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Chef:

Diana
Diana

Slow Cooker Pork Shoulder | Cook Once Eat Twice

Ready to step up your meal-prepping? Bust out your slow cooker again and join us for a hands-on cooking class that takes you from hearty braised pork to two delicious dinners with minimal effort! First, you’ll create a melt-in-your-mouth braise, perfect for cozy comfort. Then, discover how to transform this tender pork into crispy, flavor-packed tacos and a savory, olive-kissed pasta dish. We should be cooking smarter, not harder, for versatile meals that keep you fed all week. Come hungry, leave inspired.

Recipe

Cook Once Eat Twice Braised Pork Ingredients: 

For the Braised Pork: 

  • 3lb pork shoulder, cut into 2-inch pieces 
  • Salt and pepper 
  • 1 onion, thinly sliced 
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste 
  • 2-3 cups chicken stock 
  • Pinch red pepper flakes 
  • 6 cloves garlic 

For the Pork Tacos: 

  • ½ batch Braised Pork 
  • Small corn tortillas 
  • Organic Valley Sour Cream 
  • Organic Valley mozzarella cheese, finely grated 
  • Toppings of your choice: Shredded cabbage, diced cherry tomatoes, pickled red onions 

Instructions: 

  1. Sear the Pork: 

Preheat a heavy-bottomed Dutch oven over medium-high heat, and preheat your oven to 300ºF. Generously salt and pepper the pork, tossing to coat evenly. Add olive oil to the pan and add the pork cubes, cooking for 3 minutes on two sides, until nicely browned. Cook the pork in a single layer, you may need to cook in two batches. 

  1. Finish Cooking, Start Braising: 

Remove the pork from the pot, and add the sliced onion. Cook for about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent. Add the tomato paste and cook for another minute until toasted and fragrant. Add the seared pork back into the pan and stir to coat before adding enough broth to cover the pork. Bring the mixture to a boil, then cover and move to the preheated oven for 3 hours, or until the pork is very tender. Remove from the oven and skim off any fat that has risen to the top. 

 

Weeknight Tacos 

Servings: 4 

Prep Time: 10 minutes 

Cook Time: 10 minutes 

Ingredients: 

  • ½ batch Braised Pork 
  • 8 small corn tortillas 
  • Organic Valley Sour Cream 
  • Organic Valley mozzarella cheese, finely grated 
  • Toppings of your choice: Shredded cabbage, diced cherry tomatoes, pickled red onions 

Instructions: 

  1. Prep your toppings: 

Chop, slice, and shred your preferred toppings. 

  1. Preheat the broiler: 

Set your oven to broil and allow it to preheat for about 5 minutes. 

  1. Prepare the pork: 

Spread the braised pork in an even layer on a broiler-safe pan. You can shred or slice the pork if desired. Add a bit of the braising liquid or some oil to keep it moist during broiling. 

  1. Broil: 

Place the pork under the broiler, about 4-6 inches from the heat source. Broil for 3-5 minutes, checking frequently to ensure it doesn’t dry out or burn. You want the pork to be heated through and develop a crispy edge. 

  1. Arrange tortillas: 

Place the tortillas in a single layer on a baking sheet. You can heat multiple tortillas at once but avoid stacking them. 

  1. Broil: 

Place the baking sheet on the top rack, about 4-6 inches from the broiler. Broil the tortillas for 30 seconds to 1 minute on each side, just until they start to puff up and get lightly charred spots. Flip the tortillas halfway through and keep a close eye on them to prevent burning. 

  1. Serve: 

Distribute the pork among the warmed tortillas, and top them as you’d like! We like grated mozzarella cheese, pickled red onions, cilantro, chopped white onions, tomatoes, and a small dollop of sour cream. 

 

Easy Pork Ragu 

Servings: 4 

Prep Time: 10 minutes 

Cook Time: 15 minutes 

Ingredients: 

  • ½ batch braised pork 
  • 12oz tagliatelle, or the pasta of your choice 
  • ¼ cup pasta water, reserved after cooking the pasta 
  • ¼ cup Organic Valley grated parmesan cheese, plus more for topping 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil 
  • ¼ cup pitted Castelvetrano olives, lightly crushed 
  • Pinch red pepper flakes 
  • Salt and pepper to taste 

Instructions: 

  1. Boil the Noodles: 

Bring 4 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot. Add two tablespoons of salt to the boiling water and the pasta, cooking according to package instructions. Reserve one cup of the cooked pasta water before draining. 

  1. Bring it all together: 

Heat a sauté pan over medium-high heat, add the olive oil and pork and cook until heated through, stirring every now and then. Add the cooked noodles, olives, and parmesan cheese and toss to coat, add ¼ cup of pasta water to bring everything together. Cut the heat and finish with a pinch of crushed red pepper and salt and pepper to taste. Serve topped with another hit of pepper and parmesan cheese.