Slow-Cooker Pork and Hominy Stew

I'm happy to give you week 2 of recipe testing!

Did anyone try the Steak and Spinach Salad?  What'd you think?  Feel free to leave a comment on that post if you did, and let me know how you liked it or if you changed anything!

This weeks' recipe was chosen because I had anticipated that both children had soccer practice, and I always think that it's better to have a home-cooked meal vs. take-out on those days.  And I don't know about you, but I always feel so put-together when I have dinner in the crock pot, like I have really killed this "adulting" thing 👯

This recipe was originally featured in the October 2015 issue of Food Network Magazine, in their "Weeknight Cooking" section.  It stood out to me, because I really love an easy crock pot meal with little to no prep time! 

Here's the original recipe from the magazine:

Slow-Cooker Pork and Hominy Stew

ACTIVE: 20 min  |  TOTAL: 7hr 20 min  |  SERVES: 4

Ingredients:

1 1/2 pounds boneless pork shoulder, cut into 1-inch pieces

2 15-ounce cans hominy, drained and rinsed

2 cups low-sodium chicken broth

1 16oz. jar salsa verde

2 poblano chile peppers, seeded and chopped

1/2 bunch fresh cilantro, roughly chopped, plus more for topping

Kosher salt

10 6-inch corn tortillas

1/4 cup sour cream

1 romaine lettuce heart, shredded

1 avocado, diced

Directions: (Original directions from Food Network Magazine are in bold; my substitutions/alterations are marked with an asterisk (*).

1.  Toss the pork and hominy with the chicken broth, salsa verde, poblanos, cilantro, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a 6-quart slow cooker.*

*I trimmed the pork shoulder a bit while I was cutting it up, as it was pretty fatty, and I can't stand "wiggly" pieces

*The grocery store was out of chicken broth, so I used the chicken stock that I already had in my pantry

*Salsa verde was available in a 16-ounce jar, but with medium heat, which I knew the kids would never go for, so I got two 7-ounce cans of mild salsa.

2.  Tear two of the tortillas into small pieces; add to the slow cooker, and toss.  

3.  Cover and cook on low, 7 hours.

4.  Warm the remaining 8 tortillas as the label directs.  Top each serving of stew with sour cream, lettuce, avocado, and more cilantro.  Serve with the warm tortillas*

*I neglected to add the lettuce and put the tortillas on the side before I took this picture, but we did have them in the final product!

Our Opinion on the Recipe:

We really liked it!  It was an easy meal, and hearty for a chilly evening.  Soccer ended up being cancelled, but having dinner in the crock pot meant that I had more time for passing drills with my son, because he still wanted to get some soccer in.

What We Would Change:

I thought it was great recipe, and I wouldn't change anything!  I would probably skip the corn tortillas for serving, and if we needed a bread item, grill some Bolillo rolls with butter in a skillet to accompany.

My husband wasn't home for dinner, but he will be trying it, and giving me his opinion.

My daughter liked it, though she said it was a little too spicy.  Even though I was careful about taking out the veins and seeds in the poblano, it still had a hint of spice.  If serving again, I would substitute canned mild green chilies.

My son loved it, and agreed that it was a little too spicy.  He also wanted more sour cream and avocado, which I am sure would help cut the spice.

OVERALL SCORE:

4.8 out of 5

If you see in the picture, I served the stew with a Southwest vinegar slaw, one of my favorite accompaniments to Mexican-type food.  Here's my recipe (I typically make it according to taste, and haven't written it down before):

Southwest Vinegar Slaw Recipe:

ACTIVE: 15 min  |  TOTAL:  20 min  |  SERVES: 4

Ingredients:

1/4 head large red cabbage, shredded

2 green onions, minced

1/3 cup carrot, shredded

1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

3 Tablespoons olive oil

2 teaspoons white vinegar or fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon honey

1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt

1/4 freshly ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

Directions:

1.  In large bowl, combine olive oil, vinegar (or lemon juice, if you're using that), honey, Kosher salt, pepper, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, and cumin.  Whisk together until thoroughly combined.  Set aside for at least 5 minutes for flavors to meld.

2.  Add red cabbage, green onion, carrot, and cilantro to bowl, and toss with dressing until coated.

3.  Serve!

If you decide to make these recipes, please comment on how you liked it, or what you changed.

Thanks for visiting, and I will see you next week!

GUTEN APPETIT!