, plus more as needed

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 (3-1/2- to 5-pound) boneless or bone-in pork shoulder (also known as pork butt), twine or netting removed

Place the sliced onions in the bottom of the slow cooker and toss in the minced garlic.  Pour in the 2 cups of chicken broth.  (I actually cheated and tossed in 2 cups of water and 2 chicken bouillon cubes).  Combine the brown sugar, chili powder, measured salt, cumin, and cinnamon in a small bowl. Pat the pork dry with paper towels. Rub the spice mixture all over the pork and place the meat on top of the onions and garlic. Cover and cook until the pork is fork tender, 6 hours on high, or 10 hours on low.

Turn off the slow cooker and remove the pork to a cutting board. Set a fine-mesh strainer over a medium heatproof bowl. Pour the onion mixture from the slow cooker through the strainer and return the solids to the slow cooker. Set the strained liquid aside.

If the pork has a bone, remove and discard it. Using 2 forks, shred the meat into bite-sized pieces, discarding any large pieces of fat. Return the shredded meat to the slow cooker.  Use a spoon to skim and discard the fat from the surface of the strained cooking liquid, and then add 1/4 cup of the liquid at a time to the slow cooker until the pork is just moistened. (Reserve leftover broth).  Taste and season with salt as needed.  Set slow cooker to warm and keep covered until ready to eat.

Serving suggestions:
Pulled Pork Sandwiches

Carnitas Tacos

Pulled Pork Pizza

Leftovers:
Freeze leftover broth in an ice cube tray.  When frozen, remove cubes from tray and toss into a Ziplock freezer bag.  Label it and use for pulled pork re-heats, soups or rice.

Freeze any un-used pulled pork in individual servings.  Using a muffin tin, fill each spot with pork, cover with saran wrap and freeze the tray for at least 2 hours.  Remove each serving of pork and throw them into a Ziplock freezer bag.  To defrost - let sit in fridge overnight.  When defrosted, toss into slow cooker with a cube or two of broth, or other sauce, as desired, (such as BBQ sauce, salsa verde, etc).

[grilled tortilla chips]

Corn tortillas

Olive oil

Salt (mix it up - I like garlic salt)

I use a panini press, but an indoor grill or skillet would work also. 

Heat panini press. Drizzle a little olive oil on corn tortilla and sprinkle with salt. Using a basting brush or fingers, spread oil and salt on one side of tortilla. Put on panini press and grill until turning golden brown. Turn tortilla a quarter turn and continue grilling until crisp, but not burnt. Cut into chips immediately. Enjoy warm or at room temp. 

[pumpkin bread]

Yields two loaves

3 cups sugar

1 cup vegetable oil

4 eggs

2 cups canned pumpkin

2/3 cup of water

3 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Preheat oven to 350°. Grease and flour two loaf pans. Mix sugar and oil with mixer. Add eggs and blend. Add pumpkin and blend. Add water and blend. Combine remaining ingredients and add slowly. Fill pans equally and bake for one hour or until golden brown.

[pasta with ham, peas and cream]

serves 2 adults and 1 child
based on Nigella's recipe of the same name

1 cup dried pasta, like mini farfalle
1 cup frozen peas
1 cup heavy cream
1 1/4 cup diced ham
2 Tbsp grated Parmesan


Cook pasta according to directions on box in plenty of salted boiling water.  After 5 minutes add the peas to the pasta.

When the pasta is cooked, drain with the peas.  Put the dry pan back on the heat with the cream and ham.  Cook on medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add the pasta, peas and Parmesan and warm through.  Serve hot and enjoy.

[new potatoes au gratin]

Serves 2-3
Estimated time: 40min

Ingredients
1 1/2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoons flour
1 cups whole milk
Salt and white pepper
6-8 new red potatoes, cooked and sliced 1/2-inch thick
3 ounces grated Cheddar cheese

Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Grease an 8 cup rectangular baking dish with 1 tablespoon butter. In a nonreactive saucepan, over medium heat, melt the remaining butter. Stir in the flour and cook for 2 minutes. Whisk in the milk and cook until the liquid is slightly thick and coats the back of a spoon, about 4 to 6 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat. In a mixing bowl, toss the sliced new potatoes with salt and pepper. Fold in the cream sauce and pour into the prepared pan. Sprinkle the top of the potatoes with the grated cheese. Place the pan in the oven and bake until golden brown and bubbly, about 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool for a couple of minutes before serving.

[pancakes from scratch]

Promise you'll never use Bisquick again...

1 egg
1 cup 1% milk
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
 

Beat egg, milk and vanilla together.  Combine remaining ingredients and stir into the batter, until smooth.  Don't over mix.

Pour a little batter onto a hot griddle.  Allow them to cook until the tops of pancakes are bubbled, then turn with spatula.  Cook just until the underside is lightly browned.

Makes about 10 (4") pancakes.  Recipe may be doubled. 

[roasted red potatoes with rosemary]

I don't know why I'm always trying to find a better, easier recipe for roasted potatoes, but I am.  There's something so simple about roasted potatoes that makes them taste like they're fried, but light because they're not.

This makes 3 servings.

6-8 small red potatoes, quartered

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 tsp dried rosemary*

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Combine all ingredients in a large bowl to coat potatoes.  Spray a large baking pan (like Pyrex) with Pam, or similar non-stick cooking spray.  Transfer potatoes to baking pan and cook in oven for 35 minutes or until tender and golden.

*Rosemary can also be replaced by dill or thyme.