Slow Cooker Southwestern Pork Chili

Prep Time: 20 mins | Servings: 6 servings for a first course or lunch

PERFECT FOR: Football Sundays or Soup for Supper

SOUP STORY

It’s officially fall in New England as soon as I hear the sound of Sunday football coming from the family room. That day was today! It also marks the day the official Soup Sunday tradition begins each year. Although I hadn’t realized it snuck up on us my pantry has never been more stocked with flavorful ingredients for stirring the pot. A few weeks ago, I made pork tacos by braising pork in the slow cooker and there was a ton of leftovers. I opted to freeze the braised pork and it was the first thing I laid eyes on when I was pondering today’s soup. It felt appropriate to make a soup that aligns with football season and in my mind, that soup is chili.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 large Spanish onion, diced

• 3 garlic cloves, diced

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 2 tablespoons cumin

• 6 cups home made chicken broth or Imagine Chicken or No-Chicken Broth

• 16 oz black beans

• 16 oz of chopped tomatoes (fresh or Pomi boxed)

• 16 oz of corn

• 3 cups of braised, shredded pork shoulder

• 1/2 bunch of cilantro (chopped)

• 1/2 cup of cornmeal

• 1/2 cup of salsa verde (I love Sky Valley)

• Salt and pepper to taste

• Shredded Mexican cheese (for garnish)

• Sour Cream (for garnish)

• Chopped avocado (for garnish)

DIRECTIONS

• Turn on your slow cooker. Set for three hours—one hour on high and two hours on low.

• Add onion, garlic and cumin and sweat for about 10 minutes.

• Add the remaining ingredients except for the cornmeal, salt and pepper and garnishes

• Slow cook for 2.5 hours.

• Add cornmeal, salt and pepper to taste and half of the cilantro. Stir and cook for another 30 minutes.

• Garnish with cilantro, shredded cheese, sour cream and avocado.

DIRECTIONS TO BRAISE PORK

• In a slow cooker, add olive oil, one chopped onion and 4 garlic cloves.

• Coat the bottom of the slow cooker with salsa verde, add a large pork shoulder and cover with salsa verde.

• Put the slow cooker on slow and low and braise until the meat falls off the bone.

DIRECTIONS FOR STOCK IF YOU ARE MAKING IT FROM SCRATCH (No time? Use Imagine Chicken or Imagine No-Chicken Broth for a vegetarian soup.)

• Add chicken parts and saute in olive oil, 10 mins.

• Add whatever vegetables you have in the kitchen-onions, garlic, carrots, celery

• Add bundles of herbs in cheesecloth (whatever you like but parsley, thyme, bay leaves are my go to)

• Add water and simmer for a minimum of 3 hours, better if you can let this simmer all day 7-9 hours for most robust flavor.

• Alternatively-you can roast chickens, remove the meat and set aside for soup and make a stock from the bones. If you do this you must be diligent about straining and checking the broth for any bones.

• Flavor with salt and pepper to taste and then strain and separate the meat, ensuring to check for bones.