What's in Your Crock Pot

[stuckathuntermtn]

So I wound up with a wonderfully flavored, super tender, but very little pork roast which I removed last night, as well as a pork based split pea stew that is pretty yummy. I added more veggies.
If I do it again, I'll do it with a bigger roast and fewer peas.
As far as the flavors. It's kinda Tex Mex. I rule.

[Lev]

I cooked up the now famous peanut stew recipe from this thread and dished it up at my weekly wed night mtn bike ride last week. The crew loved it!

Yum:

[Lev]

Oh and I'm planning to try out the spicy asian ribs this week. I'm stoked. Been having a lot of fun with the crockpot lately, after sitting on the shelf for the last 2 years

I enjoy not having to clean up after the meal cuz it's usally already done. The food is also delicious.

[PearlJam09]

Short Ribs cooking right now:

Make generic red rub (paprika, cayenne, chili powder, garlic, onion, salt, pepper, brown sugar), roll short ribs in it. Brown on all sides and put in crock pot.

Cut up some onion, green peppers, jalapenos. Toss in pan you used to brown the meat with some EVOO, and scrape off the meat leftovers. Add red wine and garlic and some bbq sauce.

Throw it all together and set on low for 8-10 hours.

[Lev]

Short Ribs cooking right now:

Make generic red rub (paprika, cayenne, chili powder, garlic, onion, salt, pepper, brown sugar), roll short ribs in it. Brown on all sides and put in crock pot.

Cut up some onion, green peppers, jalapenos. Toss in pan you used to brown the meat with some EVOO, and scrape off the meat leftovers. Add red wine and garlic and some bbq sauce.

Throw it all together and set on low for 8-10 hours.

Yo, I picked up some baby back ribs for the recipe to make this week. Quick question: do you have to brown the meat before crockpot? I know with a lot of the thicker cuts of meat it looks like that's the deal. Wasn't sure if ribs were different for some reason? Looking back at the Spicy Asian Ribs recipe, I don't recall it having any instructions to brown beforehand. Thoughts?

[grskier]

Yo, I picked up some baby back ribs for the recipe to make this week. Quick question: do you have to brown the meat before crockpot? I know with a lot of the thicker cuts of meat it looks like that's the deal. Wasn't sure if ribs were different for some reason? Looking back at the Spicy Asian Ribs recipe, I don't recall it having any instructions to brown beforehand. Thoughts?

I usually use short ribs for most of the recipes in my crock pot... Let us know how the baby back works out...

[Lev]

I usually use short ribs for most of the recipes in my crock pot... Let us know how the baby back works out...

Ha! Shit. Just saw that the recipe on this thread called for 3.5 lb of pork ribs. Didn't realize they weren't baby back. Oh well. Things are gonna get crazy

[Bobcat Sig]

The lady friend hooked me up with a crock pot for my birthday. After making pulled pork Sriracha sandwiches with it, I'm sold. That shit is so damn good.

The recipe:

1 yellow onion, sliced thinly
3-4 lbs pork shoulder

Sriracha & Blackstrap Molasses BBQ Sauce:
1/2 cup tomato paste
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup blackstrap molasses
2 teaspoons Sriracha hot sauce (more/less depending on how much spice you want)
1 teaspoon ground mustard
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Spice rub:
1 Tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 Tablespoon salt
Dash of cayenne pepper

Mix all spice rub ingredients together in a small bowl. Rub the outside of the pork with the spices, and allow to sit in the fridge for at least 1 hour before cooking (can do this the night before).

Slice the onion thinly, and place most (3/4) of the onion slices in the bottom of the slow cooker.

Cut pork shoulder down into large chunks (2-3 inches) and trim off any excess fat. Place pork pieces atop the onion slices in the slow cooker. Toss the last onion slices on top of the pork.

Meanwhile, whisk together sauce ingredients: tomato paste, cider vinegar, molasses, Sriracha, ground mustard and black pepper. Pour 1/2 of this mixture over the pork in the slow cooker, reserving the rest of the sauce mixture for later. Cook pork on low heat for 8 hours (Note: I started my pork at 9:30am and needed it to be done by 4 pm. I cooked it on low all morning, but at 2pm I turned the heat up to high.)

When the pork is ready, discard gristle, Pour any liquid left in the crockpot into a jar, skimming off any unwanted fat. Stir in the reserved Sriracha BBQ sauce with the pork.

*Note: While the recipe does not start with much liquid, you’ll find the end result to be very moist.

[Crampedon]

Nice work boys, I made chili colorado two days ago with a huge bag of dried peppers I got at a hole in the wall Mex grocery. Best use for the C pot yet! Start it all on the stove in the big cast-iron then slide it into the pot on low overnight.

Winner.!

[BraddA]

Quick question: do you have to brown the meat before crockpot? I know with a lot of the thicker cuts of meat it looks like that's the deal.

If you love it you'll brown it.

[Danno]

Lev, like BraddA says. Browning is never required, but browning adds flavor. Similarly, things like onions and garlic benefit from a little sweat in a pan. Use the same pan that you browned in. Then use whatever liquid the recipe calls for (beer, wine, stock, juice, whatever) to deglaze the pan of all the browned bits stuck to the bottom before dumping over the meat in the crock.

Those steps aren't necessary, and they do make it more involved, but they add flavor. Invariably the recipes I have made where I didn't brown, they haven;t been as good as the ones where I browned.

And I am sure the baby backs will be fine. I don't recall which ones I used when I made that recipe, but they weren't short ribs, they may have been baby backs.

[Chugachjed]

Right now, marrow bones. Making stock.

[vinzclortho]

I made a curried chicken dish using a recipe from America's Test Kitchen's (aka Cook's Illustrated) slow cooker cook book. Came out bland and I had to add sugar so I ain't gonna post the recipe...

that being said...

My special lady has one of these things to strain the fat off of whatever has cooked in the crockpot, thing works really f'n well. I think it's supposed to be used for gravy, but it works in the crockpot just fine.

[Pegleg]

Ha! Shit. Just saw that the recipe on this thread called for 3.5 lb of pork ribs. Didn't realize they weren't baby back. Oh well. Things are gonna get crazy

Short ribs are usually beef. Baby backs are pork. Pretty different flavor, texture, and quantity of meat. But both benefit from low n' slow cooking, so both will probably work fine in a slow cooker. Might have to adjust the time since short ribs are normally thicker and so take longer to cook.

And listen to Danno on browning. Any meat that you put in a slow cooker, first brown it on the outside (meaning sear every surface in a pan with some oil until it's deep brown). Same with aromatics, like onion and garlic; sautee them until at least soft, if not browning (depending on the style of food). A slow cooker basically just steams everything, so it's not causing any of the chemical browning reactions that create deep, rich, savory flavor; you've gotta do that in advance.

[Lev]

I usually use short ribs for most of the recipes in my crock pot... Let us know how the baby back works out...

Holy motherfucker these were delicious



Browned them on both sides in the oven at 400 degress, 15 min on each side. Then just followed the spicy asian rib recipe in this thread.

Here it is just in case you don't want to go digging:


Peppery Asian Ribs
3 1/2 lbs pork ribs
6 green onions, chopped
1/4 cup reduced sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup molasses
2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon bottled hot pepper sauce
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
** Place ribs in slow cooker, cutting as necessary to fit.
**in a small bowl combine green onion, soy sauce, molasses, hoisin sauce, brown sugar, vinegar, toasted sesame oil, lemon juice, hot pepper sauce, ginger, garlic powder, chili powder, ground red pepper, and ground black pepper. Pour sauce over ribs in cooker, turning to coat.

** Cover and cook for 8 hours on low or 4 hours on high.

** Strain sauce; skim off fat. Serve sauce over ribs and hot cooked rice.

[sidewall]

Those look incredible. Tried the Texas Chili on Mark's Daily Apple, highly recommended.

http://www.marksdailyapple.com/primal-texas-chili/

[Spats]

I usually cook the meat for 8-12 hours with some water to cover, then drain most of the water off and put the sauce/spices in for an hour or two. That way the meat is falling-apart tender but the sauce still has flavor.

Just made some astoundingly delicious chili this way!

[Dantheman]

then drain most of the water off

Don't tell me you are just pouring it down the drain. Reduce that shit way down then add it back in. Or, don't even add any water. On low plenty will come out of the meat long before it burns.

[Bobby Stainless]

I've got some BBQ Chicken going tonight.

Chicken Breasts
12-16oz of favorite BBQ sauce
1/2 cup of Italian Dressing
1/4 cup of Brown Sugar
2 tblspns of Worcestershire

Low for 8 hours.

I shred it, and then throw it on a baked potato.

[Dhelihiker]

I dont know whats in there besides chicken but walking into an empty house that smells like this rulz!

[Danno]

This was posted by Dickeymotto in the red iguana thread, but it's a slow cooker recipe that sounds awesome so I'm posting it here, so I can find it later.

From Rick Bayless' Mexican Everyday:
Ingredients
Half a 3.5 ounce package of achiote seasoning (I like Yucateco brand adobo de achiote, available in Mexican grocery stores and through internet sites)
3/4 cup fresh lime juice (divided use)
Salt
Half a 1-pound package of banana leaves (available in Mexican or Asian markets), defrosted if frozen
A 3-pound bone-in pork shoulder roast
1 large white onion, sliced about 1/4 inch thick
1 large red onion, thinly sliced
About 1/2 cup roasted fresh chile salsa, preferably made with habanero chiles, or bottled habanero hot sauce, for serving

Procedure
Place the achiote seasoning in a small bowl. Pour in 1/2 cup of the lime juice and 2 tablespoons of salt, then use the back of a spoon to work the mixture into a smooth, thickish marinade.

If you have banana leaves, cut two 2-foot sections and use them to line a slow-cooker - lay one down the length, the other across the width. Lay in the pork and pour the marinade over and around the roast. Scatter the white onion over the meat.

Pour 1/2 cup of water around the meat. Fold up the banana leaves to roughly cover everything. Cover and slow-cook on high for 6 hours, until the meat is fall-off-the-bone tender (the dish can hold on the slow-cooker's "keep warm" function for 4 more hours or so).

While the meat is cooking, combine the red onion with the remaining 1/4 cup lime juice in a small bowl. Sprinkle with about 1/2 teaspoon salt, toss and set aside to marinate, stirring from time to time.

Use tongs to transfer the meat (it will easily break into delicious-looking pieces) and onions to dinner plates. Spoon off any rendered fat that's floating in the juices. If there is a lot of brothy sauce - 2 cups or more - tip or ladle it into a saucepan and boil it down to about 1 cup to concentrate the flavors. Taste the sauce and season with salt if you think it needs it, then spoon it over the meat. Top with the line-marinated red onions and derve with the salsa or hot sauce - and plenty of hot tortillas, if that appeals.

Personal Riffs
Since I have been unable to find Yucateco brand achiote seasoning (or any without preservitives and artificial colors), I've just been grinding my own annatto seeds with cumin seeds, salt, peppercorns, garlic powder, and whatever else I have on hand that I think will go well with it in my coffee grinder. Its worked out really well.

I also like to take the meat and all the juices left in the crock pot and pour them into a wok and reduce the juices directly into the meat. This makes the meat itself much more flavorful and juicy (which is remarkable because this stuff comes out so tender and juicy already).

My favorite way to serve is on warm corn totillas (taco style) with the pickled onions, some cotija crumbles, and habanero hot sauce (Horsethooth's "The O Face" habanero sauce has been my favorite for this dish). It was a smash hit at last year's Enchiladafest, gone in a matter of minutes.

[Dickeymotto]

There are pics of the whole thing in the Enchiladafest 3.0 thread.

[Danno]

yeah, I need to make that for sure.

[Tye 1on]

sounds a lot like conchinito pibil? [or whatever]

[Dickeymotto]

sounds a lot like conchinito pibil? [or whatever]

It is cochinita pibil.