Pork has been nicknamed “The Other White Meat.” It is a healthy alternative to fattier cuts of beef and chicken. It is flavorful and versatile as a substitute in dishes that once called for only chicken and/or beef. Pull out your slow cooker and take that pork for a spin.

Pork provides many different cuts of meat:  bacon, ground sausage, ham, pork butt steaks, ribs, loin, and chops. Each has its own characteristics and provides different options for how it can be cooked. In the slow cooker you can use just about all of those cuts if you like. The leaner cuts will give you the least fat if you are watching your diet.

Boneless pork chops and pork tenderloin will not take as long to cook. Your slow cooker should be set on four hours instead of eight. Pork can be bought seasoned from the store. If yours is not, try a trick I like to use for pork and poultry. Add a packet of onion soup mix to the meat. It can be regular onion or golden onion, whichever you prefer.

Once you have added your pork cut and onion soup mix, pour about one cup of water and any other flavorful sauces, such as soy or teriyaki sauce into your slow cooker. Veggies can be tossed in now if you want to add them. You can use fresh or frozen veggies either one.

Sausage balls can be made by rolling out ground pork sausage. If you don’t have fresh pork, frozen sausage balls will do. Again, be sure to add your favorite sauce and a bit of water to the cooker. Depending on how many sausage balls you are preparing and whether they are fresh or frozen, cooking time is approximately two to four hours, with frozen pork sausage and higher quantities requiring the higher amount of time. Remember, with pork you can never be too careful when it comes to making sure it’s cooked through. After two hours of cooking, check for doneness.

Another favorite cut of pork for the slow cooker is pork ribs. They can be country style (little to no bone and more meat) or spareribs. You may choose to season and marinate the ribs with your favorite store bought or homemade marinade. For best results, marinade overnight before cooking them in the slow cooker. They will be in there for six to eight hours so there is no need to parboil on the stove for tenderness.

Yep, you guessed it; don’t forget to add water before cooking. An hour or two before cooking is complete, add your favorite barbeque sauce.  The spicy sauce will find its way through the meat and add flavoring. By the time they finish cooking, the ribs will be so tender it will fall away from the bone. Now those are some good ribs!

You can even slow cook a ham for a special Sunday dinner. Glaze it with honey or brown sugar and pineapples an hour or so before it is cooked. The meat will be juicy, flavorful, and tender when sliced.

Pork is a great meat to use in the slow cooker. Just be aware of your cooking times for boneless meat as opposed to bone-in varieties. The last thing you want is a dried out piece of meat that no one enjoys. How do I know that you might be asking?  Take my word for it it’s not delicious by any stretch of the imagination.