Hot Pot Style Pork & Vegetables
We've adapted this hot pot-style dish for your slow cooker. Pork shoulder becomes meltingly tender during the slow braise, and ginger, garlic, star anise and cinnamon make for a beautifully flavored and aromatic broth. Serve over noodles or brown rice, with stir-fried napa cabbage.
Ingredients
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2 cups baby carrots
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2 medium white turnips, (8 ounces total), peeled and cut into 3/4-inch-wide wedges
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2 1/4 pounds boneless pork shoulder, (picnic or Boston-butt), trimmed and cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks
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1 bunch scallions, sliced, white and green parts separated
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1 14-ounce can reduced-sodium chicken broth
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½ cup water
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¼ cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
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3 tablespoons medium or dry sherry, (see Ingredient Note)
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4 teaspoons brown sugar
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2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
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1 tablespoon rice vinegar
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2-4 teaspoons Chinese chile-garlic sauce
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4 cloves garlic, minced
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1 star anise pod, (see Ingredient Note) or 1 teaspoon aniseed
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1 cinnamon stick
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4 teaspoons cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons water
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2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds, (see Ingredient Note) for garnish
Description
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Place carrots and turnips in the bottom and up the sides of a 4-quart or larger slow cooker. Top with pork and scallion whites. Bring broth, water, soy sauce, sherry, brown sugar, ginger, vinegar, chile-garlic sauce to taste and garlic to a simmer in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Pour over the pork and vegetables. Nestle star anise pod (or aniseed) and cinnamon stick into the stew. Cover and cook until the pork and vegetables are tender, 3 to 3 1/2 hours on high or 5 1/2 to 6 hours on low.
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Discard the star anise pod and cinnamon stick. Skim or blot any visible fat from the surface of the stew. Add the cornstarch mixture, cover and cook on high, stirring 2 or 3 times, until slightly thickened, 10 to 15 minutes. Serve sprinkled with scallion greens and sesame seeds.