The Great American Slow Cooker Book (42 page)

1
Stir the brown sugar, vinegar, mustard, garlic, cinnamon, and pepper in a bowl until it’s a loose paste. Smear the mixture over the pork loin; set it in the slow cooker.

2
Cover and cook on low for 5 hours in a small cooker, 6 hours in a medium one, or 9 hours in a large cooker, or until the pork loin is fork-tender. Transfer the loin to a cutting board, let it be for 10 minutes, and slice it into ½-inch-thick rounds.

TESTERS’ NOTES

•
In this fairly straightforward recipe for a hearty Sunday supper, the flavors of the pork stand out, even with the big combo of balsamic vinegar and Dijon mustard.

•
The juices in the cooker don’t make a successful sauce. Instead, have more Dijon mustard at the table for smearing on individual servings.

•
This pork loin makes excellent sandwiches the next day, topped with a little mayonnaise, some chopped iceberg lettuce, and thinly sliced cucumber, all served on multigrain bread.

1
Start by opening up the pork loin. If your butcher has not done this task for you, lay it on a clean, dry work surface and make a cut along the length of the pork loin, about three-quarters of the way through the meat, so that you can open up the loin like a book.

2
Season the meat all over with salt and pepper. Lay it cut side up on the cutting board. Arrange the apricots and prunes in rows on half of the cut side. Fold the pork loin closed; tie it in four to six places with butchers’ twine to hold the meat in a tube-like shape.

3
Set a large skillet over medium heat for a couple of minutes, then pour in the oil. Set the stuffed loin in the skillet; brown it on all sides, taking care to let each surface get a deep golden color before turning, about 10 minutes in all.

4
Transfer the pork loin to the slow cooker, sprinkle the rosemary on and around it; pour in the vermouth. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours in a small slow cooker, 7 hours in a medium cooker, or 9 hours in a large one, or until the pork is quite tender but still holds its shape when pierced with a fork. Use a large, wide spatula to transfer the pork to a cutting board; let it alone for 10 minutes. Slice it into 1-inch-thick rounds; ladle the sauce from the cooker onto these slices.

TESTERS’ NOTES

•
Evenly sized dried fruit are easier to roll up and close in the loin. Slice large pieces in half to fit.

•
If possible, use the bright orange California apricots rather than the paler Turkish ones. The former are a tart spark against the sweet prunes.

•
If you’re rosemary averse, substitute a similar amount of thyme.

Serve It Up!
For a sophisticated side dish, melt a minced anchovy or two in a large skillet over medium heat with olive oil, red pepper flakes, and a little salt. Toss in trimmed green beans and cook just until blistered, stirring frequently, up to 5 minutes. Serve warm with balsamic vinegar and grated Parmigiano-Reggiano on top.

1
Mix the paprika, brown sugar, mustard, thyme, salt, pepper, cloves, and celery seeds in a small bowl. Massage this mixture all over the pork loin; set it in the slow cooker.

2
Pour the tomatoes and balsamic vinegar around the pork loin, taking care not to wash off its spice rub.

3
Cover and cook on low for 6 hours in a small slow cooker, 7 hours in a medium cooker, or 9 hours in a large cooker, or until the meat is falling-apart tender.

4
Turn the cooker to high. Use two forks to shred the pork right in the cooker. Stir in the vegetables, cover, and cook on high for 1 hour to heat through.

TESTERS’ NOTES

•
Here’s a healthier version of the
Basic Pulled Pork
. This one calls for leaner pork loin and includes a hearty serving of vegetables in the mix.

•
Use just about any blend of vegetables, but avoid using those specifically designed for stir-fries, as well as any spiced or sauced blends.

•
The frozen mixed vegetables must be thawed before they’re stirred into the cooker; otherwise, they’ll drop the temperature. Set them out on the counter for a few hours as the pork cooks.

Serve It Up!
Although pulled pork is often served on hamburger buns, this version would be less successful that way because of the vegetables in the mix. Serve it as open-faced sandwiches, atop toasted whole wheat or multigrain bread. Have some sour cream to dollop on each serving—and perhaps some grated cheese.

1
Toss the potato quarters and oil in the slow cooker.

2
Mix all the seeds with the salt and pepper in a small bowl. Spread this mixture on a cutting board, then roll the pork in it, coating the meat thoroughly, even pressing down a bit to get the seeds to stick. Set the pork loin on top of the potatoes.

3
Cover and cook on low for 5 hours in a small slow cooker, 6 hours in a medium cooker, or 8 hours in a large cooker, or until the pork is cooked through and the potatoes are tender. Transfer the pork to a cutting board, let stand for 10 minutes, then slice it into ½-inch-thick rings. Serve with the potatoes on the side.

TESTERS’ NOTES

•
A slow cooker lets you do some things an oven never could, like roasting a pork loin coated in so many seeds. They’d turn bitter in the oven, but they stay aromatic in the slow cooker.

•
Make the bed of potatoes as even as you can so the meat rests securely on top. Yukon Gold potatoes are a little starchier than red-skinned potatoes and make a creamier contrast to the crunchy seeds.

•
A large pork loin may not fit in a large round slow cooker. Slice off whatever sized piece that will let the meat fit securely in the cooker, then wedge the remainder in the space to the side of the larger piece.

INGREDIENTS EXPLAINED
Look for an evenly shaped piece of boneless pork loin for better cooking (and serving). The center section is lean; the larger end is marbled and may better suit your taste. Ask your butcher to help you make a selection.

1
Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the pork loin and sear, turning only once, until each side is lightly browned, about 10 minutes in all. Transfer the pork loin to a slow cooker.

2
Add the apples and onion to the skillet. Cook, stirring often, until both begin to soften, about 5 minutes.

3
Remove the skillet from the heat; stir in the wine, honey, thyme, salt, and pepper. Pour and scrape the contents of the skillet over the pork loin.

4
Cover and cook on low for 4 hours in a small slow cooker, 6 hours in a medium cooker, or 8 hours in a large one, or until the pork is tender but cooked through.

5
Discard the thyme sprigs. Transfer the pork to a carving board; cool for 10 minutes before slicing into ½-inch-thick rounds. Serve with the apples and sauce from the cooker.

TESTERS’ NOTES

•
Browning a pork loin is really just a matter of patience. Each side should sit on the hot surface until it gets a golden crust—nothing too brown for most of these recipes, but still well beyond any depressing shades of gray.

•
A 4-pound pork loin may be bigger than your largest skillet. If so, cut it in half and work in batches, using a tablespoon of butter for each browning. You can then squeeze these halves to fit in your slow cooker.

Serve It Up!
Offer
Roasted Potatoes
as a side dish: Quarter red-skinned potatoes, then toss them with olive oil, salt, and pepper on a large, rimmed baking sheet. Bake in a 400°F oven for about 1 hour, tossing occasionally, until browned, crunchy on the outside but still tender on the inside.