Slow Cooker Maple Chipotle Pork with Cheesy Polenta.
Ohhhh do I have a dinner recipe for you!
Look at this bowl of pure comfort. It’s completely giving you a hug; in fact, if you could EAT a hug, this would be it. A cozy hug in a bowl that’s bursting with ridiculously flavor. I don’t hate it one single bit.
Don’t feel weird eating a hug.
So, I’m really overdoing it on the pork lately, aren’t I? It’s all in my master plan for one slow cooker recipe, three meals (just made that up on the fly, cough cough) and I will pretend that this was entirely planned out.
It sort of was, of course.
This is the second recipe that you can use with the pulled pork I shared last week (or technically, the third recipe!) and I am loving this multi-purpose slow cooker dish. I’ve included the recipe down below for the chipotle maple pulled pork, but you can always use the smoky pulled pork leftovers from the slider recipe I just shared or the kalua pork from earlier this year. Both are SO good.
It probably doesn’t even matter since people don’t seem to read food blogs like daily diaries anymore (even though I still write as such, much to the dismay of every SEO person on the planet), but if you’re still one of those people, thanks for sticking with me through this mad pulled pork love.
It may possibly be true that I love pulled pork more than bacon at the moment. Secrets. You’re learning them all!
Okay, so want to talk about it?
First! This freaking polenta. Oh me oh my. It is so creamy and rich and delicious. Eddie loves polenta so I love making it. The hardest part is timing it so it’s perfectly smooth and creamy for when he gets home from work. Often I make it too soon and it firms up. Still delicious, but not so creamy for a huge polenta bowl.
If you’re one of those people that does not enjoy mixing their food or if you can’t have any of the foods on your dinner plate touch, then I’m going to take a wild guess that this dish isn’t for you. You could always have the pulled pork on a plate and serve the polenta on the side though, further affirming that this is quite possibly the best meal ever.
amirite?
When it comes to October, football Sundays and autumn get-togethers, I often get in a chili rut. I make a lot of chili, a lot of flavors, a lot of soups – maybe even some things for chili to go on TOP of (oh hey nachos, hot dogs, French fries, sweet potatoes…). But this might be my new go-to. I may have to wing it with the polenta, but the chipotle maple pork is where it’s AT.
Also, what is with me and maple at the moment? This is the fourth recipe in a row that I’m sharing that has maple and I swear THAT was completely unintentional.
I’m a convert now – especially because of the sweet heat of this bowl. Sweet, spicy, cheese, creamy – I mean, is there even a better combo out there?!
Maple Chipotle Pork with Polenta
Ingredients
- 1 (4-pound) pork shoulder roast
- 2 teaspoons coarse salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 chipotle pepper, diced
- 1 tablespoon adobo sauce from can of chipotles
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
polenta
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken stock
- 3/4 cup polenta, coarse grind cornmeal
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 4 ounces pecorino Romano cheese, freshly grated
- 2 ounces fontina cheese, freshly grated
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- for topping: sliced green onions, fresh cilantro, sliced radish, fresh lime wedges, extra parmesan for sprinkling
Instructions
- Place the pork shoulder in the slow cooker and cover it with the salt and pepper, turning a few times to coat. Add the minced garlic cloves, chipotle pepper, adobo sauce and syrup. Cover and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours. After 8 to 10 hours, the pork will easily shred with a fork. Shred it and mix with the juice in the slow cooker. I like to turn my slow cooker on high and let it sit with the lid off for 15 minutes or so – I find that if it’s extra liquidy, some of the liquid will be absorbed.
polenta
- 30 minutes before serving the pork, bring the chicken stock to a boil in a saucepan. Slowly whisk in the polenta Turn the heat down to medium low and continue to stir until the mixture thickens. Once the mixture has come together and the cornmeal is thoroughly combined, reduce the heat to low and cover. Cook until the polenta is creamy and resembles the consistency of oatmeal, stirring occasionally, for about 30 minutes. If at any time the polenta looks parched, dry or too thick, add in some extra chicken stock ¼ cup at a time. After 30 minutes, stir in the butter, cheese, salt and pepper. Taste and add more seasoning or cheese if desired.
Did you make this recipe?
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I appreciate you so much!
This is TOTALLY eating color.
43 Comments on “Slow Cooker Maple Chipotle Pork with Cheesy Polenta.”
Ohhhhhhh, thank you for solving my today`s problem !
:)
Good and simple.
thanks laura!
I’m still one of the people that read this like a daily diary so keep them coming! This will be added to my menu this week – looks awesome!
thank you mary!! :)
a tip from serious eats was to soak the polenta in the cooking liquid for a few hours before cooking to help hydrate the corn ahead of time, so the cooking time is shorter. Might want to try a soak during the day, and then put it on the stove when Eddie gets home, for polenta that’s ready within 30 minutes or so
Also, I’m totally a daily reader. screw the SEO people! i also always type in your website. i don’t have a RSS or anything. i feel like it’s a good deed for the hits. that could be completely false though since I know nothing about how this works.
love this! thanks so much stephanie!
Please tell me what kind of slow cooker you use. I have found that some just get too hot.
I love all of your recipes. Thank you for sharing them.
hi kathy! i use a crockpot brand one right now but i honestly do not love it. i am thinking of buying this cuisinart one that you can sear and cook in. i know it’s pricey but i’ve been looking at it for a few years and the reviews from friends (like legit friends, not random people!) have been excellent! https://www.amazon.com/Cuisinart-MSC-600-Central-6-Quart-Multi-Cooker/dp/B008YEXC22/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1475522674&sr=8-1&keywords=slow+cooker+cuisinart
Maple and chipotle sounds like the perfect combination of flavors. And I love that this is made in a slow cooker so I don’t have to worry about watching over the pork!
thanks andrea!
This looks delicious! I have been trying out different slow cooked pork roasts this summer (oh my gosh, how is it already fall?), and this is definitely the next one I am going to try. I love those chipotle chilis and so this is exciting – absolute genius to pair it with maple, YUM. And I have yet to try my hand at making polenta, so methinks this is the time.
I want to compliment you on your polenta pot photo. It struck me that I don’t think I have ever seen a food photo with steam in it, and it is very effective! :)
thank you so, so much kate!
Yummmmmmm. I want a cozy hug in a bowl! Definitely adding this to my meal plan this week!
Kiersten
thanks kiersten!
I read this almost daily! It’s usually part of my morning break at work and I look forward to it.
thank you amelia! that means the world to me!
This looks amazing and I’m sure it tastes even better, more like phenominal! I’m a daily reader. I so look forward to reading your entrees. I’m making it thus week.
thank you amy!
I definitely still read a few food blogs (notably this one!) like daily diaries! In fact, I’m disappointed days when I check and you haven’t had time to post!
That being said, thank you for being an invisible Internet friend! This looks fantastic!
Totally meant to put this in: have you had bourbon-barrel-aged maple syrup? I tried it at an apple orchard a week ago and my life was changed (I tend to be dramatic concerning food). Spent way too much of my student budget buying some!
They had Bourbon Barrel ages maple syrup at Trader Joe’s this week! I am totally going back to get some.
And I also read this like a daily blog. I am on the west coast and come back and refresh on Tuesdays until Tuesday Things is posted! Love everything about this space!
thank you both so much! and yes, i have tried it and it’s SO FREAKING GOOD!
I still read them like a daily diary – so thank you!
thank YOU rachel!
Good grief!
Maple–check
Chipotle–check
Cheesy–check
All together? OMG
polenta is always the warmest, yummiest dinner!!! love the maple chipotle pork, sounds super bomb.
It feels funny when men start learning about cooking.
But I love cooking.
Breakin out the slow cooker cuz im definitely makin this!!
Delicious recipes are almost a bonus to me. I love it when people write like it’s their daily diary on their blogs. It makes me feel like I know the writer, and it’s essentially what I do on my own. While I love food a LOT, I’d rather read about a person than food. And then I want to go make the food ASAP.
want to make this for my lovely fiance – he’s had a long week and he loves these flavors. but we’re long distance and the slow cooker is at my place not his. any work arounds? low heat in a dutch oven for 4 hours?
My Uncle Luke got a 6 month old Ford F-250 only from working off a home computer… why not try this out >>>Webpay5.com
Do we cover the pork with water at all during the cooking process, or does it not need to be? I looks amazing ! I have everything to cook this in the next 24 hrs, can’t wait!
Could I use a pressure cooker instead? I don’t have a crock pot
This was literally the best slow cooker recipe I have ever consumed – kudos!
Another delish recipe – I’ve never made a recipe I haven’t liked off of your website.
Every now and then I come back to your site and read about food that I really, REALLY want to eat. I’ve never got round to actually cooking one of your dishes for a number of reasons. That probably makes me one of the few who DO read them diary-form!
You’re hugely entertaining, and I’m looking forward to the day I’ve settled in one place long enough to start cooking some of this!
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Have any suggestions how to convert this for an Insta Pot? I LOVE this recipe and make it regularly : )
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