Slow Cooker Pork Shoulder Pasta

Note: The sauce may be made ahead and frozen or stored in the refrigerator up to two days in advance.

Special equipment: Slow cooker

Ingredients

serves Serves 6, active time 10 minutes, total time 10 hours

• 2 1/2 pound bone-in pork shoulder
• 8 ounces finely diced pancetta
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped (about 1 cup)
• 6 cloves garlic, minced (about 2 tablespoons)
• 1 cup dry red wine, such as Chianti
• 1 (28-ounce) can whole, peeled tomatoes, crushed by hand
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/4 teaspoon fennel seeds, toasted and crushed
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 pound tube-shaped pasta, cooked
• Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 teaspoons zest from 1 lemon

Procedures

1. Place pork shoulder, pancetta, onion, garlic, wine, tomatoes, bay leaves, crushed fennel, thyme and red pepper flakes in a slow cooker. Season with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Stir to combine, cover and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours.
   
2. Remove pork from slow cooker and transfer to a platter or cutting board. Discard thyme sprigs and bay leaves from sauce. When pork cool enough to handle, shred meat and discard fat and bones. Return meat to sauce, and stir to combine. Taste and adjust seasonings. Allow to warm through.
   
3. When ready to serve, toss sauce with cooked pasta and garnish with Parmesan and lemon zest.

Game Day Roast Pork and Broccoli Rabe Sandwiches

These little sandwiches are time consuming, but super-simple to make, with only about 30 minutes of actual work involved.

Note: Broccoli rabe and pork can be cooked in advance and stored in sealed, refrigerated containers for up to 3 days. Reheat pork in the microwave or in a pot on the stovetop before constructing sandwiches.

Ingredients

serves Serves 8 to 12, active time 30 minutes, total time 9 hours

• 1 whole bone-in, skin-on pork shoulder, 8 to 12 pounds total
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 pound broccoli rabe, tough stems trimmed
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 6 medium cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 4 anchovy filets, mashed
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, plus more to taste, divided
• 1/4 cup cider vinegar
• 36 slider-sized soft rolls, such as Martin's Party-Sized Potato Rolls, split in half and toasted lightly
• 18 slices sharp Provolone cheese
• 1 quart store-bought or homemade pickled cherry peppers

Procedures

1. Cook pork according to our Ultra-Crispy Slow-Cooked Pork Recipe.
   
2. While pork cooks, bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add broccoli rabe and cook, stirring occasionally, until bright green but still crunchy, about 2 minutes. Remove broccoli rabe and run under cool water to chill. Spin in a salad spinner to dry. Set aside.
   
3. Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat until shimmering. Add garlic, anchovies, and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add broccoli rabe and stir to coat with oil. Continue cooking until broccoli rabe is fully tender, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl and set aside or refrigerate until ready to construct sandwiches.
   
4. When pork is cooked, remove skin (if present) and chop into fine pieces. Shred meat from bones and discard bones. Combine meat and skin in a large bowl, add vinegar, and season with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes to taste, gently shredding meat with your fingers.
   
5. To serve: Preheat broiler to high. Place a dozen toasted bun bottoms on a rimmed baking sheet. Top with pulled pork, broccoli rabe, and a slice of cheese. Broil until cheese is melted, about 1 1/2 minutes. Top with pickled pepper slices and top buns and serve immediately. Repeat with remaining buns and fillings.

Sous-Vide Pork Belly Buns With Pork Braise Mayonnaise and Quick-Pickled Cucumbers

Special equipment: sous-vide cooker, vacuum sealer, food processor

Ingredients

serves Makes about 2 dozen pork buns, serving 8 to 12, active time 30 minutes, total time 1 day

• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1/2 cup mirin
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons fish sauce
• 2 whole scallions, roughly chopped
• 3 medium cloves garlic, roughly chopped
• 1 (2-inch) chunk ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
• 2 1/2 pounds pork belly, in as large pieces as possible (preferably 1 or 2 whole slabs)
• 2/3 cup mayonnaise, preferably homemade
• 24 fresh or frozen Chinese-style steamed buns
• 1 head bibb lettuce, washed, dried, and torn into medium-sized pieces
• 1 recipe Quick-Pickled Cucumbers with Rice Vinegar

Procedures

1. Preheat a sous-vide style water bath to 170°F (77°C). Combine soy sauce, mirin, sugar, fish sauce, scallions, garlic, and ginger in the bowl of a food processor. Process until vegetables are roughly pureed. Transfer pork belly and marinade to a food-saver style vacuum bag and seal. Alternatively, transfer to a heavy duty gallon-sized freezer bag and seal by slowly submerging into a pot full of water, sealing the top just before it goes underwater to remove all air. Transfer to sous vide cooker and cook until completely tender, about 10 hours. Remove bag from cooker and chill thoroughly. Pork belly can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks after cooking if the bag remains sealed.
   
2. When ready to serve, open sous vide bag and remove pork belly. Discard solid chunks of fat. Warm congealed liquids in a small saucepan, then strain through a fine mesh strainer. Return to saucepan and simmer until reduced to 2 tablespoons, making sure that the syrup doesn't reduce too far and burn, about 15 minutes.
   
3. Transfer reduced cooking liquid to a medium bowl. Add mayonnaise and whisk to combine.
   
4. Preheat broiler to high. Cut pork belly into 1 1/2-inch wide strips, then slice into 1/2- to 1/3-inch slices. Transfer to a foil lined broiler pan. Broil pork belly until crisp and charred on one side, about 3 minutes.
   
5. To Serve: Steam buns in a bamboo steamer or in the microwave on a large plate under a damp towel. Spread mayonnaise onto each bun, then stuff with lettuce leaf, slices of pork belly, and pickles. Serve immediately.

Hoisin-Glazed Pork Chops With Sichuan Green Beans

Special equipment

Foil, baking sheet

Ingredients

serves Serves 4, active time 15 Minutes, total time 35 Minutes

• For the Pork Chops:
• 1/2 cup hoisin sauce
• 1/4 cup mirin
• 1 tablespoon five-spice powder
• 4 tablespoons soy sauce, divided
• 1/4 cup honey
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 4 tablespoons sriracha, divided
• 4 butterflied pork chops, about 2 1/2 pounds total
• 1 pound fresh or dried Chinese egg noodles, cooked
•  
• For the Green Beans:
• 1/4 cup peanut or vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 pounds green beans, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 small red, yellow or orange sweet pepper, finely chopped
• 2 Thai chilies, thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons minced onion (about 1/4 to 1/2 of a small onion)
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 3 medium cloves garlic, minced (about 3 teaspoons)
• 1 tablespoon ginger, minced

Procedures

1. For the Pork: Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and preheat oven to 400°F. Combine hoisin, mirin, five-spice powder, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, honey, brown sugar and 2 tablespoons sriracha in a small bowl (set aside remaining soy sauce and sriracha for green beans). Place pork chops on a foil-lined baking sheet and generously brush both sides with hoisin sauce. Transfer to oven to cook. After about 5 minutes, baste with additional glaze and continue to cook.
   
2. For the Beans: Heat oil in a large skillet or wok over high heat. When oil nears the point of smoking, add green beans and toss to coat. Cook for 1 minute, stirring occasionally, then add sweet pepper, chilies and onions, along with sugar, remaining 2 tablespoons soy sauce and remaining 2 tablespoons Sriracha. Stir to combine and cook a minute longer. Add ginger and garlic, reduce heat to medium. Stir and cook until sauce is thickened, about 1 minute longer. Remove from heat.
   
3. When pork chops are still rosy and juicy in the center (145°F for medium) remove from oven and allow to rest for 10 minutes. Serve with cooked egg noodles, green beans and remaining hoisin sauce.

Easy Oven-Baked Pulled Pork Sandwiches

Ingredients

serves Serves 8 to 12, active time 20 minutes, total time 6 hours

• 2 tablespoons light or dark brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 bone-in pork shoulder, preferably skin-on, 6 to 8 pounds
• 1/2 cup cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon red pepper flakes
• 1/2 teaspoon natural liquid smoke (such as Wright's, optional)
• Soft toasted buns for serving
• Condiments as desired, such as chopped pickled cherry peppers, raw onions, pickles, or cole slaw

Procedures

1. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and preheat oven to 325°F. Combine brown sugar, salt, pepper, cumin, coriander, paprika, and cayenne in a small bowl and mix with fingers until homogenous. Rub generously over all surfaces of pork.
   
2. Place pork on a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet skin-side-up and transfer to oven. Roast until a fork inserted in thickest part of pork can be twisted easily and meat shreds off with little resistance, about 3 1/2 hours. Remove pork from oven. Increase temperature to 500°F.
   
3. Carefully lift skin off of pork. Scrape any clinging meat or fat into a large bowl using a fork or a large spoon. Transfer pork shoulder to bowl and return skin to baking sheet. Roast skin until crisp and bubbly, about 5 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool.
   
4. When pork is cool enough to handle, pul meat from bone and shred with your fingers. Discard bone. Finely chop skin and mix it in with the meat. Season meat with salt and pepper to taste, then season with vinegar, sugar, red pepper flakes, and liquid smoke (if using), starting with half of each and increasing until desired level of seasoning is reached. (See note above.)
   
5. Serve pulled pork hot in toasted buns with condiments as desired.

Spicy Thai Salad With Minced Pork

Ingredients

serves Serves 4, active time 20 minutes, total time 30 minutes

• 1 tablespoon long-grain rice
• 1 tablespoon high-heat cooking oil
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 small shallot, finely sliced
• 1 teaspoon minced lemongrass
• 1 fresh hot red or green chili, preferably Thai (deseeded if you prefer less heat)
• 1/2 pound (250 g) ground pork
• 3 tablespoons chicken stock
• 2 tablespoons fish sauce (nam pla)
• 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
• 1 tablespoon palm or brown sugar
• 4 cups (350 g) mixed baby greens
• 1 red pepper, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup (52 g) peeled, seeded, and diced cucumber
• 12–14 fresh mint leaves
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh coriander leaves (cilantro)
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh Thai or Italian basil
• 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
• 4 tablespoons crushed roasted peanuts
• Fresh coriander leaves (cilantro) for garnish
• Mint leaves for garnish
• Lime wedges

Procedures

1. Heat the rice in a small dry skillet over medium heat, stirring and tossing for 3–4 minutes, until it turns golden brown. Transfer to a small plate and allow to cool. Use a mortar and pestle or a spice grinder and grind the rice into a coarse powder. Set aside
   
2. Heat the oil in a wok or skillet on medium-high heat. Add garlic, shallots, lemongrass, and chili; stir-fry until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add pork and stir-fry, while breaking it up with a wooden spoon until cooked through, about 5–6 minutes. Stir in the chicken stock, fish sauce, lime juice, and palm sugar and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and let stand 10 minutes.
   
3. In a large bowl, combine the rice powder, baby greens, red pepper, cucumber, mint leaves, fresh coriander leaves, basil, and red onions. Add the warm pork mixture and toss with the greens. Sprinkle crushed peanuts on top. Garnish with fresh coriander and mint leaves. Serve immediately with lime wedges.

Sous-Vide Double Cut Pork Chops

Special equipment

Sous-vide circulator

Ingredients

serves Serves 2, active time 10 minutes, total time 1 hour

• 1 double-cut bone-in pork rib chop, about 1 1/4 pounds total
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon canola or vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Procedures

1. Adjust sous-vide cooker to 135°F for medium-rare or 140°F for medium. Alternatively, fill a large beer cooler with hot water and use a kettle of boiling water to adjust heat to 3°F above suggested target temperatures (138°F for medium-rare and 143°F for medium). Season pork chop generously with salt and pepper. Seal in FoodSaver-style vacuum packer. Alternatively, place in a heavy-duty zipper lock bag and seal, leaving a 1-inch section unsealed. Slowly lower into sous-vide cooker, pressing out air as you go. Seal bag completely just before the seal goes under water to completely remove air from bag.
   
2. Cook pork chop in sous-vide cooker for at least 45 minutes and up to 4 hours. Alternatively, place in cooler and seal for 45 minutes. Remove from cooker or cooler and carefully pat dry on paper towels.
   
3. Heat oil and butter in a small skillet over high heat until foaming has subsided and butter begins to brown and smoke slightly. Add pork and cook, turning occasionally, until well-browned on both sides, about 4 minutes total, lowering heat if butter turns black or smokes excessively. Using tongs, lift chop and hold sideways against skillet, pressing firmly until all the edges are browned and fat is crisped, about 2 minutes longer.
   
4. Transfer pork to cutting board and let rest for 2 minutes. Serve as-is, or carve before serving.

Miso Ramen With Crispy Pork and Burnt Garlic-Sesame Oil

Ingredients

serves Serves 6 to 8

• 3 pounds pig trotters, split lengthwise or cut crosswise into 1-inch disks (as your butcher to do this for you)
• 2 pounds chicken backs and carcasses, skin and excess fat removed
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 large onion, skin on, roughly chopped
• 12 garlic cloves
• One 3-inch knob ginger, roughly chopped
• 2 whole leeks, washed and roughly chopped
• 2 dozen scallions, white parts only (reserve greens and light green parts for garnishing finished soup)
• 6 ounces whole mushrooms or mushroom scraps
• 2 pounds boneless skinless pork shoulder, in one chunk
• 1/2 cup red miso paste
• 1/4 cup shoyu
• 1 tablespoon mirin
• Salt, to taste
•  
• To Serve:
• 6 to 8 portions fresh ramen noodles
• 1 recipe Burnt Garlic-Sesame-Chili Oil
• 3 to 4 ajitsuke tamago
• Other toppings such as enoki mushrooms, thinly sliced woodear mushrooms, or bamboo shoots as desired

Procedures

1. Place pork and chicken bones in a large stockpot and cover with cold water. Place on a burner over high heat and bring to a boil. Remove from heat as soon as boil is reached.
   
2. While pot is heating, heat vegetable oil in a medium cast iron or non-stick skillet over high heat until lightly smoking. Add onions, garlic, and ginger. Cook, tossing occasionally until deeply charred on most sides, about 15 minutes total. Set aside.
   
3. Once pot has come to a boil, dump water down the drain. Carefully wash all bones under cold running water, removing any bits of dark marrow or coagulated blood. Bones should be uniform grey/white after you've scrubbed them. Use a chopstick to help remove small bits of dark marrow from inside the trotters or near the chickens' spines.
   
4. Return bones to pot along with charred vegetables, leeks, scallion whites, mushrooms, and pork shoulder. Top up with cold water. Bring to a rolling boil over high heat, skimming off any scum that appears (this should stop appearing within the first 20 minutes or so). Use a clean sponge or moist paper towels to wipe and black or gray scum off from around the rim of the pot. Reduce heat to a bare simmer and place a heavy lid on top.
   
5. Once the lid is on, check the pot after 15 minutes. It should be at a slow rolling boil. If not, increase or decrease heat slightly to adjust boiling speed. Boil broth until pork shoulder is completely tender, about 3 hours. Carefully remove shoulder with a slotted spatula. Transfer shuolder to a sealed container and refrigerate until. Return lid to pot and continue cooking until broth is opaque with the texture of light cream, about 6 to 8 hours longer, topping up as necessary to keep bones submerged at all times. If you must leave the pot unattended for an extended period of time, top up the pot and reduce the heat to the lowest setting while you are gone. Return to a boil when you come back and continue cooking, topping up with more water as necessary.
   
6. Once broth is ready, cook over high heat until reduced to around 3 quarts. Strain through a fine mesh strainer into a clean pot. Discard solids. For an even cleaner soup, strain again through a chinois or a fine mesh strainer lined with several layers of cheese cloth. Skim liquid fat from top with a ladle and discard. Whisk in miso paste, 3 tablespoons of shoyu, and salt to taste. Keep warm.
   
7. Shred pork shoulder with fingers until finely shredded and toss with remaining shoyu and mirin. Season to taste with salt.
   
8. To Serve: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Meanwhile, place shredded pork shoulder in a 10-inch non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring and tossing occasionally, until crisp all over. Set aside.
   
9. Cook noodles according to package directions. Drain and transfer to warmed ramen bowls. Ladle broth over noodles and drizzle with a tablespoon or two of burnt garlic-sesame-chili oil per bowl. Divide crisp pork evenly between bowls. Cut eggs in half and add half to each bowl. Top with other toppings as desired and serve immediately.

Bone-In Pork Chop Sandwich

Ingredients

serves serves 4, active time 15 minutes, total time 25 minutes

• 4 soft hamburger buns
• 4 tablespoons butter, divided
• 2 large onions, thinly sliced (about 3 cups)
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 4 thin-cut pork chops, bone-in (or boneless, if you're scared)
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon canola or vegetable oil
• 4 tablespoons brown mustard
• 6 to 8 sport peppers (or pickled serranos or jalapeños), stems removed, chopped

Procedures

1. Preheat oven to 300°. Place buns on a rimmed baking sheet and set aside. Meanwhile, melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add sliced onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned but still with some texture, 8 to 10 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside in a bowl. Do not wipe out skillet.
   
2. Season pork chops on both sides with salt and pepper. Dredge in flour and then shake off excess. Add remaining 2 tablespoons butter and tablespoon canola oil to skillet and heat over medium high heat until foaming subsides. Add as many of the pork chops as will fit in one layer. Cook until browned on the bottom, 2 to 3 minutes. Flip the chops and brown on the other side, another 2 to 3 minutes. Remove and set aside when done. Repeat with any remaining chops.
   
3. Place buns in oven to warm through. Take one bun and smear both cut sides with mustard. Top the bottom bun with a pork chop, sautéed onions, and a couple chopped sport peppers. Cap with the top bun, cut-side down. Repeat with remaining buns. Eat immediately, though be careful of the bone!

Fennel-Rubbed Pork Roast with Balsamic-Glazed Vegetables

Special equipment

Dutch oven

Ingredients

serves Serves 4 to 6, active time 20 minutes, total time 1 1/2 hours

• 1 1/4 teaspoon cracked fennel seed
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 1/2 pound boneless pork loin
• 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1 pound carrots, peeled and cut into rough chunks
• 1 pound pearl onions, peeled
• 1 cup dry white wine, divided
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

Procedures

1. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. Combine fennel, onion powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a small bowl. Rub and evenly distribute mixture onto pork. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Sear pork on all sides until well-browned, about 15 minutes total.
   
2. Add vegetables to pan, along with 1/2 cup white wine. Season vegetables with salt and pepper and deglaze pan by scraping up browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Drizzle with remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and balsamic vinegar and transfer to the oven to roast, uncovered, turning the meat periodically, until pork registers 140 to 145°F on an instant read thermometer, about 1 hour.
   
3. Remove from oven and transfer pork loin to a cutting board. Allow to rest for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, deglaze pan with remaining 1/2 cup wine, using a wooden spoon to scrape up browned bits. Season pan juices to taste with salt and pepper. Slice meat and serve with vegetables and pan juices.

Slow Cooker Filipino Pork With Garlic Fried Rice

Special equipment

Slow-cooker, frying pan, or wok

Ingredients

serves Serves 6, active time 25 minutes, total time 8 1/2 hours

• For the Pork:
• 1 large onion, thinly sliced (about 1 1/2 cups), divided
• 3 pounds bone-in pork shoulder
• 1 Thai chili or jalapeno, minced
• 12 medium cloves of garlic, minced (about 1/4 cup), divided
• 1 teaspoon brown sugar
• 1/3 cup low-sodium soy sauce
• 1/3 cup white wine vinegar
• 1/2 cup water
• 3 bay leaves
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
•  
• For the Rice:
• 1/2 cup peanut oil
• 3 cups cooked, cold, leftover rice
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten

Procedures

1. Reserve 1/4 cup of onion and finely mince. Refrigerate until step 3. Place pork in the slow-cooker with the remaining onion, chile, 4 cloves of garlic, soy sauce, vinegar, brown sugar, water and bay leaves. Add 3/4 teaspoon black pepper and 3/4 teaspoon salt. Stir to combine, spooning some liquid over the top of the meat. Cover and set to low heat for 7 hours, turning over half way through cooking.
   
2. Remove the pork from the pot and roughly shred into large chunks using two forks. Discard bone and any gristle or overly fatty pieces. Return to the slow cooker submerging in juices, to let the flavor meld. Cook for 1 hour more. Remove 1/2 cup of meat and set aside in a small bowl.
   
3. While meat is cooking, heat oil in a large frying pan or wok over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the rice, spreading it into an even layer. Cook without moving until browned and toasted underneath, about 3 minutes. Season with salt, stir, and flip, pushing the rice up the sides to create a well in the middle. Add egg to well and stir rapidly to cook. Stir egg and rice together, leaving another open well in the center of the pan. Add the 1/4 cup minced onion and sauté until it starts to soften, about 4 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium. Add garlic to well and cook, stirring, until aromatic, about 30 seconds, adding more oil as necessary to prevent garlic from burning. Add the reserved 1/2 cup meat. Warm through for a minute and stir everything together to evenly distribute ingredients.
   
4. Discard bay leaves from pork. Scoop rice into individual bowls and top with pork and juices. Or serve family-style, if desired.

Savory Tomato Pork Stew

Special equipment

Dutch oven

Ingredients

serves serves 4, active time 20 minutes, total time 3 1/2 hours (or 6 to 8 hours in a slow cooker)

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 small onion, chopped (about 3/4 cup)
• 1 medium clove garlic, minced (about 1 teaspoon)
• 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
• 1 pound pork shoulder, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 2 pounds tomatoes, peele, deseeded, and roughly chopped or 1 (28-ounce) and 1 (14-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, drained and roughly crushed by hand
• 2 cups homemade or store-bought low sodium chicken stock
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon fresh oregano leaves
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 teaspoon cornstarch
• 1/4 cup cold water
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves.

Procedures

1. Adjust oven rack to lower middle position and preheat oven to 225°F. Heat butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat until melted. Add onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until they are tender and just beginning to brown, about 10 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Remove from heat.
   
2. Heat oil in a Dutch oven on high heat until shimmering. Sear pork cubes on all sides. Remove pork from the Dutch oven and add white wine. Lower heat to medium-low and cook for 1 minute, scraping up all the browned bits with a wooden spoon or stiff spatula.
   
3. Return onions and pork to Dutch oven, then add tomatoes, chicken stock, bay leaf, cilantro, oregano, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Stir well. Bring to a boil, cover, and transfer to the oven. Cook until pork is completely tender, about 3 hours. Alternatively, transfer mixture to a slow cooker and cook on low heat for 6 to 8 hours (see note above).
   
4. Remove from oven. Set the Dutch oven on the stove over medium heat (if using slow cooker, transfer contents to Dutch oven). Stir together cornstarch and cold water in a cup until completely mixed. Pour cornstarch into stew and cook, stirring constantly, until the liquid in the stew has thickened, about 5 minutes. Stir half of parsley into stew, sprinkle with remaining parsley, and serve.

Pork Chops with Fresh Peaches and Basil

Ingredients

serves Serves 2, active time 20 minutes, total time 20 minutes

• 2 bone-in rib or center-cut chops (4 to 6 ounces each)
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 peaches, pits removed, cut into 1/4-inch slices
• 2 teaspoons zest and 2 tablespoons fresh juice from 1 lemon
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Pinch of dried red chili flakes
• 2 cups fresh raw baby spinach
• ¼ cup fresh basil leaves, roughly chopped
• 1 tablespoon butter

Procedures

1. Season the pork chops generously with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a 12-inch skillet over high heat until lightly smoking. Add the pork chops and cook until first side is nicely browned, 4 to 6 minutes. Flip and continue to cook until the internal temperature registers 145°F on an instant read thermometer, about 3 minutes longer. Transfer to a plate and tent with foil. Do not wipe out skillet.
   
2. Lower heat to medium low and add the peaches, lemon zest, sugar, salt, and dried chili flakes. Stir gently until the peaches begin to soften but don’t lose their shape, 2 to 3 minutes.
   
3. Divide the spinach between two plates and put the pork chops on top. Pour any juices from the plate back into the skillet and add butter and lemon juice. Cook, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan and swirling pan until butter is melted and incorporated into the sauce. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in half of basil. Divide the peaches between the two plates and then pour the pan juices on top and sprinkle with remaining basil. Serve immediately.