Slow-Cooker Peach and Green Chile Pork

Pork shoulder is one of my favorite cuts of pork. When cooked low and slow, this well-marbled cut transforms into juicy, rich and flavorful fork-tender meat. It’s the cut you use in pulled-pork recipes, long braises and stews, or slow-cooker recipes.

This recipe for slow-cooker peach and green chile pork is a sweet and smoky variation on pork chile verde with an extra punch of flavor from peaches and crumbled bacon. Serve it over rice or cheesy polenta for a hearty dinner, or stuff it into soft flour tortillas or Hawaiian rolls with a side of mac and cheese. Recipe contributor Shannon Kohn of Murrells Inlet, South Carolina, suggests serving any leftover pork with scrambled eggs for breakfast or brunch—don’t forget the mimosas!

Ingredients for Slow-Cooker Peach and Green Chile Pork

• Boneless pork shoulder butt roast: Boneless pork shoulder or butt (sometimes called Boston butt or picnic) is a well–marbled type of pork, making it ideal for low-and-slow cooking.
• Seasoning: A dry rub that combines salt, coarsely ground pepper and smoked paprika seasons the pork before it goes into the slow cooker.
• Onion: You can use nearly any type of onion in this recipe, but we recommend using a white or yellow onion.
• Peaches: Frozen unsweetened sliced peaches are ideal for this recipe; no need to thaw them first.
• Bacon: Any cooked bacon will do for this recipe—the smokier the better. You’ll need it crisp so it can crumble easily, or simply cut it into smaller pieces.
• Green enchilada sauce: Green enchilada sauce features the flavors of tangy tomatillos and spicy green chiles. You can make your own green enchilada sauce and freeze the rest for another day.
• Canned green chiles: Green chiles add a mildly spicy and smoky flavor to the sauce.
• Barbecue sauce: You’ll use only a few tablespoons, but barbecue sauce adds extra smokiness to the pork. Use any barbecue sauce brand you like.
• Garlic: Minced garlic adds its signature pungent flavor to the sauce.
• Cornstarch slurry: Cornstarch mixed with cold water creates a slurry to help thicken the sauce.
• Cooked rice: Serve the pork over cooked rice, such as jasmine or brown rice. (Use these tips to cook perfectly fluffy rice.)
• Green onions: Thinly sliced green onions garnish the pork.

Directions

Step 1: Season the pork

Season the pork with salt, pepper and smoked paprika. Place into a 5- or 6-quart slow cooker. Add the onions, peaches and bacon. In a small bowl, combine the enchilada sauce, green chiles, barbecue sauce and garlic, then pour over the roast.

Step 2: Slow-cook the pork

Cook the meat and sauce, covered, on low for six to eight hours or until the meat is tender.

Step 3: Thicken the sauce

Remove the pork from the slow cooker and shred the meat. Transfer the cooking liquid to a small saucepan and skim the fat. In a small bowl, mix cornstarch and water until smooth, then stir into the cooking juices. Bring to a boil. Cook and stir the sauce until it thickens, one to two minutes.

Step 4: Serve

Serve with pork and hot cooked rice. Garnish with green onions, if desired.

Slow-Cooker Peach and Green Chile Pork Variations

• Use fresh peaches: When peach season rolls around, feel free to swap in fresh ripe peach slices for frozen. Use 1 cup of fresh peach slices in place of 8 ounces of frozen peach slices.
• Add more herbs and spices: Add dried oregano, ground cumin or ground coriander to the dry rub to enhance the flavor.
• Make it for breakfast: Use leftover slow-cooker peach and green chile pork to make a hearty breakfast. Simply combine the reheated pork with cheesy scrambled eggs and warm tortillas for a spicy and satisfying start to the day.

How to Store Slow-Cooker Peach and Green Chile Pork

Allow the pork to cool, then transfer it and any remaining sauce to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to four days. You can also freeze it in an airtight container or zip-top bag for up to three months.

How do you reheat slow-cooker peach and green chile pork?

The simplest way to reheat slow-cooker peach and green chili pork is in the microwave. Transfer the pork and sauce to a microwave-safe container, cover, and cook for about two minutes or until the meat registers 165°F on an instant-read thermometer. If you are reheating a large amount of pork, reheat it in the oven. Transfer the pork and sauce to a baking dish, add a splash of broth and cover tightly with foil. Reheat in a 225° oven for 30 minutes or until the meat registers 165°.

Slow-Cooker Peach and Green Chile Pork Tips

Can you make peach and green chile pork another way?

You can make this peach and green chile pork recipe on the stovetop or in an Instant Pot. To make the pork on the stovetop, sear all sides of the seasoned pork in a Dutch oven with a bit of olive oil. Remove the pork, and then saute the onions. Return the pork to the Dutch oven along with the peaches and cooked crumbled bacon, and top with the sauce ingredients. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until the meat is tender, three to four hours. Alternatively, if you prefer to cook the pork in the oven, once you have seared the pork and added the remaining ingredients, cover the Dutch oven and transfer it to an oven preheated to 325°. Cook for three to five hours.

To make this pork recipe in an Instant Pot, sear the pork on the saute function, then add the remaining ingredients and cook under high pressure for one hour.

What can you serve with slow-cooker peach and green chile pork?

Serve this flavorful pork alongside warm corn or flour tortillas, refried beans, black beans or Mexican street corn. You can also swap in cilantro-lime rice for plain jasmine rice.