Meals in Advance – Slow Cooker Sirloin Pork Roast w/ Hatch Chili Peppers

Sirloin Pork Roast with Hatch Chili Peppers

This weekend we finally got back on track and made our lunches and dinners in advance.

We find that it’s a pretty easy step that will let you share time with your loved ones for a weekend afternoon while saving you time when you least have it to spare.

Pick something that will get last over time and repeated re-heats – in fact, we find that most pastas, soups, grain pilafs, and roasts are actually better the next day!  Just throw a salad together or heat up some frozen veggies just before you sit down to eat and you are set.

One tip I recommend is that you set aside some of this in microwave and freezer-safe containers.  Throw them in the freezer and they will hold you over during those times you just can’t get to the store or get bored with that week’s meal selection(s).  Instant, homemade frozen dinners!

Slow Cooker Sirloin Pork Roast with Hatch Chili Peppers
Servings for 6

Ingredients:

1.5-2 lb sirloin pork roast, boneless*

3 tsp paprika

2 tbsp butter or 1 tbsp reserved bacon drippings

salt

pepper

1 medium onion, quartered

8-9 redskin potatoes, halved

1 lb carrots, peeled and cut into 1.5″ cylinders

7 cloves whole garlic, peeled, ends trimmed

2 large sweet potatoes, cut into 2 inch wedges

3 cups low sodium vegetable or chicken broth, reserve 1/2 cup

1 can cream of celery soup

3-5 hatch chili peppers, roasted, skins removed, 2″ sections**

Directions:

Rub pork roast with paprika, salt, pepper to taste; set aside.  Turn on slow cooker to high.  Add onion, potatoes, carrots, and 2.5 cups broth; cover.  Heat skillet on medium-high, adding butter or drippings.  Once melted, slip roast into skillet.  After 2 minutes, flip and heat another 2 minutes.  (This will help sear in the natural flavor of the meat.)  Move roast to slow cooker.  Add reserved broth to skillet; loosen browned bits and add to slow cooker.  Top roast with soup and chilies.  For medium-rare to medium pork, cover and let simmer on high until between 150-160 degrees F (about 2.5 to 3 hours).

*Any boneless pork roast cut will do, just remember size and leanness of meat will determine when to insert into cooker.  The smaller and leaner the roast, the less time it needs to cook.  Also, if you must use a bone-in cut, remember that it will throw off your thermometer reading if it touches the hot bone.

**If you are not fortunate enough to be able to locate fresh hatch chilies at your grocery store, try looking for it in the canned veggie or ethnic areas.  You can also substitute with Anaheim peppers or, in a pinch, Jalapenos.  Raised as a ‘meat n potatoes’ Northerner, I’m still pretty new to cooking with heat so I can’t tell you how much to use.  Start with 1 pepper and increase to your taste, keeping in mind the potatoes will soak up more heat than you taste in your broth.