My Top 5 Pork Crock Pot Meals!

            Does this cold weather make you miss grilling season? I’ve gathered a few of my favorite pork recipes that are all made simple in the crock-pot!

As a busy college student I usually don’t have much time between class and night meetings. Crock-pot meals are my favorite! They are so simple to throw together during the morning, leave for class and have them ready to eat when I get home!                    

Before we start, here are some great guidelines and tips when it comes to cooking pork!

·      Pork is known as the other white meat, but a little pink in the meat leaves you avoiding a dry meal!

·      The USDA recommends that pork be cooked to 145 degrees.

 1.) Pork Loin- I love pork loin in the crock pot, it makes it so tender! I thaw out the loin the

night before I plan to throw it in the crock pot. The next morning I make several cuts on the top of the pork loin, and the place pineapple rings in between the cuts. The pinnaple, gives it great additional flavor! Keep your crockpot on low for the entire day.

2.) Pork Ribs- My all time favorite! Nothing beats smoked ribs, but these sure come close!

Place your frozen ribs in the crock-pot, I also like to add BBQ sauce. My favorite is Cookie’s Sweet Hickory sauce. Set your crock pot on low, and then on high for the last hour of cooking.

The cooked carrots add amazing flavor
to the ham! 

     

     3.) Ham- So first of all, make sure to take a good look at the ham before purchasing! Make SURE you look at the water content of the ham you are buying! Coming from the farm, and usually eating our own ham that we raise, this was new to me when we had our “Friends-giving” this year! I ended up buying a ham with high water content, which left the ham with a mushy taste that no one liked!

Thaw your ham out the night before you are planning to cook it. You can choose to slice the ham before you place it into the crock pot, or after, whatever your time allows! Along with the ham I like to add cut up potatoes, onions, and baby carrots! Cook your ham on low, and then on high for the last two hours of cooking.

4.) Bacon- This soup is great for taking a meal out to the field in the fall and one of my dads favorites! 

Start by mixing up a package of Bear Creek Creamy Potato soup as the directions state on the package. I have cooked this soup in the crockpot, and it really gives it a thicker texture!

After mixing up the soup and letting it cook on warm all day, I like to add a half cup of sour cream, four-five slices of bacon cut up into chunks, and also one cup of shredded cheese.  Adding these three ingredients leaves your soup with an amazing loaded baked potato taste!

These grilled pork chops are great with
a side of mashed potatoes!

5.) Pork Chop- Here is a great recipe to throw in on Sunday morning, and have ready to eat after church! With only four hours of cooking time, it makes a perfect Sunday lunch! Check out this recipe from Allrecipe.com that has amazing flavor in it! http://allrecipes.com/recipe/slow-cooker-pork-chops-ii/

                          So here are my favorite pork recipes! 
Do you have a favorite that I missed? Be sure to share it with me!