Slow Cooker Pork Shanks
Fall-apart slow cooker pork shanks braised in beer, tomatoes, and chipotles, then finished with a blended sauce that's perfect for tacos and burritos.
Ingredients
- 4 pork shanks, domestic or wild hog shanks
- Kosher salt, to taste
- 12 ounces Mexican beer (Tecate or Modelo Negro are great)
- 28 ounces canned fire-roasted diced tomatoes
- 5 to 7 Chipotles in adobo, roughly chopped (plus 1-2 tablespoons adobo sauce, optional)
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, plus more to finish
- 2 large onions, roughly chopped
- 6 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
- 2 teaspoons ground coriander
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano, Mexican oregano if you have it
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon, Mexican canela if you have it
- Water or chicken stock (as needed to cover the shanks)
- Chopped cilantro, for serving
Instructions
- Season the shanks: Salt the pork shanks on all sides and place them in the slow cooker.
- Mix the cooking base: In a bowl, stir together beer, tomatoes, chipotles, lime juice, onions, garlic, coriander, oregano, and cinnamon.
Cook
- Pour the mixture over the shanks. Add a little water or chicken stock only if needed so the shanks are mostly submerged (aim for about 3/4 covered).
- Cook 8 hours on HIGH or 10-12 hours on LOW, until the meat is fork-tender.
Remove the shanks
- Carefully remove the shanks and set them aside.
Blend the sauce:
- Strain the cooking sauce through a fine-mesh strainer. Remove any bones and hard bits and discard.
- Pour the strained vegetables and blend with enough cooking liquid to make a smooth sauce (as thick or loose as you want). Season with salt to taste.
Serve
- Serve the sauce over the shanks. Or shred the pork and mix with the sauce to your liking. Fold in cilantro. Adjust with more lime juice, salt, or extra chipotle if needed.
NOTES
Searing the shanks: For added flavor, you can sear the shanks in a heavy-bottomed pan until golden brown before adding to the slow cooker.
Cooking the garlic and onions: For even more flavor, you can saute the onions and garlic before adding them to the slow cooker as well.
Make-ahead & freeze: Shred and sauce the pork, cool, then freeze in an airtight container up to 2 months. Thaw overnight and reheat gently with a splash of water or stock.
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Make this recipe?Mention @Larry__White or tag #WildGameGourmet!