The Mexican Slow Cooker: Recipes for Mole, Enchiladas, Carnitas, Chile Verde Pork, and More Favorites (19 page)

Combine all the ingredients in 5-quart slow cooker, placing the meat on top. Cover and cook on low for 4 hours, pushing the meat down into the broth several times. Turn off the slow cooker, uncover, and let the meat cool in the broth for 30 minutes. Remove the meat from the broth and shred it into small pieces. Strain the cooking liquid, discarding the solids, and reserve for another use. Use the shredded beef immediately or refrigerate until needed.

Succulent, tender carnitas is easy to make, and so delicious that it could make you famous. Much of the rich flavor comes from the fat that renders into the cooking broth, but this is easily removed after chilling. Always allow the meat to cool in the cooking broth, which keeps it moist and flavorful. This recipe is used in
Tacos de Carnitas
,
Burrito de Carnitas
,
Frijoles Puercos
, and
Tamales
. Freeze any leftovers.

Cut the pork into 3-inch chunks and place in the slow cooker with the water and salt. Cover and cook on low for 7 to 8 hours, or until very tender. Turn off the slow cooker, uncover, and let the meat cool in the broth for 30 minutes. Remove the meat from the broth and carefully remove any large pieces of fat without breaking the meat up too much. Return the meat to the broth. Use the carnitas immediately or refrigerate it in its broth until needed. If you refrigerate it, remove the layer of white fat (
asiento
,
see Note
) before reheating.

As long as you make a few adjustments to your usual method for making rice, your slow cooker can double as a rice cooker. For the best results, use
converted
(which is
not
the same as instant) long-grain white or brown rice, which stays perfectly al dente and does not clump. Tossing the rice with a small amount of oil before cooking it also helps to keep the grains separate and fluffy. Regular long-grain white or brown rice works perfectly well, but it will require more experimentation, due to its variable size and moisture content, and it will also tend to be softer and stickier when cooked. If you’re using regular rice, you may want to experiment with using slightly less water—as much 1 tablespoon less per cup of rice.

Normally rice is never stirred while it cooks. However, because the slow cooker heats from the sides in to the center, a good stir about 30 minutes into the process seems to help the rice cook more evenly. You should also turn the earthenware insert in your cooker 180 degrees after 1 hour, as cookers often heat unevenly.

At the end of the cooking time, when the rice has absorbed all the visible water, turn the cooker off but do not remove the lid or stir for 15 minutes. This will allow the rice to evenly absorb all the moisture remaining in the pot. After 15 minutes, remove the lid and gently fluff the rice with a fork or a single chopstick, stirring just enough to loosen the rice. (Don’t use a spoon, which will crush the soft rice and make it gummy.) Let the rice continue to steam, uncovered, for another 15 minutes. At this point, the rice can be covered and the slow cooker turned on low to keep it warm.

Place the rice in a 4- or 5-quart slow cooker. Add the oil and salt and stir thoroughly until each grain of rice is coated. Add the water, stir briefly, then make sure the rice is evenly distributed over the bottom of the cooker. Cover, and cook on high. After 30 minutes, gently stir the rice, and after 1 hour turn the earthenware insert 180 degrees.

After 2 hours total, turn off the cooker. Let stand, covered, for 15 minutes, then remove the lid and stir gently with a fork. Let the rice stand, uncovered, for another 15 minutes. At this point the rice is ready to be served. To hold, turn the cooker on warm or low, cover, and hold for up to 2 hours.

The classic accompaniment to Mexican food,
arroz mexicana
is delicately flavored with fresh tomato and a small amount of onion and garlic. For more tomato flavor, replace ½ cup of the water with tomato juice.

Place the rice in a 5-quart slow cooker. Add the oil and stir thoroughly until each grain of rice is coated. Stir in the onion, garlic, salt, and cumin.

In a blender, puree the tomatoes. Add enough water or broth to bring the amount of liquid to 4 cups. Pour over the rice and stir well.

To cook the rice, cover and turn on high, stirring the rice after 30 minutes and turning the earthenware insert 180 degrees after 1 hour.

After 2 hours total, turn off the cooker. Add the peas to the slow cooker but do not stir. Replace the lid and let the rice stand, with the cover on, for 15 minutes, then remove the lid and stir gently with a fork. Let the rice stand, uncovered for another 15 minutes. Serve the rice right away. To hold, turn the cooker on warm or low and keep covered for up to 2 hours.

A
rroz verde
gets its pale green color and smoky flavor from two kinds of charred green chiles and a healthy handful of fresh cilantro. Frying the vegetable puree and rice together enhances the flavor of the rice, but this step can be skipped if you’re in a hurry.

Combine the chiles, onion, garlic, salt, and cilantro in a food processor. Pulse to form a smooth puree, scraping down the sides several times.

In a heavy skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the uncooked rice and sauté, stirring often, until golden, about 5 minutes. Add the chile puree and cook, stirring, until absorbed. Transfer the rice to a 5-quart slow cooker. Pour the water over and stir well. To cook the rice, follow the cooking instructions for Arroz Mexicana, above.