Slow Cooker Sweet and Sour Pork, November 9, 2009

A couple weeks ago I made a slow cooker Mexican dish that was yummy.  It got me to thinking it would be great to be able to cook Sweet and Sour the same way.  Then, VIOLA!  Our Publix Family Style magazine came out with a Slow Cooker Sweet and Sour Pork recipe.  Actually they give you a stove top version too, but, I wanted to use the crock pot.   So, here it is:

Sweet and Sour Pork

1.5 pounds lean pork stew meat or pork shoulder

3 T all purpose flour (I use whole wheat)

1/2 t salt or to taste

1/4 t pepper or to taste

1 T Canola Oil (I didn't brown the meat, so I left this out)

1 Cup chopped onion (I use a generous teaspoon or so of dried)

5 medium Carrots cut into 1/2 inch chunks

1 14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes, undrained
1/4 c. Brown Sugar
1/4 c. Apple Cider Vinegar
2 T quick cooking tapioca (on the top shelf above the puddings!)

1 T. worcestershire sauce

2 pouches precooked rice, heated to directions (I used brown rice cooked fresh)

1.  Add flour, salt and pepper to ziploc bag.  Add pieces of pork and shake to coat.  Brown meat and onions in skillet with oil...or...just dump the contents of the ziploc bag into the heated slow cooker.  Add carrots.

2.  Mix tomatoes, brown sugar, vinegar, tapioca and worcestershire sauce.  Pour over pork mixture in slow cooker.

3.  Cover and cook on slow 7-9 hours.  Or on high heat 3.5 - 4.5 hours.  Serve over rice. 

The real test is at dinner time.  How would Rod like it and did it cook up easily???  Well, two thumbs up...I would just add some pineapple (and maybe cut back on the brown sugar a bit.  And some veggies...I always feel cheated when restaurants don't give you veggies in the sweet and sour.  As a time saver, I would probably add a bag of frozen stir fry veggies.  Enjoy everybody!!  Oh crap...I forgot to take a pretty picture when it was plated, so, you get the "Leftover" version that went into the frig.  LOL