Do you want to spend less time in the kitchen and more time with family or subtract cooking time and still equal happy tummies? This season, less is actually more.
Pork tastes great and is versatile, making it an ideal meal solution for on-the-go families. Many pork cuts cook up in less than 30 minutes, making it easy to put a delicious dinner on the table. With little hands-on cooking required, slow-cooked pork recipes are perfect for busy moms looking to cut corners in the kitchen and make more time with the family.
During the hustle and bustle of back-to-school season, it’s easy to lose sight of family time. However, with the right planning and smart solutions, busy families can re-establish the timeless tradition of eating together. To support family mealtime, mother of three Candace Cameron Bure and Chef Hosea Rosenberg, have developed exclusive slow cooking recipes and tips for the National Pork Board:
| Candace’s Carnitas Tacos have the whole family racing to the table. A flavorful combination of pork, red wine and chili powder, and a splash of vibrant color and tangy crunch from the purple cabbage slaw, this recipe is both delicious and quick (only 10 minutes to prepare). With the extra time, it’s out of the kitchen and onto more important activities, like math homework! Also, check out Candace's Pork Paprikash! |
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Hosea believes that the slow cooker is a melting pot of ethnic flavors. His Sweet and Spicy Thai Pork Loin is made for the slow cooker, combining mix of classic Asian ingredients such as pork, chile sauce and cilantro. Great for adults and kids, just add Asian noodles or rice to complete this sweet and spicy dinner! Also from Hosea, Balsamic and Smoked Paprika Glazed Pork Tenderloin, Cajun Sausage Jambalaya, Slow Cooked Pork Chops and Root Vegetables in Light Green Curry and New Mexico Pork Roast Posole. |
| Iron Range Pot Roast is a great mix of nutritious ingredients such as pork and potato, and a plate full of hearty comfort. Great for adults and kids, this low-maintenance dinner needs just a green salad tossed with vinaigrette to round out the meal. |
| As busy fall schedules kick into high gear, pork makes it easy to put a delicious meal on the table. Because it’s so versatile, there are many ways to prepare pork; with just a 30 minute prep time, and five ingredients, this Italian Sausage with Pasta and Herbs is a tasty one-skillet meal that’s both quick and easy. Find more recipes to warm up your fall table in the downloadable brochure, Come & Get it! |
Great Tips for Planning Back-To-School Meals
Candace and Hosea know that mealtime matters! To help get you in the slow-cooking spirit and encourage families to get back to the table, check out their time-saving tips:
• Tomorrow’s Dinner Tonight – As the ultimate time-saving method, Candace says that slow-cooking allows you to utilize every hour of the day when you prepare tomorrow's dinner the night before. Make it a family affair and enlist help with the prep work before setting your slow-cooker to low and heading off to bed. When you wake up, dinner's done! Transfer it to storage containers and refrigerate to reheat at dinnertime.
• Cut Down On Prep Time – Next time you’re browsing the meat aisle for the perfect cut of pork, Hosea encourages you to stop by the counter and let them know you’d like your favorite protein cut into slow-cooker-sized portions. This quick stop will cut down on prep time and ensure your pork cooks evenly throughout.
• How Slow Can You Go? – Hosea notes that both high and low settings stabilize at the same temperature, so most dishes can be prepared using either cook speed – allowing for less hands-on time cooking and more hands-on time with family. Typically, the simmer point (209 ºF) is reached within 3-4 hours on high and 7-8 hours on low, with larger cuts requiring the longer cook time.