Pulled Pork in the slow cooker!

[lizzyann]

Anyone have any yummy easy slow cooker recipes they'd like to share? Believe it or not I recieved my crock pot when I got married 7 years ago and just started using it. I have pulled pork in there now which is perfect for a day after a snowstorm here in New England!

So far I've only done pulled pork smothered in Dinosaur BBQ sauce cooked on low for 10 hours!!! And a real easy but delicious Beef Stew with a Mccormick packet with potatoes, stewing meat, onion, green beans, and carrots!

I'd love some more ides!

 

[elrohwen]

I don't have a crockpot large enough to make meals in, but this is my all time favorite slow cooked meal from the stove. It might be a fun different pulled pork to try (btw, Dino BBQ is the best!) I just make it on the stove in a dutch oven, but I can't see why it wouldn't work just as well in a crockpot! The last steps call for adding milk and Coke and simmering a little more - I've never tried dumping those ingredients in from the beginning, but it might be fine if you do and cuts out a few steps at the end.

Carnitas (aka best pulled pork ever!)
~4lbs pork shoulder/butt (I think this cut is by far the best for pulled pork - and it's cheap!)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4c red wine (I add a bit more)
2c orange juice
chicken broth
1 1/2tsp salt
1/2tsp chili powder (I add more of this as well)
small handful of chopped cilantro or parsley
1 bay leaf
1 cup milk
1/4 Coke


Cut pork into large chunks and brown in a pot. Add garlic, wine, orange juice, salt, chili powder, herbs, and enough broth to mostly cover (if those other liquids weren't enough). Simmer for 4-5 hours (longer wouldn't hurt either).

Add milk and simmer for 20 minutes. Then add Coke and simmer for an additional 15 minutes. Skim off any fat. Remove meat from sauce and pull large chunks apart into pulled pork or small chunks.

Serve with some of the braising liquid, or add some bbq sauce (or both!). If you want to make them into traditional carnitas you can spread out the meat on a baking sheet and bake for 15-20min at 425 degrees, then add sauce on top when it's nice and crisp. I usually just eat it as standard pulled pork without this step.

 

[TravelingGal]

I often pull recipes from this site:

http://crockpot365.blogspot.com/2007/12/alphabetical-listing-of-recipes.html

She did crockpot meals for a year. I have been doing the bbq pork from her site (the one that is really easy with a bottle of ketchup and a few other things) and it's really good on rolls toasted with a bit of butter.

 

[Iowa Lizzy]

I have a good recipe for easy pulled pork sandwiches!

I use between one and two pounds of pork tenderloin (depending on how many people I'm feeding).

Sprinkle some Montreal Steak Seasoning on it and sear it in a frying pan.
Toss it in the Crock Pot with a sliced onion and one can of beef broth.
Let it cook for 4 hours on high or 7/8 hours on low.
Take it out and shred it using two forks.
Dump the broth and onions out of the crock.
Put the shredded pork back in the crock pot and mix in a bottle of your favorite BBQ sauce (I like Famous Dave's Rich & Sassy)
Cook on low for 1 hour.

Put it in a bun and enjoy! I usually make potato salad and baked beans when I do these sandwiches. Perfect summertime meal!

 

[lizzyann]

Yummy, these sound really good. El, that sounds really delicious!!!! Travelgoddess, I really like the Montreal seasoning so I would probably like that! T-Gal, I am going to check out that website.

I'd really like to find a really good recipe for swedish meatballs in the slow cooker! Or beef stroganoff! Anyone have any recipes they like?

 

[lliang_chi]

Beef strog is pretty easy, but you have to remember to put the dairy in at the very end! I can't think of one off the top of my head, but I did it once. Does your crockpot have a timer on it to switch to warm after it's done cooking? My sis has one like that and it's SWEET! I'm waithing for mine to die so I can buy one like hers.

 

[LAJennifer]

I often pull recipes from this site:

http://crockpot365.blogspot.com/2007/12/alphabetical-listing-of-recipes.html

She did crockpot meals for a year. I have been doing the bbq pork from her site (the one that is really easy with a bottle of ketchup and a few other things) and it's really good on rolls toasted with a bit of butter.

Yes, this! As a matter of fact - I made the Coq au Vin yesterday at it was amazing! Can't wait for leftovers today.

 

[LAJennifer]

Here is another super yummy recipe for pork loin:

http://www.freequickrecipes.com/recipes/super-easy-crockpot-pork-loin.php

 

[atroop711]

I just did this about a month ago. I have a pressure cooker (which has many diff. cooking modes such as slow cooker, ect) and I made
pernil (what you call pulled pork) in it. I looked around for recipes online but it was getting too confusing. I just seasoned as I would if it was going into the oven and I cooked it for 2 hrs in the pressure cooker. OMG it was so soft, juicy and yummy!

 

[IdLikeToBuyAVal]

We just got a slow cooker for Christmas and it makes excellent pulled pork. I add McCormick's Mesquite seasoning and it helps fake the smoky flavor of real bbq'ed pulled pork. I also like whole chickens in the crock pot (and a whole chicken is so cheap!). I serve it with rice cooked with herb butter. Afterward, I usually pull any leftover chicken meat from the bones and freeze it to put in dumplings later.

 

[lizzyann]

lc, i think I am going to try a beef stroganoff. i found a recipe on www.allrecipes.com.. I had forgotten about that website until my DH reminded me about it. Unfortunately, my crock pot does not have a timer. That would be great though! I literally just took mine out from it's box a couple of months ago. I have been missing out on some good stuff!

LA Jennifer, have you tried any of the other recipes on that site? I always like to get recommendations after someone has cooked it!

Atroop, my mom LOVES her pressure cooker. She cooks all of her veggies in it. I never thought about cooking meats in it. I cooked just a basic pulled pork tonight in the crock with just some BBQ sauce and it was good. Very tender. I really want to find some recipes for like a full meal in the crock. My beef stew recipe is perfect because it truly is "set it and forget it". And when it' s done, the whole meal is ready!!!!

Idliketobuyaval, I'm gonna have to try the mesquite seasoning. For the whole chicken (which is a great idea by the way), how do you season it? Does it come out like a rotisserie chicken? And how long do you cook it for?!! I am going to have to try that!

 

[lizzyann]

Here is another super yummy recipe for pork loin:

http://www.freequickrecipes.com/recipes/super-easy-crockpot-pork-loin.php

LA, have you made this? It sounds really delicious? Can't go wrong with soy sauce, onion, and garlic!

 

[LAJennifer]

Here is another super yummy recipe for pork loin:

http://www.freequickrecipes.com/recipes/super-easy-crockpot-pork-loin.php

LA, have you made this? It sounds really delicious? Can't go wrong with soy sauce, onion, and garlic!

I make this one at least once a week. It is so easy and so

 

[Luv4ever]

I love pulled pork from a Crock Pot. I usually use half for BBQ Pork and the other half makes Fantastic Pork Tacos! Made my own recipe so can't provide exact measurements but this is what I do:

Put Olive Oil in a frying pan and add

Chopped Onion
Chopped Fresh Jalapeno
Diced Garlic Clove
Pulled Pork

Cook until the pork is just a little bit crispy then add

1 Package of Taco Seasoning (only half a cup of water)

For the Taco Shell's i use Corn Tortilla's fried in a few drops of Oil over medium heat (only takes about 20 seconds on each side) They should be chewy but not crisp.

Add your favorite toppings like:

diced Tomatoes (or Salsa)
Lettuce
Cheese
Sour Cream
Guacamole
Hot Sauce

Yummy!

 

[yennyfire]

I just got one about a month ago and so far we've had a lot of crock pot catastrophe's! Maybe it's because I bought a healthy cooking in the crockpot cookbook and that's just not possible. Among the failures: baked potato soup (aka glue), orange chicken (the recipe said to line the bottom of the pot with orange slices and somehow, it made the sauce bitter), Cincinnati chili that would have been tasty (I think) except that it was so spicy my hubby (who likes things HOT) couldn't even eat it....

So, I'd be thrilled to get some GOOD crockpot recipes. Here's one a friend gave me that is pretty good:

Crock Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can corn, drained (I use the Steamfresh frozen)
14.5 oz. can of southwest style diced tomatoes
1 packet of enchilada sauce mix or taco seasoning
1 and 1/2 C water
1 can "no salt added" tomato sauce (8 oz.)
1 can (10 3/4 oz.) cream of chicken soup-low sodium
2 C milk
3 or 4 chicken breasts

In crockpot, mix packet with water and tomato sauce. Add soup and milk and whisk until smooth. Add chicken. Pour drained black beans and corn and diced tomatoes on top. Mix a bit. Cook low 6-8 hours. Before serving, shred or dice chicken (it will be very tender) and stir together. Serve with sour cream, lime, avocado, shredded cheese and chips.

 

[aviastar]

I make a white chili in my crock pot thats awesome- I start with an herbed pork tenderloin (from Costco!) that is really too big for us to eat in one sitting; so the next morning I can take the left over pork, slice it into small strips and throw it in the crock pot with four cans of beans and a packet of taco seasoning. I use 2 cans white beans, 1 can kidney, and 1 can pinto, but you can use any you like. Sometimes I'll throw in an extra can of tomatos, but not always. I serve it over warm sweet cornbread (my BF calls it 'corncake' its so sweet) and it's one of our favorites.

Also, I have subbed in fresh venison tenderloin in stews and chilis with excellent results; don't be scared if it smells a little gamey while it's cooking, the slow cooking process makes it tender as butter and I don't notice any gamey-ness in the finished product. I really think freshness is the key with venison!

 

[kenny]

Thanks for starting this thread Lizzyann.
It got my mouth watering so last night I went out and bought all the ingredients for Pulled Pork.

I'm using this recipe which goes into a slow oven instead of the crock pot.

http://www.kevinandamanda.com/recipes/dinner/perfect-pulled-pork-slow-roasted-seasoned-savory.html

I just cured it overnight in the brine and now I'm ready to start the oven, but wondering if I should wait till tomorrow.
The recipe calls for at least 8 hours of curing in the brine.
Is longer better?
Would a day or two in the brine make it more tender or flavorful?
Is too long bad - as it the meat absorbing too much salt or getting mushy or something?

I bought a 7-pound Pork Sirloin End Roast.
Unfortunately it was cut into two pieces.
Both have the bone in them.
One is probably 4.5 pounds and the other 2.5 pounds.

Cooking times depend on weight or reaching internal temp X.
So would you cook this - for 7 pounds or 5 pounds or 2?
Would you just go out and buy another meat thermometer and put one in each piece?
Would you push the two roasts together (maybe tied with string) or separate them for more bark?
I assume this decision will affect cooking time.

We are supposed to insert the thermometer into the center but not touch, or be near, the bone.
How do you know if you are touching or near the bone?
Do you intentionally hit the bone then back it out?

 

[LAJennifer]

Here is an easy recipe for a Lentil and Butternut Squash Stew. I make this a couple of times a month. It is very hearty and full of flavor.

Ingredients

* 3 large stalks celery, cut into 1/4-inch thick slices
* 1 large (12-ounce) onion, chopped
* 1 large (2 1/2-pound) butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch chunks
* 1 bag(s) (1 pound) brown lentils
* 4 cup(s) water
* 1 can(s) (14 to 14 1/2 ounces) vegetable broth
* 1/2 teaspoon(s) dried rosemary
* Salt and pepper
* 1 ounce(s) Parmesan or Romano cheese, shaved with vegetable peeler
* 1/4 cup(s) loosely packed fresh parsley leaves, chopped

Directions

1. In 4 1/2- to 6-quart slow cooker bowl, combine celery, onion, squash, lentils, water, broth, rosemary, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Cover slow cooker with lid, and cook as manufacturer directs on low setting 8 hours.
2. To serve, spoon lentil stew into serving bowls; top with Parmesan shavings, and sprinkle with chopped parsley. Makes about 11 1/2 cups.

 

[lliang_chi]

Kenny,

Treat the meat like the largest size, 5lb. Put the thermometer in the meat on a diagonal entry but avoid the bone. if you hit it, just back off it. For pulled pork you want to meat to be cooked to 200. Well past the normal cooking temp for roasts, because that's how you get the meat "fall off the bone" soft. Then shred it. It should come off the bones easily.

No harm in brining an extra day, if you have salt in your brine.

 

[kenny]

Thanks.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

I cook boneless pork loins in the crock pot all the time! I normally just use our favorite barbeque sauce. But yesterday our daughter told me that she made a new recipe that called for root beer during the cooking and then adding the sauce after it has finished cooking. I tasted a bite and it was really good! I'll try to remember to ask her for the exact recipe, but I think it was one can of root beer (12oz) for 2 lbs. of pork.

 

[elrohwen]

I was reading this month's edition of Bon Appetit magazine and there's a whole article on braised recipes. Not necessarily for slow cookers, but they could definitely be cooked that way instead of in a pot. The Portuguese Chicken and Thai Spareribs look amazing.

Here's a slideshow with links to each of the recipes featured in the magazine. Only the first four were in the article, but there are a bunch here to choose from.
http://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/slideshows/2009/11/braising_slideshow#slide=1

 

[IdLikeToBuyAVal]

Idliketobuyaval, I'm gonna have to try the mesquite seasoning. For the whole chicken (which is a great idea by the way), how do you season it? Does it come out like a rotisserie chicken? And how long do you cook it for?!! I am going to have to try that!

We cook the chicken on the 8 hour session. We seasoned it the night before and put it in the refrigerator so we could pop it into the base before we left for work the next morning. Our crockpot will automatically go to "Warm" once the time is up and it was fall apart perfect!

The recipe I used (from allrecipes.com) said to remove the skin from the chicken, otherwise it is greasy. I did that along with a lot of the extra fat, seasoned with rotisserie chicken seasoning and mesquite (I use the mesquite on everything!) and cooked breast down in about an inch of Swanson's chicken broth. When you remove the chicken, it will fall apart so I had to use tongs and a wooden spoon to get it out. The meat was so tender the leg bones came right out.

For the rice, I cooked a cup and a half white rice (plenty for DH & I) with 1 tbsp herb butter. I usually mix the herb butter up in advance and freeze it. I use 1 stick of butter, 1 tsp garlic salt, 1 tsp parsley, sprinkle black pepper, and 1 tsp oregano and mix in the food processor. You can then scrape out the butter into waxed paper and freeze in a log shape.

You can save the leftover chicken stock for chicken & dumplings or chicken noodle soup.

 

[kenny]

FWIW, our PP is done.
It was dry and it was hard to pull it apart at the edges since it was almost jerky-like.
Still, it is delicious.

Unfortunately the cut I bought (Pork Sirloin End Roast) did not have a generous layer of fat, as recommended by the recipe I linked to.
The packaging made this impossible to determine; I should have asked the butcher.

Adding water helped a lot but the mouth-feel is just not the same.
Next time I'm going for the fat!

 

[bricklayer]

I cover my uncooked pork loin/butt/whatever in tons of dry rub, then pour half a can of diet root beer into the slow cooker and cook on low for about 10 hours. I pull the meat out and shred it. Some gets sauced with a really sweet smoky sauce from a local chain, and the rest I use to make things like enchiladas or chili or something.

 

[JulieN]

Kenny, you cannot make pulled pork out of a sirloin roast! Shoulder all the way, or else you will end up with dry meat. Brine: you can brine it for longer than 8 hours or a day, but there is not much difference in flavor. however, if you go too long, depending on the strength of your brine, it may be too salty or too mushy.

 

[kenny]

Thanks Julie.
I've got a lot to learn in the kitchen.

 

[lizzyann]

Kenny, I'm so sorry it did not come out well for you!

I use a pork butt for my pulled pork. I get a 5-7lb. I cook it in the crock for 10 hours on low with a half bottle of my favorite BBQ sauce and it comes out so tender and moist. And it makes my house smell yummy all day!

Idliketobuyaval, I am going to try the chicken! It sounds so good!!!

This rootbeer thing sounds very interesting! I love root beer so it just may work!

Anybody have any more crock pot recipes they'd like to share? Doesn't have to be pulled pork, anything at all!!! I need some new meals desperately! Does anyone else get in a rut and feel like you make the same dinners day in and day out? I need major ideas!

A friend of mine does a buffalo/blue cheese dip in her crock and it is really yummy! Anyone have any dips or soup ideas that they love!!! I'll find her recipe and post it for you!

 

[dragonfly411]

Kenny - Sorry to hear about your meat, but next time!

I generally let meat sit at least overnight to marinate and sometimes for 24 hours.

 

[elrohwen]

Ditto everyone who said to use pork shoulder/butt for pulled pork. Nothing else will work the same! Plus, the shoulder is a cheap cut, so you can get a lot of it. Cheap cuts generally work best for slow cooking because they have more fat and connective tissues and those are the best parts.

Last night I made Bon Appetit's Portuguese Chicken. It was awesome! I didn't have any port around so I substituted with beer (a stout). I also used Spanish paprika instead of Hungarian and used probably twice what was recommended. Extremely good! This would work really well in a slow cooker.

Ingredients

* 1 cup all purpose flour
* 1 tablespoon plus 1/4 teaspoon Hungarian sweet paprika
* 1 3- to 3 1/4-pound chicken, cut into 8 pieces
* 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
* 1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes in juice
* 4 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto, chopped
* 12 cipolline onions or 1-inch-diameter pearl onions, blanched 1 minute, peeled
* 2 large roasted red peppers from jar, halved, cut into 3/4-inch-wide strips
* 6 large garlic cloves, pressed
* 4 large fresh Italian parsley sprigs
* 4 large fresh bay leaves, bruised
* 1/2 cup dry white wine
* 1/2 cup tawny Port
* 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
* 1 tablespoon tomato paste
* 1 tablespoon butter, room temperature (optional)

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°F. Whisk 1 cup flour, 1 tablespoon paprika, 11/2 teaspoons salt, and 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper in large bowl. Add chicken pieces to seasoned flour, 1 at a time, and turn to coat. Heat oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken, skin side down, and sauté until brown, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer chicken to plate; reserve skillet.

Arrange chicken in single layer in large ovenproof pot. Top with tomatoes and juice, prosciutto, onions, peppers, garlic, parsley, and bay leaves; sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon paprika. Add wine and Port to reserved skillet. Bring to boil, scraping up browned bits. Remove from heat. Whisk in mustard and tomato paste; pour mixture over chicken and bring to boil. Cover; transfer to oven.

Braise chicken until very tender, about 1.5 hours (I would do at least 5-8 hours in a slow cooker on the low setting, like any other chicken dish). Discard bay leaves and parsley. Using tongs, transfer chicken and toppings to platter. Return sauce in pot to simmer. If thicker sauce is desired, stir 1 tablespoon flour and butter in small bowl until smooth paste forms. Add flour paste to sauce and whisk to blend. Simmer until sauce thickens to desired consistency, whisking often. Season sauce to taste with salt and pepper. Spoon over chicken and serve.