Salsa Verde Braised Pork
- 3 1/2 pounds bone-in pork shoulder/pork butt
- 2 cups salsa verde, homemade or store-bought
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 2 teaspoons cumin seeds
- 2 teaspoons coriander seeds
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro, plus some leaves
- Salt
1. Trim excess pork fat. Put trimmed pork in a slow cooker (5 to 6 qt.) and turn heat to high. In a pan, bring salsa, onion, broth, cumin seeds, coriander seeds, and oregano to a boil. Pour over pork, cover, and cook until meat is very tender when pierced and registers at least 165° on an instant-read thermometer, at least 7 or up to 9 hours.
2. Preheat oven to 375°. With 2 wide spatulas, transfer meat to a rimmed baking pan. Bake until richly browned, 30 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, skim and discard fat from pan juices. Boil juices, stirring, until reduced to 2 3/4 cups, 8 to 10 minutes.
4. With 2 forks, tear meat into large shreds. Add to pan and stir in chopped cilantro. Season with salt. Spoon into a serving bowl and sprinkle with cilantro leaves. Serve with tortillas and more salsa verde.
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Spicy Shredded Beef
recipe by Sunset Magazine, 2006
- 2 1/2 pounds boned beef chuck
- 1 can (14 1/2 oz.) chopped tomatoes
- 1 can (7 oz.) chipotle sauce (see notes), or 7 ounces spicy salsa
- 1 can (4 oz.) diced jalapeño chiles, drained
- 1 onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons ground dried New Mexico chile or regular chili powder
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 2 cups beef broth
1. Rinse beef and trim off excess fat. Put in a slow-cooker (at least 5 qt.). Add tomatoes (with juice), chipotle sauce or salsa, jalapeños, onion, garlic, ground chile, honey, salt, and cumin; pour broth over the top.
2. Cover and cook on low until beef is very tender when pierced, 8 to 10 hours. If desired, remove lid for last 30 minutes to allow sauce to reduce and thicken.
3. With a heavy fork, transfer meat to a rimmed board or plate. Shred with two forks. Ladle out half the sauce and reserve (see notes). Return shredded beef to the remaining sauce in slow-cooker, cover, and let warm. Serve in sandwiches.
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Moroccan Vegetable Stew
recipe by Sunset Magazine, 2006
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed with the side of a knife
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 5 cups vegetable or chicken broth
- 4 carrots (12 oz. total), peeled and cut into 1/2-inch lengths
- 2 1/2 cups diced peeled eggplant
- 2 1/2 cups sliced (1/2 in. thick) zucchini
- 2 cups cauliflower florets
- 1 cup diced onion (about 5 oz.)
- 2 cans (14 1/2 oz. each) stewed tomatoes
- 1 can (15 oz.) garbanzos, drained and rinsed
- 3/4 cup dried currants
- 1 cup chopped toasted almonds
- 1/2 tablespoon kosher salt
1. Pour olive oil into a small frying pan over medium-low heat. Add garlic and spices and cook, stirring often until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes, being careful not to scorch the garlic. Scrape the mixture into a slow-cooker (at least 5 qt.).
2. Add broth, carrots, eggplant, zucchini, cauliflower, onion, stewed tomatoes (with juices), garbanzos, currants, almonds, and salt, and stir to combine.
3. Cover slow-cooker and cook on high until vegetables are tender to bite and flavors are blended, 8 to 9 hours.
4. Ladle about 3 cups of the vegetable mixture into a blender. Holding lid down with a towel and taking care to avoid steam, whirl until smooth. Return purée to slow-cooker and stir to blend. Ladle stew into a tureen or individual bowls.
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Italian Braised Pork with Lemon and Sage
- 3 pounds boned pork shoulder roast, fat trimmed
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons fresh-ground pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 5 fresh sage leaves
- 3 1/2 cups whole milk
- 1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
1. Rinse pork and pat dry. In a small bowl, mix flour, salt, and pepper; sprinkle mixture over pork. Pour oil into a 10- to 12-inch frying pan over medium-high heat; add pork and turn to brown well on all sides, about 15 minutes. Transfer pork and any juices to a slow-cooker (at least 5 qt.).
2. Let pan cool slightly, then add garlic and sage and stir over medium-low heat until garlic turns golden, about 1 minute. Add to the slow-cooker, along with milk and lemon peel.
3. Cover and cook on high until pork is tender when pierced and sauce is golden brown and reduced by about half, 7 to 8 hours; about 3 hours before pork is done, uncover the crock to let the pan juices reduce and thicken.
4. Transfer pork to a rimmed board and slice. Serve meat with sauce on the side.
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Asian Short Ribs
recipe by Real Simple
- 1/2 cup tamari/soy sauce
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup rice vinegar
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
- 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 8 beef short ribs (about 4 pounds)
- 4 medium carrots, peeled and halved crosswise
- 1 small green cabbage (about 1 pound), quartered
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 4 scallions, thinly sliced (optional)
In a 4- to 6-quart slow cooker, combine the soy sauce, sugar, vinegar, garlic, ginger, and red pepper. Add the short ribs and carrots and arrange in a single layer. Lay the cabbage on top.
Cook, covered, on high for 5 to 6 hours (or on low for 7 to 8 hours)*, until the meat is tender and easily pulls away from the bone.
Transfer the cabbage, short ribs, and carrots to plates. With a large spoon or ladle, skim the fat from the cooking liquid and discard.
If the slow cooker is on the low setting, turn it to high. In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch with 1 tablespoon of water until smooth. Whisk into the cooking liquid and cook until thickened, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the sesame oil. Spoon the sauce over the short ribs and vegetables and sprinkle with the scallions (if using).
*Because different slow-cooker models cook at different rates, the total time is presented as a range. Check for doneness at the low end of the range (but not before, or the escaping heat will slow the cooking). If the food is not done, continue cooking to the end of the suggested range.
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Classic Beef Stew
recipe by Real Simple
- 4 pounds bottom round, well trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup olive oil (plus more if needed)
- 2 large onions, diced (2 cups)
- 1 6-ounce can tomato paste
- 1 cup dry red wine
- 1 pound potatoes, cut into 2-inch pieces (about 4 cups)
- 1/2 pound baby carrots (about 2 cups)
- 2 cups beef broth
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 cup frozen peas, thawed
Coat the beef in the flour. Heat a few tablespoons of the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the meat, a few pieces at a time, adding more oil as necessary. Transfer to a 4- to 6-quart slow cooker. Add the onions to the skillet and cook over medium heat until tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and coat the onions; transfer to the cooker. Pour the wine into the skillet and scrape up any browned bits; add to the cooker. Stir in the potatoes, carrots, broth, salt, thyme, and bay leaf. Cover and cook on low heat for 7 1/2 hours, or on high for 4 hours. Add the peas and heat through.
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Chicken with Bacon and Mushrooms
recipe by Real Simple
- 1/2 pound sliced bacon, diced
- 1 4- to 6-pound chicken, cut up
- 1/2 cup dry white wine (or 1/4 cup dry vermouth plus 1/4 cup water)
- 1/2 pound small white mushrooms
- 1 cup frozen small white onions, thawed
- 6 garlic cloves, chopped
- 3 sprigs fresh rosemary (or 1 tablespoon dried rosemary leaves)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 cup water
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
Cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium-low heat until crisp. With a slotted spoon, transfer it to a 4- to 6-quart slow cooker. Pour off all but a light coating of fat from the skillet. Add the chicken and brown over medium-high heat; transfer to the cooker. Pour the wine into the skillet and scrape up any browned bits; add the skillet contents to the cooker, along with the mushrooms, onions, garlic, rosemary, and salt. Cover and cook on low heat for 6 hours, or on high for 3 hours. Transfer the chicken, bacon, and vegetables to a platter; keep warm. Pour the sauce into a small saucepan. Combine the water and cornstarch; stir it into the sauce. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly, until the sauce thickens, about 5 minutes. Pour over the chicken.
