Pork Crock Pot Cooking Tips
Pork has been nicknamed The Other White Meat. It is a healthy alternative to fattier cuts of beef and chicken. It is flavorful and versatile as a substitute in dishes that once called for only chicken and/or beef. Pull out your slow cooker and take that pork for a spin.
You will find there are as many cuts of pork as there are of beef, in fact, there may be more. You can find bacon, ground pork, steaks, chops, and even roasts. All of which can be cooked in the crock pot and each has their own flavor.
As with other cuts of meat you will find cooking cuts with bones take longer than those without. When cooking boneless pork chops or tenderloin make sure to set your crock pot on low and at the lower end of the cooking time setting. You can take the guess work out with a programmable crock pot. Many will switch to the warm setting when your meat reaches the proper temperature. If your pork has not come pre-seasoned you can easily add flavor by adding a packet of dry onion soup mix.
Once you have added your pork cut and onion soup mix, pour about one cup of water and any other flavorful sauces, such as soy or teriyaki sauce into your slow cooker. Veggies can be tossed in now if you want to add them. You can use fresh or frozen veggies either one.
Sausage balls can be made by rolling out ground pork sausage. If you dont have fresh pork, frozen sausage balls will do. Again, be sure to add your favorite sauce and a bit of water to the cooker. Depending on how many sausage balls you are preparing and whether they are fresh or frozen, cooking time is approximately two to four hours, with frozen pork sausage and higher quantities requiring the higher amount of time. Remember, with pork you can never be too careful when it comes to making sure its cooked through. After two hours of cooking, check for doneness.
Most people think about ribs on the grill or in the smoker, but if you want the most tender ribs you’ve ever tasted try them in the crock pot! You will be pleasantly surprised. You can choose any type of seasoning or rub to use on them, just as you would on the smoker. You don’t need to parboil on the stove before you get started, just make sure you’ve marinated them overnight for the best flavor and stick them in the crock pot. You will need to cook them for 6 to 8 hours.
As with all recipes you have to add some liquid to the ribs. You can add water or stock, either one. When you get an hour or two out from the finished cooking time make sure you add some of your favorite BBQ sauce. This will allow the flavor of the sauce to infiltrate the meat and fill it with amazing flavor. When the ribs are done cooking you will experience ribs like you’ve never had before. Tender, falling off the bone, delicious.
If you have a special dinner you need to cook, and you’d like it to be as hands off as possible and ready when you need to eat you can’t beat a ham in the crock pot. Give it a good glaze an hour or so before you need to cook it. You can use brown sugar or honey, and don’t forget the pineapple. Take a look at the packaging for cooking time. You can easily convert to crock pot cooking time. If it says 50 minutes to 3 hours you are looking at 8 to 18 hours in your crock pot, so plan accordingly.
Pork is a great meat to use in the slow cooker. Just be aware of your cooking times for boneless meat as opposed to bone-in varieties. The last thing you want is a dried out piece of meat that no one enjoys. How do I know that you might be asking? Take my word for it its not delicious by any stretch of the imagination.
