Well, the month of May decided to look and act more like the month of March, except instead of snow, we got a LOT of rain. We’ve made some amazing spring dishes but after 5 straight days of rain, rain…and then some more rain, we decided that a more hearty fall-like stew was in order! I’ve had this recipe taped in my recipe binder for about two years now and it finally got its turn. It’s chock full of pork and hominy…something that Justin hasn’t ever had much experience with before. He’s from Wyoming so he didn’t grow up eating southern foods the way I did (I was born and raised in south Florida and my dad is from Georgia/Tennessee) and I’m proud to say that he loves it! Hominy was a staple for me when I was growing up so I’m always a little surprised when people have never heard of it. (Are you questioning it right now?? Check out this article called, “What the Hell is Hominy Anyway?“) This stew absolutely hit the spot and I highly recommend it for anyone looking for something warm and hearty! The avocado on top adds a great extra texture and flavor and the lime wedges add that final something special. Enjoy!
Slow Cooker Pork and Hominy Stew
Yield 4-6 servings
Recipe adapted from Everyday Food, October 2013 issue.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
- 1 1/4 pounds boneless pork shoulder, trimmed and cut into 4-inch pieces
- 1 large white onion, chopped
- 4 clove garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 1/2 tablespoon cumin
- 1/2 tablespoon paprika
- 5 cups chicken broth, divided
- 2 cans {30 ounces} hominy, drained and rinsed
- 1 large avocado, diced
- 1 lime, cut into wedges
Instructions
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In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium-high.
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Season the pork with salt and cook it until the pieces are browned on all sides {about 8 minutes}.
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Transfer it to a 5-to-6-quart slow cooker.
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Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to your ‘porky’ skillet. Then add the onion, garlic, chili powder, paprika, and cumin and saute it until it’s soft {about 4 minutes}.
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Add 2 cups of broth and cook, stirring and scraping up browned ‘porky’ and onion bits with a wooden spoon.
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Transfer all of it to your slow cooker and pour it over the pork.
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Add the remaining 3 cups of broth to your slow cooker, cover it, and cook it until the meat is very tender {about 4 hours on high or 8 hours on low}.
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Using two forks, shred the pork, then stir in hominy and season it all to taste with salt and pepper.
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Serve the stew with diced avocado on top and lime wedges on the side.