Spicy Shredded Slow Cooker Pork

Mmmm...this meat had heat!  Mexican pork made in the slow cooker!

And it was all due to an experiment from what was in my pantry.  When it was finished cooking, Korey and I took turns taking a bite to test it out and were amazed at how spicy it was.  But not too hot.  Just the right amount of kick to make your nachos, enchiladas, or tacos a hit.  We made nachos using this meat and I even topped them off with some plain greek yogurt which cooled down the spice a bit.

You'll notice this picture doesn't include tortillas, taco shells, or tortilla chips.  This is to show you that you can use this pork in whatever Mexican dish you want.  Korey even ate it on a sandwich.

Spicy Shredded Slow Cooker Pork
(click for printable)

1 pork roast or pork butt
1 can red enchilada sauce
1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, chopped
2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin

Place pork roast in slow cooker on low heat.  Add in enchilada sauce, chipotle pepper, and spices.  Cook on low heat for 5 hours.  Shred meat with a fork and use in your favorite Mexican dish.

Slow Cooker Pork with Mushroom Wine Sauce

Now before you run away because you saw the words mushroom wine sauce, know that this recipe is a simple stir-the-sauce-ingredients-together and pour it in.  I did sear the meat before I put it in the crockpot as this adds more flavor.  If you want to skip this step, go for it.

I didn't even measure, but for you I'll provide measurements!  This was really a pantry recipe and I had made something similar before in the oven but I wanted to try it in the crockpot.  And the pork came out so tender that my husband told me he snuck some out of the crockpot before we ate dinner.

I do realize that there should probably be rice on this plate but we don't do a lot of extra sides as we like to keep it simple in our house.  So serve this with whatever you like.

Slow Cooker Pork with Mushroom Wine Sauce

(click for printable)

1 pkg bone-in pork chops

Olive oil

Salt 

Pepper

1/4 cup chopped onions (you can increase if you like onions)

1 cup chopped mushrooms

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1/2 cup white cooking wine

Pour 1-2 Tbs of olive oil in a pan and sprinkle it with salt and pepper.  Lay the pork chops on top and sprinkle the top side with salt and pepper.  Let it brown on both sides for about five minutes each.  Sprinkle your chopped onions and mushrooms in the bottom of the crockpot.  Lay the browned pork chops on top.  Mix 1 can of cream of mushroom soup with the wine and pour on top of the pork chops.  Cook on low for 5-6 hours.  Serve with your favorite sides.

Smoked Mexican Chicken

Mexican food in a slow cooker!

I had the opportunity to make dinner for a friend who I knew was having a stressful week.  When the guys decided to take over the living room watching football, I scoured my freezer for ingredients because I was nervous they would be staying for dinner and I would need to come up with food FAST.  I decided to split what I had on hand with my friend for dinner and the guys.

This is two frozen chicken breasts in my crock pot.  On top I added some homemade taco seasoning I had on hand, salsa, and chipotle chiles in adobo sauce.  Chipotle chiles are sold in a can in the Mexican food section of the grocery store.  The dishes I use them in only require about one or two of these so I keep the rest stored in a container in my fridge.  Then I have them on hand to use whenever I want.  Two is the max I would use on a dish because the more you use the spicier it will get.  However, I don't attribute the spicy flavor to SPICY flavor.  It's more like a smoky, spicy heat that doesn't burn your mouth.

I cooked these on high for 3 hours in the slow cooker and then shredded the meat....

 which I turned into enchiladas!  The only ingredients I didn't have on hand were the tortillas and the cilantro.  Everything else I had.  The filling is the shredded chicken mixed with a combo of black beans and kidney beans.  The beans I had previously cooked in my slow cooker and then stored and frozen in ziploc bags.  I poured queso I had on the top and chopped up sprinkled them with cilantro.  I gave up on trying to chop it up because it just never seems to do well for me.  Pop in the oven for 30 minutes and dinner is served.  Or rather delivered to my friend.

And I ended up not having to feed all the guys from this split so that means more for us. 

We used the leftovers in soft tacos the next day because Korey doesn't like enchiladas at home.  But he'll order them at a restaurant.  Go figure.  Maybe he just doesn't like my enchiladas.

Smoked Mexican Chicken by KSK

Smoked Mexican Chicken
(click for printable recipe)


2 T taco seasoning

2 chopped chipotle chiles in adobo sauce (found in Mexican section of grocery store)

1/2 cup salsa


Put two thawed chicken breasts in a slow cooker.

Top with 2 T of taco seasoning, 2 chopped chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, and salsa.

Set on low for 5-6 hours or on high for 3 hours. Shred when cooked.