In Praise of a Good Braise

Braising and cold weather go hand in hand. And slow cookers take the wait out of the equation. There's nothing like coming home on a dreary frigid day to the succulent fragrance of slow cooked meat and veggies in wine. It fades away the stress that the workday and traffic has kneaded into you. And when it happens to consist of a tasty cut of meat braised in port, it's even better!

Port Braised Pot Roast


one 5-7 lb. chuck roast
1 1/2 cup ruby port
1 Tbsp tomato paste
3 cups beef broth
1 cup diced porcini mushrooms
5 whole garlic cloves
1 chipotle in adobo, minced
2 Tbsp worchestershire sauce
1 mushroom bouillon
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp Italian Seasoning
1 tsp ancho chile powder
2 bay leaves
1 tsp garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste
1 large or 2 medium yukon gold potatoes, cubed
1 bag of frozen pearl onions
2 cups baby carrots

1 cup frozen peas
cooked egg noodles or rice to serve it on top of

In a cast iron dutch oven (or the insert of your slow cooker if you're lucky enough to have a cast iron one like me!), sear the roast over high heat in some olive oil until browned on each side. Add the port, tomato paste, and broth and bring to a simmer. Add mushrooms, garlic and chile, then seasonings. Simmer for 3 minutes, then taste and adjust as needed. (The liquid should just cover the meat). Add the veggies and bring back to a simmer.

At this point you have two options. Cool, cover and refrigerate for cooking the next day, or put directly into your slow cooker. In either case the braise will take at least 6 and no more than 8 hours on low in the slow cooker. Mine has a lovely timer and automatically keeps things warm after they're done cooking.

Once it is fall-apart tender, use a slotted spoon to remove the meat and most of the veggies. I like to remove any bits of fat and shred the meat now. L doesn't like it shredded, so I leave some in chunks for him. Do what you like most.

Meanwhile, use an immersion (stick) blender to whir together and emulsify the braising liquid. Once it is smooth, bring the liquids to a boil on the stovetop. Reduce it down to about half its volume, or until it thickens. Add meat and veggies back in, along with peas. Cook just enough to warm the peas through. Enjoy over egg noodles, polenta or steamed rice.

Slow Cooker BBQ Pork For A Crowd

Yes, it's another pulled pork recipe. Only supersized. And on uber-cheesy bread. So, in case you didn't get enough with this Latin / Asian take or my Char Sui Bao, here's a more traditional, All-American version.

I'm sure I've told you all about MOLDOW (Munchies On the Last Day Of the Week), but just in case I'll give a refresher course. MOLDOW is a lovely tradition at the high school where I teach, where everyone in the math and science departments take turns to bring in some home cooked food on Fridays (or sometimes wednesdays or thursdays) for breakfast and lunch. A former department chair started up this tradition over ten years ago, when he won a free turkey and made everyone turkey sandwiches for lunch. It's been gaining in popularity ever since and is a weekly ritual that has, quote " gotten way outta hand." [Sidenote: I may be the reason it's gotten way out of hand. I'm not sure I'm upset about that.]

Pulled Pork is perfect for MOLDOW. It's easy to make ahead, actually tastes better after a couple days, and reheats quickly in a crockpot. Not to mention it feeds a huge number of people for relatively little cash. Please feel free to scale down this recipe. It is sized to feed 30+ people. This is fantastic on the cheesy bread recipe below, but also awesome with some sour cream, scallions and tortilla chips.


Slow Cooker Pulled Pork

15 lbs. pork shoulder (about 20 lbs if bone-in)
hickory smoked salt
chile powder
brown sugar

1 tsp butter
1 large sweet onion, grated
1 1/2 chipotle peppers in adobo, chopped fine
2/3 cup dry vermouth
1/3 cup ketchup
3 Tbsp tomato paste
1 Tbsp pomegranate molasses
2 Tbsp dark molasses
1 Tbsp orange blossom honey
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup worchestershire sauce
1 Tbsp liquid smoke
2/3 cup orange pinapple concentrate
1 Tbsp dijion mustard
1 tsp chile powder
1 1/2 Tbsp garlic powder
1 Tbsp cinnamon chipotle rub
1 Tbsp pork rub (McCormick)
1 tsp crushed oregano
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 1/2 cup water

Rub pork with brown sugar, chile powder and hickory smoked salt. Grill over high heat until caramelized and lightly charred on the outside. Let rest while you make the sauce. Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium high heat. Saute onion and chipotle until soft. Add remaining sauce ingredients (I know - it's a lot, but it's good!). Simmer 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool to lukewarm.

Pour sauce down over pork. At this point you can cook or refrigerate overnight. Braise in a slow cooker set to low for 10 whopping hours (low and slow, baby!).

Remove pork to a bowl and shred with a fork, discarding pieces of fat. This should be super easy, as the pork has a tendency to almost melt by this point. Bring liquid to a boil, and reduce by at least half, or until slightly thickened. Blend with a boat motor (stick blender) until emulsified. Toss pork back into sauce.

Serve immediately or refrigerate overnight. Reheat in a crockpot on high heat for one and a half hours. Keep warm until serving (mine has a lovely setting for this too).



Cheesy Bread for Pulled Pork Sammies
Makes 4 loaves - perfect for the full recipe of pork above. Halves easily.

Leave out the chiles if you're not a fan of the heat (or cooking for people who aren't). You can use white cheddar, but the yellow lends beautiful color to this loaf.

2 2/3 cup warm water
2 packets active dry yeast
4 eggs
4 Tbsp rendered bacon fat (yeah, I know - but it's for 4 loaves of bread people!)
4 Tbsp unsalted butter
4 tsp hickory smoked sea salt
4 tsp sugar
2 tsp smoked paprika
1 Tbsp ground black pepper
1 Tbsp garlic powder
2 tsp chile powder
1 chipotle in adobo, minced (optional)
1 cup shredded extra sharp cheddar
11 - 12 cups flour

4 cups crumbled sharp cheddar
smoked paprika
freshly ground black pepper
chile powder
garlic powder
hickory smoked salt
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar

Combine water and yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer and let sit 5 minutes, or until foamy. Whisk in eggs, bacon fat, butter, salt, sugar, spices and cheddar. With the mixer's dough hook, slowly knead in flour in small additions until a soft, not sticky dough forms. Knead by hand on a lightly floured surface for 4 minutes, then place in an extra large oiled bowl covered with plastic wrap. Let rise one hour, or until doubled.


Spray four 8 x 4 inch loaf pans with nonstick spray. Separate dough into 4 pieces. Roll each out into an oval on a floured surface. Top each with cheese crumbles and sprinkle with spices. Roll each up like a jellyroll, tuck ends under and place seam side down in a prepared pan. Spray with nonstick spray and let rise one hour.


Preheat oven to 375. Place pans on a large baking sheet. Bake for 35 minutes. They should be golden. Top with shredded cheese. Bake another 5-10 minutes, or until cheese is bubbly. Cool in pans 15 minutes, then unmold onto wire racks to cool.

East Meets West

Yes, so maybe I've been on a pulled pork kick. But can you blame me? It's inexpensive. It's tender. It's moist. It lends itself too so many international flavors. And best of all, I can prep it the night before and it cooks while I'm at work. I got a gorgeous All-Clad deluxe slow cooker as a Christmas gift. It is especially neat because of it's nonstick cast iron insert, which can be used on the stovetop for searing and then put in the dishwasher for easy cleanup. Another favorite feature is its programmable settings, so I can ask it to cook on high for one hour, low for 8 hours, then it automatically keeps my food warm until I'm ready. It makes weeknights so much easier.



I've been playing with different pulled pork flavors. Of course, traditional smoky Carolina BBQ is satisfying and Latin flavors dance on the tongue. But this may be my favorite. The asian flavors mingle with the pork's buttery undertones.

Now, I know I already paid tribute to Coconut & Lime with an original recipe. I did not intend to also make one of Rachel's recipes, but I was curious to compare her hamburger buns to mine. They're also so good that the verdict's still out. I have no idea which one I prefer. Hers are slightly softer, which I love for pulled pork, but isn't as important to me for burgers. In any case, I never want to buy buns again.

Asian BBQ Pulled Pork



5- 6 pounds boneless pork shoulder (2 smaller pieces work best)
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup Chinese black vinegar
2/3 cup kansas city style BBQ sauce
2/3 cup hoisin sauce
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 Tbsp oyster sauce
1/4 cup honey
1 Tbsp mirin
2 Tbsp minced garlic
2 Tbsp grated fresh ginger
2 cups water

Grill pork over high heat, searing each side until golden. Pork should not be cooked on the inside. Put aside to rest. (You can also sear this in a cast iron pan on the stovetop if needed.)

Combine all other ingredients in the insert of a slow cooker. Add pork. Liquid should come at least halfway up sides of pork pieces. Refrigerate overnight.



Bring to room temperature. Cook in the slow cooker on low for 8 hours. Remove pork and shred (You can shred it with a spoon if you like - it's that tender). Reduce sauce until syrupy. Toss pork in sauce. Serve on whole wheat hamburger buns with crisp steamed green beans in garlic sauce.




Whole Wheat Soft Hamburger Buns



For the buns, follow Rachel's recipe, but substitute whole wheat pastry flour for 1 3/4 cups of the all purpose flour. This gives them a nutty flavor and makes them more nutritious too.

Slow Food to a Latin Beat

I've come across pulled pork countless times this month. First it called to me from grocery store demos, then the pages of two different magazines and right after I bought the pork shoulder to make it, one of my favorite local bloggers, Rachel of Coconut & Lime posted a Smoky Mango Pulled Pork that sounds delicious. I wanted to try one of Latin versions found in my magazine, but I couldn't find annatto seed anywhere. Then I found a recipe for korean steamed buns filled with shredded pork, and my obsession for dim sum was refueled. So I made a Latin / Asian fusion version that made a delicious pulled pork sandwich dinner and hopefully will create beautiful dim sum this weekend. That is, if it makes it that far (I may or may not have been sneaking bites out of the fridge several times a day).

Latin Inspired Pulled Pork

one 5 lb. pork shoulder
1 Tbsp chinese five spice powder

1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 cup cream sherry
1/4 cup Chinese black vinegar (Oh - do try - SO good!)
1/4 cup honey
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 tsp. liquid smoke
1 Tbsp. tomato paste
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 Tbsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. hot chile powder
1 Tbsp. cumin
1 additional Tbsp. chinese five spice

Start the night before by searing the pork in a nonstick pan (or if you're as lucky as I am to have an All-Clad slow cooker with a cast iron insert you can sear right in the insert on the stovetop).

When the pork is browned on all sides, sprinkle it with the first Tbsp. of five spice powder and let the spices toast. Add all of the sauce ingredients and let them come to a simmer until everything has dissolved. Remove from heat and cool. Refrigerate overnight.

in the morning, set the slow cooker on low (8 hours on the timer if it has one - mine will cook for 8 hours than turn to a warm setting).

When you get home at night, remove the pork and shred it. Meanwhile, bring the liquid to a boil and reduce until it coats a spoon. Toss pork with sauce and serve on rolls.

I like to serve this with roasted potatoes and my favorite carrots:

Roasted Carrots with a Maple Chile Glaze

Toss carrots in olive oil and roast on a sheet pan for 25 minutes, until they've lost a bit of moisture, stirring occasionally (this concentrates their sweetness). Toss with 2 Tbsp. maple syrup and 1 Tbsp. good smoky chile powder.

Enjoy with a mango margarita:



1 cup frozen diced mango
1/2 cup Jose Cuervo margarita mix
2 Tbsp. Sauza Gold tequila
1 tbsp. pineapple schnapps
coarse salt
sliced lime

Blend together mango, margarita mix, tequila and schnapps until smooth. Use a slice of lime to wet the rim of glass, then dip in coarse salt. Pour in margarita and sip happily.