Slow Cooker Pork with Greens and Beans
- Servings Per Recipe: 8
- Amount Per Serving
- Calories: 285.9
- Total Fat: 15.6 g
- Cholesterol: 72.2 mg
- Sodium: 408.3 mg
- Total Carbs: 11.7 g
- Dietary Fiber: 3.6 g
- Protein: 25.9 g
Introduction
My kids never complain about eating both beans and greens in one meal when they're served alongside rich, slow-cooked pork.My kids never complain about eating both beans and greens in one meal when they're served alongside rich, slow-cooked pork.
Ingredients
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Spice rub:
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
2 pounds pork shoulder, visible fat removed
3 cloves garlic, halved
1 cup chicken stock, low sodium
1 (14.5-ounce) can low-sodium diced tomatoes
2 (14.5-ounce) cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
2 cups escarole or kale, chopped
1/2 cup pepitas
Tips
Pepitas are shelled pumpkin seeds, which you can find in the nuts aisle.
Chef Meg used Boston Butt roast, which actually comes from the shoulder area of a pig.
Escarole, also called endive, is a sturdy green that stands up well in slow-cooking dishes. You could also use kale or another sturdy green.
Cannellini beans are white kidney beans that are popular in Italian cooking. Use canned for convenience, but drain and rinse them to control the salt. Use Great Northern beans if you can't find cannellini beans.
Pepitas are shelled pumpkin seeds. You can omit them from the recipe if you can't find them.
Try adding an additional one or two cups of stock during the last hour and instead of a slow stew, you have a great hearty soup.
Serve this dish with chunks of whole-wheat bread to sop up the tasty broth. This meal is so packed full of flavor, your family will forget they're eating healthful, fiber-rich beans and dark, leafy greens, a great source of antioxidants.
Directions
Rub over the pork shoulder 1 hour before cooking or the night before.
Refrigerate the meat until ready to cook.
Place the pork in a slow cooker with the garlic.
Pour the stock over the meat. Cook on low for 5-6 hours.
Remove the lid and break up the meat into large chunks.
Add the diced tomatoes, beans and kale. Cook for another hour.
Before serving, toast the pepitas in a dry skillet.
Serve the stew warm, topped with the pepitas.
Makes 8 one cup servings with 1 tablespoon pepitas as a garnish.
Member Ratings For This Recipe
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MACYJOLIEMOM
Loved this dish! Great for a cold winter day. I cooked the pork with the broth in the pressure cooker for an hour, and then added the tomatoes, beans, and kale and simmered for an hour. I used probably 3 to 4 cups of chopped kale, but would use more next time...and there will be a next time! - 1/7/10
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MISSSUZI
We really liked this. I didn't use chili powder or the pepitas, but made it more southern-style with Creole seasoning. I used great northern beans and red beans and mustard greens. I cooked the meat one day then refrigerated it overnight so I could separate the fat out easily. Will make again! - 1/18/10
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MJRED56
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JKNEPFLE
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TRICIAN13
Tasty recipe! Used port tenderloin which I browned with garlic before putting in crockpot. Also, used home-cooked white beans and home-made stock for lower sodium. Used kale and spinach for the greens (and doubled greens amount). Will make again and again; will try with chicken and/or turkey, too. - 1/12/11
