Slow Cooking Yields Big Flavors with Minimal Attention
October is made for football games, tailgate parties, autumn picnics, backyard gatherings, and cozy meals.
With so many possibilities, my slow cooker has reappeared in my kitchen after its summer hiatus.
Slow cooking requires little attention during the cooking process. Simply combine ingredients in the bottom of the pot, cover, select the cooking temperature, and walk away. Before long, savory aromas fill the air, becoming irresistible as the hours pass.
One of my favorite slow-cooked recipes is pulled pork. Fall-off-the-bone tender, the meat is so flavorful and juicy it can be enjoyed as is, but stir in homemade or bottled barbecue sauce, and it becomes tantalizing Texas-style barbecued pulled pork.
For another variation, add roasted Hatch chiles as the meat cooks, and it’s the foundation for New Mexican pork tacos.
A recent trip to Albuquerque inspired my slow-cooked Hatch Chile Pulled Pork Tacos. We’d visited New Mexico many times, but this trip focused on discovering Albuquerque’s history and cuisine. Native American and Spanish heritage strongly influence this region, going back to ancient petroglyphs etched into volcanic rock 400 to 700 years ago in what is now the Petroglyph National Monument.
From enchiladas with green chile, to decadent grilled ribeye tacos with chile aioli, and Campo’s live-fire braised lamb birria with blue corn hominy, each meal was chosen to taste Albuquerque’s food traditions.
But the meal that left a lasting impression was the Navajo Taco I enjoyed at the Indian Pueblo Kitchen. Hot-from-the-skillet frybread was garnished with tender churro lamb, pueblo beans, onion, green chile, tomatoes, lettuce, and cheese. It was simply amazing.
Wanting to recapture some of Albuquerque’s flavors, I seasoned a pork shoulder with a smoky dry rub for a more complex flavor profile, then lined the bottom of my slow cooker with slices of onion, garlic, and fresh orange.
The dry rub and meaty juices combined with the aromatics, creating an array of mouthwatering flavors. After shredding the pork shoulder, I served it in warm flour tortillas, garnished with a tangy cabbage slaw.
If you prefer, use traditional taco toppings of chopped lettuce and tomatoes garnished with shredded cheese. Either way, these tacos will be the hit of any autumn event.
Hatch Chile Pulled Pork Tacos
Ingredients:
¼ cup dark brown sugar, packed
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon cumin
½ teaspoon chili powder
2 teaspoons coarse kosher or sea salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 – 4- to 6-pound pork shoulder
1 orange, rinsed and sliced
1 large onion, peeled and sliced
3 large cloves of garlic, peeled and sliced
1 large Hatch chile, roasted, peeled, seeded, and sliced
1 ¼ cup chicken broth
Warm corn or flour tortillas
Cabbage slaw or chopped lettuce and tomato, for garnish
Shredded cheddar cheese for garnish (optional)
Directions:
Stir together brown sugar, smoked paprika, dry mustard, cumin, chili powder, salt, and pepper. Rub the mixture generously over all sides of the meat and set it aside.
Line the bottom of the slow cooker pot with onion, orange, garlic, and roasted Hatch chile slices, reserving one slice of orange. Place the dry-rubbed meat over the aromatics, place the reserved orange slice on top, and pour the chicken broth around the meat. Cover with the lid, set the temperature to high, and cook for two hours. Reduce the heat to low and continue cooking for three to four hours more, for a total of five to six hours.
When the meat is fall-off-the-bone tender, remove it from the cooker and shred using two forks. Stir some cooking broth into the meat and serve with warm tortillas. Garnish each taco with cabbage slaw or chopped lettuce and tomato, and shredded cheese.
Yield: 10 to 12 servings (two tacos per serving)
