We’ve been having some very fall-ish weather in the Bay Area lately. Definitely a cool crisp to the air, and with some rain mixed in on a regular basis, it’s the type of weather that calls for slow cookers, soups, and stews.
This one does not necessarily require a slow cooker, but since I needed to be doing other things that day, I went the slow cooker route. My friend Devon passed it along, and it was originally posted on All Recipes. I made a few tweaks, but mostly followed the recipe posted there. No need to mess with perfection!
What I love about this stew is it combines a bunch of delicious fall fruits and vegetables and somehow they all blend together perfectly. It’s also extremely versatile in that you can use whatever you prefer (or whatever’s in the fridge), and you could probably sub turkey for pork in a post-Thanksgiving Day meal!
You will need lots of chunks of fall vegetables. I used butternut squash, sweet potatoes (yams), carrots, apples (from Apple Hill), and onions. (And if you’ve never cut up a raw butternut squash before…I hope you have sharp knives and big biceps…whew! What a workout).
I’m also obsessed (OBSESSED) with my All Clad Slow Cooker. Why is it better than other slow cookers and worth the obnoxious price tag you ask? Because it has a large removable non-stick insert you can put on the stove to do any browning your recipe requires. Then you simply transfer to the cooking base and go! For this recipe, saute onions and garlic in a little olive oil and lightly brown pork cubes. (You don’t need to cook any of it too long because it will get plenty of time in the slow cooker).
Add the vegetables you are using, along with some sage, rosemary, bay leaf and a 32 ounce carton of chicken stock. Cook on low for 3-4 hours.
If you prefer a more stew-like consistency, you can add a little mixture of cornstarch and water at the end of the cooking time, but I sort of enjoyed the more soupy consistency without it. I served it with crusty bread and an arugula pomegranate salad. Perfect fall meal!
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- 2 tablespoons butter or olive oil
- 1.5 pounds boneless pork, cut into 3/4″ cubes
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 32 ounces chicken broth/stock
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon fresh torn sage
- 1 teaspoon fresh, chopped rosemary
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/2 butternut squash, cubed
- 2 apples, cored and cubed
- 2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed (could sub regular potatoes or parsnips)
- 2 large carrots, peeled and cubed
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch (optional)
- 1 tablespoon water (optional)
- Heat oil or butter on stove over high heat. Saute garlic and onions for 2-3 minutes. Add pork and lightly brown on all sides.
- Add the herbs, salt and pepper, veggies, and broth. Cook on low for 3-4 hours. (or until tender) Remove bay leaf.
- (optional step) For a thicker consistency, mix one tablespoon cornstarch and one tablespoon water and stir into stew. Allow to thicken and serve.
La Mode by Marianne
November 23, 2011 at 4:47 pmYUM! I love a great slowcooker recipe, I couldn't live without mine. Especially this time of year. I'm definitely giving this recipe a try!