Slow Cooker Pepper Pork Seared First Food

SLOW-COOKER PEPPER PORK CHOPS

Steps:

• Combine the vegetable broth, 1/2 cup kosher salt, brown sugar and peppercorns in a medium saucepan and set over medium-high heat. Cook just until the salt and sugar dissolve, then remove from the heat and add the ice. Place the pork chops into a 2-gallon zip-top bag along with the mixture and seal. Place in a plastic container and refrigerate overnight.
• Remove the chops from the brine, rinse, and pat dry. Season on both sides with the kosher salt and set aside
• Place the apples in the slow cooker.
• Heat 1 1/2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a 12-inch stainless steel saute pan over medium-high heat. Saute the pork chops on both sides until golden brown, approximately 5 to 6 minutes per side. Once browned, place the pork chops into the slow cooker atop the apples.
• Add the remaining 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil to the pan followed by the onions and saute until they begin to brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the chicken broth to the pan to deglaze. Add the black pepper and thyme and stir to combine. Transfer this to the slow cooker, set to high, cover and cook for 1 1/2 hours. Decrease the heat to low and continue cooking for another 4 hours and 30 minutes or until the pork is tender and falling away from the bone.

SLOW COOKER PEPPER PORK (SEARED FIRST)

Steps:

• Heat broth, salt, brown sugar, and peppercorns on the stove until salt and sugar dissolve.
• Transfer liquid to a pourable container, and add ice. Stir and cool until room temperature or slightly lukewarm.
• Pour liquid over pork in a ziploc bag, and refrigerate 3-8 hours.
• Remove pork from the brine, and pat dry.
• Place potatoes (if using) and apples in the crock pot.
• Heat oil in a 12-inch stainless steel pan over medium heat. Place pork in the pan and cover with a splatter screen (makes a bit of a mess without one). Saute until golden brown, about 5 minutes per side (you might start checking the second side after 3 minutes for browning).
• Place pork into crock pot over apples.
• Add onion to saute pan, stir well, and cook about 2 minutes.
• Deglaze with chicken broth, add pepper and thyme, and stir to scrape up brown bits off of pan. Transfer to crock pot. If using cabbage, add it on top at this time as well. Let pan soak for ease of cleaning.
• Cook in crock pot for 1 1/2 hours on high, then 4 1/2 hours on low. Alternately, you can cook this for 4 hours on high for equivalent results. You might want to gently stir the cabbage and onions together about an hour before it is finished cooking. I like to serve this over brown rice (if I am not using the potatoes).

SLOW COOKER BBQ PULLED PORK

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine the garlic and onion powders, smoked paprika, salt and black pepper. Rub the spice mixture all over the pork. If you have time, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours or up to overnight. If you don't, no worries; proceed to Step 2.
• Lightly grease the crock of a slow cooker. Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Sear the pork until golden brown on all sides, about 2 minutes each side. Add onion, if using, to the slow cooker. Add the pork on top of the onion. Pour soda over the pork and set the slow cooker to low for 6 to 8 hours, until the meat has collapsed and shreds easily.
• Drain most of the liquid from the slow cooker and shred the meat directly in the pot. Add about 1/2 cup of the barbecue sauce and stir to combine. (At this point, if you like crisp bits in your pulled pork, you can spread the shredded pork on a sheet pan and place under a broiler for a couple minutes then return to the slow cooker.) Taste and add more barbecue sauce, hot sauce, salt or pepper, if desired. Serve with soft rolls and extra sauce on the side.

SKILLET PORK AND PEPPERS

Steps:

• Preheat the broiler. Slice the pork on an angle into 1-inch-thick pieces; season with salt. Heat a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat; add 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add the onion and bell peppers; season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook until the vegetables are crisp-tender and slightly browned, 4 to 6 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
• Add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil to the skillet. Add the pork and sear over high heat until browned, 2 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer the pork to the plate with the onion and peppers.
• Reduce the heat to medium and add the garlic, sage and tomato paste to the skillet. Cook, stirring, until the tomato paste turns brick-red, about 1 minute. Add the pepperoncini slices and their liquid, then pour in the wine and bring to a boil, scraping up any browned bits with a wooden spoon or spatula. Add the broth and return to a simmer. Arrange the pork in a single layer in the skillet; add the onion and peppers and sprinkle with cheese. Transfer to the oven and broil until the pork is cooked through, 4 to 7 minutes.
• Photography by Antonis Achilleos

SLOW COOKER PORK SHOULDER

Steps:

• Remove the fat from the pork shoulder (you can get your butcher to do this bit for you). Season the pork with salt and pepper then heat the oil in a large frying pan over a medium to high heat. Brown the pork shoulder on all sides then transfer to a slow cooker. Add all the other ingredients, then cook on low for 6-8 hours until the meat pulls apart when pressed with two forks.
• Remove the meat, place on a plate and shred it with two forks. Remove the herbs from the sauce and squeeze the garlic cloves out of their skins back into the pot. Put the meat back into its sauce for wonderfully tender and moist slow cooker pork. Serve as an alternative to your Sunday roast with roasted new potatoes, or with a big green salad, mustard and warmed baguettes.

PORK CHOPS WITH SWEET AND HOT PEPPERS

Steps:

• Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Season chops with salt and pepper. Add 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil to pan -- 1 turn of the pan. Add chops and cook 5 minutes on each side. Transfer to a platter and cover with foil. Return pan to heat and add more extra-virgin olive oil and bell peppers. Saute, stirring frequently, 5 minutes. Add hot cherry peppers and a splash of their brine to the pan, cook a minute. Add wine or stock and scrape up pan drippings. Arrange peppers over chops and serve.