Slow Cooker - Asian-Inspired Orange Pork Stew

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...It's still quite warm here, but hot weather never stops the Silver Fox from his intended pursuits. He had planned a full day on the water and the thermostat was not about to slow him down. In order to make sure he didn't kill himself, I agreed to be his helmsman. While weather affects my appetite, it doesn't his, so I knew he'd be hungry when we came ashore. I also knew that I'd be in no mood to cook. I decided to pull out the slow cooker and see what I could come up with. This orange flavored stew was doable with the ingredients I had on hand, so I literally threw everything into the pot, said a hopeful prayer over the ingredients and followed him out the door. We came home to a lovely, ready to serve family meal that was devoured by the sailors sitting at my table. I think you'll love the ease with which this dish comes together. It is not an award winner, but it makes a wonderful busy day meal that you might want to try. Here is how it's made.

Slow Cooker - Asian Inspired Orange Pork Stew...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
1/4 cup Shaoxing (Chinese rice wine) or dry sherry
1/3 cup Hoisin sauce
1/3 cup orange juice concentrate, undiluted
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
Zest of 1 orange
1/3 cup light brown sugar
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon minced ginger
1 tablespoon Asian chili sauce, such as Sriracha
3 pounds boneless pork shoulder, trimmed of excess fat, and cut into 1 to 2-inch pieces
Freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon cornstach dissolves in 2 tablespoons water
Optional: 1 can (8-oz.) sliced water chestnuts
3 sliced scallion (white and tender green)

Directions:
1) In a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker, combine Shaoxing, Hoisin sauce, orange juice concentrate, rice wine vinegar, orange zest, brown sugar, garlic, ginger, and 1/2 cup water.
2) Lightly season the pork with pepper. Add pork to slow cooker and stir to coat. Cook, covered, until fork-tender, 3 to 4 hours on high or 5 to 6 hours on low. Transfer meat to a serving bowl. Pour stew liquid into a saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Add dissolved cornstarch and stir until sauce thickens. Return meat to pan. If using, add water chestnuts and toss to coat with sauce. Transfer to a serving bowl, garnish with scallions and serve with rice. Yield: 4 to 6 servings.

                    

                                                    Older Posts

                   One Year Ago Today:                                                Two Years Ago Today:

              Ultimate Cheater's Pulled Pork                                    Brown Butter Sugar Cookies

          Three Years Ago Today:                                                     Four Years Ago Today: 

                Cuban Pork Roast                                                               Shrimp and Grits