Saturday, August 4, 2012

Zesty, Slow Cooker Pork

Food talk around my office lately has been all about a succulent pork butt recipe—cooked low and slow. I was on-board, but there was one problem. The secret ingredient was Dr. Pepper. I’ve eliminated high fructose corn syrup, preservatives and artificial ingredients from my diet, so soda was out. My mission: to replicate this slow-cooked pork-a-licious dish. A high-quality, sweet wine seemed like a logical choice, along with good stock. Lots of garlic and a spicy jalapeno pepper kick provide the perfect balance.

Gary calls this dish "meat butter." It's so rich and tender, it seriously falls off the bone and literally melts in your mouth.

Zesty, Slow Cooker Pork

3 – 3.5 lb. pork butt (pork shoulder)
Kosher salt and black pepper
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, diced
½ cup sweet red wine, such as Port or Marsala
½ cup beef stock
½ - 1 diced jalapeno pepper
1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
½ teaspoon grated ginger

Preheat slow cooker on low. Season pork butt liberally with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in a medium size skillet over medium heat. Brown pork butt on all sides (about 10 minutes). Remove meat and transfer to slow cooker. Drain all but about 1 tablespoon oil from skillet. Add onions and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, and cook for 1 minute. Add wine to deglaze pan, scraping off bits and stirring for about a minute. Add broth, Worcestershire sauce, jalapenos, and ginger. Season to taste. Transfer broth mixture to crock pot, pouring over pork butt. Cover, and cook for 8 hours on low (or 4-5 hours on high), adjusting seasoning as meat cooks if desired.

Tip: The pork butt will produce a good amount of fat as it cooks. When meat is done, carefully remove from slow cooker. With a slotted spoon, remove onions from broth. Use a fat separator to lighten up the broth.