Fix-It and Forget-It Revised and Updated: 700 Great Slow Cooker Recipes (64 page)

2. Cover. Cook on High 1 hour and then on Low 6 hours.

3. Slice and serve.

Pork and Apricots with Mashed Sweet Potatoes

Carolyn Baer

Conrath, WI

Makes 8 servings

Prep Time: 35-40 minutes

Cooking Time: 3½-9 hours

Ideal slow-cooker size: 6-qt.

2½ lbs. sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1½-inch-thick slices

3½-4-lb. boneless pork shoulder roast

1 tsp. dried tarragon, crushed

1½ tsp. fennel seed, crushed

3 cloves garlic, minced

1½ tsp. salt

1 tsp. pepper

2 Tbsp. cooking oil

12-16 oz. kielbasa,
or
other smoked sausage links, cut in half lengthwise, then in 2-inch pieces

14-oz. can chicken broth

¾ cup apricot nectar,
divided

½ cup dried apricots

4 tsp. cornstarch

1. Place sweet potato slices in bottom of slow cooker.

2. Trim fat from pork roast.

3. Combine tarragon, fennel seed, garlic, salt, and pepper in small bowl.

4. Rub spice mix all over pork roast.

5. In large skillet, brown roast on all sides in hot oil.

6. Drain off drippings.

7. Place roast on top of sweet potatoes.

8. Place sausage pieces around roast in cooker.

9. Pour broth and ½ cup apricot nectar over all.

10. Cover and cook for 3½ hours on High.

11. Add dried apricots to cooker. Cover and continue cooking on High 30 more minutes.

12. With slotted spoon, transfer pork, sausage, and apricots to serving platter. Cover and keep warm.

13. Transfer sweet potatoes to a large bowl.

14. Mash with potato masher.

15. Strain cooking liquid from cooker into a glass measuring cup.

16. Skim and discard fat.

17. Reserve 2 cups liquid, adding chicken broth if necessary to make 2 cups.

18. In a small bowl, whisk together ¼ cup apricot nectar and cornstarch until smooth.

19. In a medium saucepan, combine cooking liquid and cornstarch mixture.

20. Cook and stir over medium heat until thick and bubbly.

21. Cook two minutes longer.

Serving suggestion: Serve sauce with pork and mashed sweet potatoes.

Tip:

If your ingredients are hot when you place them in your slow cooker, pre-heating your cooker will speed up the cooking time.

Pork Roast with Potatoes and Onions

Trudy Kutter

Corfu, NY

Makes 6-8 servings

Prep. Time: 15 minutes

Cooking Time: 8½ hours

Ideal slow-cooker size: 4-qt.

2½-3-lb. boneless pork loin roast

1 large garlic clove, slivered

5-6 potatoes, cubed

1 large onion, sliced

¾ cup broth,
or
tomato juice,
or
water

1½ Tbsp. soy sauce

1 Tbsp. cornstarch

1 Tbsp. cold water

1. Make slits in roast and insert slivers of garlic. Put under broiler to brown.

2. Put potatoes in slow cooker. Add half of onions. Place roast on onions and potatoes. Cover with remaining onions.

3. Combine broth and soy sauce. Pour over roast.

4. Cover. Cook on Low 8 hours. Remove roast and vegetables from liquid.

5. Combine cornstarch and water. Add to liquid in slow cooker. Turn to High until thickened.

Serving suggestion: Serve gravy over sliced meat and vegetables.

Variation:

Use sweet potatoes instead of white potatoes.

Tangy Pork Chops

Tracy Clark

Mt. Crawford, VA

Lois M. Martin

Lititz, PA

Becky Oswald

Broadway, PA

Makes 4 servings

Prep. Time: 15 minutes

Cooking Time: 5½-6½ hours

Ideal slow-cooker size: 4-qt.

4 ½-inch thick pork chops

½ tsp. salt

⅛ tsp. pepper

2 medium onions, chopped

2 celery ribs, chopped

1 large green pepper, sliced

14½-oz. can stewed tomatoes

½ cup ketchup

2 Tbsp. cider vinegar

2 Tbsp. brown sugar

2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

1 Tbsp. lemon juice

1 beef bouillon cube

2 Tbsp. cornstarch

2 Tbsp. water

1. Place chops in slow cooker. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

2. Add onions, celery, pepper, and tomatoes.

3. Combine ketchup, vinegar, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, and bouillon. Pour over vegetables.

4. Cover. Cook on Low 5-6 hours.

5. Combine cornstarch and water until smooth. Stir into slow cooker.

6. Cover. Cook on High 30 minutes, or until thickened.

Serving suggestion: Serve over
rice
.

Variation:

Use chunks of beef or chicken legs and thighs instead of pork.

Spicy Pork Chops

Mary Puskar

Forest Hill, MD

Makes 5 servings

Prep. Time: 15 minutes

Cooking Time: 6-8 hours

Ideal slow-cooker size: 4-qt.

5-6 center-cut loin pork chops

3 Tbsp. oil

1 onion, sliced

1 green pepper, cut in strips

8-oz. can tomato sauce

3-4 Tbsp. brown sugar

1 Tbsp. vinegar

1½ tsp. salt

1-2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

1. Brown chops in oil in skillet. Transfer to slow cooker.

2. Add remaining ingredients to cooker.

3. Cover. Cook on Low 6-8 hours.

Serving suggestion: Serve over
rice
.

Barbecued Pork Steaks

Marcia S. Myer

Manheim, PA

Makes 4 servings

Prep Time: 15-20 minutes

Cooking Time: 8 hours

Ideal slow-cooker size: 5-qt.

4 pork shoulder steaks, cut ½-inch thick

1 Tbsp. oil

1 large onion, sliced

1 large green pepper, sliced

2 tomatoes, sliced

1 Tbsp. instant tapioca

½ cup barbecue sauce

¼ cup red wine

½ tsp. cumin

1. Brown steaks in hot oil in skillet.

2. In slow cooker, arrange slices of onion, green pepper, and tomato.

3. Sprinkle tapioca over vegetables.

4. Place browned pork steaks on top of vegetables.

5. In bowl combine barbecue sauce, wine, and cumin.

6. Pour over meat.

7. Cover. Cook 8 hours on Low.