Crowd-Pleasing Slow Cooker Recipes

Written by ATCO Blue Flame Kitchen

For a delicious family meal, try Slow Cooker Pulled Pork and Tangy Broccoli and Cabbage Slaw.

It’s convenient! It’s a time saver! Is it safe? A slow cooker cooks food at low temperatures for a long period of time. The cooking time, direct heat from the pot, and the steam created within the tightly covered container are factors that contribute to it being a safe method of cooking food.

To maintain the quality and safety of your food when using the slow cooker:

• Use fresh or thawed (not frozen) meat or poultry.
• If called for in recipe, brown meat or poultry just prior to cooking in the slow cooker. Ground meat must always be fully cooked before adding to other ingredients in the slow cooker.
• Layer the ingredients. Vegetables do not cook as quickly as meat and poultry in the slow cooker.
• Vegetables should be placed in the bottom and up the sides of the slow cooker. Layer the meat on top.
• Fill the slow cooker at least one-half but no more than three-quarters full.
• Keep the lid on! Each time the lid is removed, the cooking time may increase by 15 to 25 minutes.
• Ingredients such as pasta, seafood, milk, cream and sour cream should usually be added to the slow cooker in the last hour of cooking.
• Cooking times may vary with makes and models of slow cookers.

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork

The combination of tender meat and crunchy coleslaw makes this pork sandwich a real crowd-pleaser.

4 lbs. (2 kg) boneless pork sirloin or shoulder roast  
1/4 cup (50 mL) white wine vinegar
1 tsp. (5 mL) seasoned salt
2 Tbsp. (25 mL) packed brown sugar
2 Tbsp. (25 mL) oil
1/4 tsp. (1 mL) garlic powder
1 can (10 oz./284 mL) beef broth  
Kaiser or hamburger buns
1 cup (250 mL) barbecue sauce   
Coleslaw

Cut pork roast in half crosswise. Rub both halves with seasoned salt. Heat 1 Tbsp. (15 mL) oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add pork and brown on all sides, adding remaining oil as necessary. Place pork halves side by side in a 6-quart (6 L) slow cooker.

To prepare sauce, whisk together broth, barbecue sauce, vinegar, brown sugar and garlic powder until blended. Pour over pork. Cover and cook on low heat setting for eight to ten hours or until meat is fork tender. Alternatively, cover and cook on high heat setting for four to five hours. Transfer pork to a platter and cover with foil. Let stand for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, if using the high heat setting, decrease heat setting to low. Using two forks, shred pork. Return shredded pork to slow cooker and stir to coat pork with sauce. Cover and cook for 30 minutes or until pork is heated through. Spoon pork onto bottom halves of buns. Top with coleslaw. Cover with top halves of buns. Serves 12 to 14.

Cook’s Note: If desired, this recipe may be prepared in advance. After cooking pork, shred pork as directed in recipe. Transfer shredded pork and sauce to a shallow large baking dish. Refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Remove from refrigerator and let stand for 20 to 30 minutes. Bake, covered, at 350ºF (180ºC) for 40 to 45 minutes or until bubbly and heated through.

Tangy Broccoli and Cabbage Slaw

1/3 cup (75 mL) mayonnaise
Dash hot pepper sauce
2 Tbsp. (25 mL) apple cider vinegar
4 cups (1 L) broccoli coleslaw mix
1 1/2 tsp. (7 mL) sugar 
4 cups (1 L) coleslaw mix
1 tsp. (5 mL) dry mustard 
1/3 cup (75 mL) sliced green onions
1/4 tsp. (1 mL) salt

To prepare dressing, whisk together mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar, dry mustard, salt and hot pepper sauce until blended. Combine broccoli coleslaw mix, coleslaw mix and green onions in a bowl. Add dressing and toss to combine. Serves 6 to 8.

For more recipes from the ATCO Blue Flame Kitchen, visit www.atcoblueflamekitchen.com.