Slow Cooked Creamy Pork

So back to the recipes...

I love slow cooked pork at the moment.  There is something about cooking pork in a slow cooker that intensifies the 'porky' flavour.

This recipe is based upon one from the good food website.  I have changed it a bit and made it a touch more kid friendly and cheaper.  Also it's now cooked in a slow cooker so it's something that doesn't need fussing with once it's on.

Slow Cooked Creamy Pork - serves 2 adults and a toddler with leftovers

Ingredients

800g, 1lb, 12 oz Pork shoulder steaks
One onion, peeled, halved and sliced into half moons
1 tsp Olive oil
2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
150ml, 5 fl oz, 2/3 cup apple juice
2 tsp Dijon mustard
4 tbsp Double (heavy) cream
2 bay leaves
1 tsp cornflour (cornstarch)

Method

In a non stick pan, dry fry the shoulder steaks until lightly browned and put into the slow cooker.  You might need to do that in two batches.  Then pour the apple juice into the hot pan to deglaze (i.e. scrape up any tasty bits from the bottom.)  Pour into the slow cooker and pop in the bay leaves.  Then reheat the frying pan with olive oil and put in the onions.  Cook until starting to brown and soften, add in the garlic and stir around again for a few more minutes and then put into the slow cooker.

Cook on high for 3-4 hours or if you prefer, heat until bubbling on high then turn down to low and cook for around 6 hours.  Adjust for your slow cooker, they do vary.  The newer the slow cooker I find, the faster it cooks which is slightly annoying because it rules out putting it on in the morning and going to work.  Not that you can really overcook things but once meat gets to a completely soft state, you do risk it disintegrating into something delicious still but more like soup!  So once you've cooked in your slow cooker a few times you will get the idea of what it's like.

Once the pork is cooked to the level you want, use a slotted spoon to scoop out the pork and put onto a plate and cover with a bowl to keep warm.  Pour the sauce into a saucepan, bring to the boil and add in the mustard and cream.  Mix the cornflour (cornstarch) with some water and whisk it in to thicken to your taste, add a bit more if you like.  Mix the pork back in but be careful, it will be easy to break up.

Serve.  I like this with cabbage, I think it has a natural affinity with pork and mushrooms were a big hit with the boy.

I've linked this up to Foodie Fridays with Diane Balch, here.