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transfer the browned veal to the slow-cooker insert. Add the oil to the skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in the sweet paprika, marjoram, thyme, and bell peppers and sauté until the bell peppers begin to soften, 4 to 5 minutes.

add the tomatoes and both broths to the skillet and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Transfer the contents of the skillet to the slow-cooker insert. Add the bay leaf and stir to combine the ingredients.

cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 4½ to 5½ hours. Remove the bay leaf. Taste the stew and adjust the seasonings. Stir in the sour cream and serve the stew immediately.

serves 6

Chapter 6

Whole Hog

If I had to choose a favorite meat, it would be pork. I love the way pork absorbs flavors, whether it’s fruit juices or garlic, herbs, and spices. I love the way pork becomes tender and juicy in the slow cooker, whether it’s pork shoulder for pulled pork, or pork chops and sauerkraut, or braised pork osso bucco. Pork is a terrific choice for the slow cooker any night of the week.

Shoulder

There are two different cuts of pork shoulder available in the market; one is the Boston shoulder, which weighs about six to nine pounds with the bone in, and the other is the boneless picnic shoulder, weighing in at between three and five pounds. Whatever it’s called, it’s a succulent piece of meat that has a lot of fat (great for keeping the meat moist), and it needs to be braised or slow roasted. According to the pork producers’ Web site, the names and weights can vary, and we found that to be true of the pork we tested (testers in Pennsylvania, Indiana, Ohio, and Florida )—some regions call these cuts different things because different names appeal in different areas. Furthermore, pork raised in California weighs in differently than that raised in the Midwest, where the feed mixture is different. There is no real standard weight here, but the averages given are just as close as we can get.

Pulled Pork

The quintessential barbecue flavors of pork and barbecue sauce combine in this dish for some lip-smacking good eats. Pile the meat onto soft rolls and serve with a side of slaw and some baked beans. Any leftovers will freeze well for up to 2 months.

½ cup vegetable oil

¼ cup red wine vinegar

½ cup firmly packed dark brown sugar

½ cup soy sauce

2 cups ketchup

1 teaspoon garlic powder or garlic salt

1 large onion, coarsely chopped

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

One 5-pound boneless pork shoulder roast, fat trimmed

Barbecue sauce for serving

whisk the oil, vinegar, brown sugar, soy sauce, ketchup, garlic powder, onion, and Worcestershire together in a mixing bowl. Pour into a large zipper-top plastic bag. Place the pork in the bag with the marinade, seal the bag, and turn the pork in the bag to coat. Refrigerate overnight, turning the bag once or twice. Pour the entire contents of the bag into the insert of a 5- to 7-quart slow cooker.

cover and cook on low for 10 hours, until the pork is fork tender. Remove the pork from the insert, cover with aluminum foil, and allow to rest for 15 minutes. Skim off any fat from the top of the sauce with a spoon and discard.

shred the meat with two forks and return it to the sauce. (At this point, the pork may be refrigerated for up to 5 days or frozen for up to 2 months). Warm the pork in the slow cooker on low if desired. Serve with additional barbecue sauce.

serves 10–12

Cinco de Mayo Pork

Pork shoulder is a favorite for the slow cooker, and this south-of-the- border entrée will have your family celebrating Cinco de Mayo even in December! Serve with warm flour or corn tortillas, or ladle it over steamed rice. The pork is meltingly tender and accented with salsa and sweet corn.

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 teaspoon ground cumin

½ teaspoon chili powder (I prefer ancho chile powder, but an all-purpose blend is fine as well)

2 cloves garlic, minced

3 pounds boneless pork shoulder meat, excess fat removed, cut into 2-inch pieces

2 teaspoons salt

1 cup prepared