Crockpot BBQ Pork Chili - Yummy New Recipe

*NOTE: This recipe recently won two awards at a workplace Chili Cook-off: The Meatiest and Chef's Choice!

By Dennis Henry of Indiana State Department of Agriculture

With the evenings getting cooler and the days getting shorter – it’s time for my favorite sitting around the campfire meal, Chili.  I was asked to come up with a new recipe for you all that is a little unexpected.  This chili will be made with that other white meat, Pork. 

It’s Dennis again from the Indiana Department of Agriculture and it is time to share with you what I hope will be a new and exciting chili recipe for you and your family.  I had such a great time bringing you my Buffalo Chicken Chili; I jumped at the chance to do this again.  I thought I would just make one of my conventional chili recipes and substitute the meat with Pork.  Then the more I thought this over, I decided it would not be anything out of the ordinary.  I wanted something that makes one say, “Wow, I need your recipe!”  So thinking it over and what my favorite Pork dish is, I kept coming back to barbeque pulled pork.  Then it hit me, of all the chili’s I have ever eaten or made I never had what I am about to share with you – BBQ Pulled Pork Chili.

I was surprised to find a couple of recipes did exist for BBQ Pork Chili – but they all seemed too simple and not very exciting.  So not to toot my own horn, but I feel I am a good cook and many nights I just  throw ingredients together and have enjoyed many of these great creations for dinner.  So why not do the same and create a new recipe myself? So off to the store for some of the ingredients I don’t keep in stock.

After returning from the grocery, I placed my Pork loin in a bowl to add my BBQ dry rub to it.  Then I placed it in a freezer bag, squeezed out the air and placed it in the fridge overnight.  You can use my dry rub (see recipe following), your favorite dry rub or just soak the pork loin in your favorite BBQ sauce.

The next day, I took my seasoned Pork Loin out of the fridge and cut it into pieces and browned it in the fry pan.  Since I had so much Pork, I decided to brown in two batches – the second batch I added the tomato paste and let the paste brown to bring out its natural sugars.  I placed the browned Pork into my Crockpot remembering to first add the Crockpot liner bag.  Note: If you have not used these liner bags, you need to check them out.  They make cleanup so much easier.  I then opened my cans of tomatoes, adding those and my chopped ingredients to the pot.  I added a whole bottle of my favorite BBQ sauce, Sweet Baby Rays Honey and Chipotle BBQ.  Now came my experimentation with the recipe.  I opened up my spice cabinet and went to work.  As you can see, I stayed with the normal chili style spices and I think with the spices in the canned tomatoes it all works.

I then added a spicy vegetable juice to fill the pot, put on the lid and set on High for 4 to 6 hours.  The aroma filled the house like you would not believe.  I had a hard time waiting, but it was now close to dinner time.  I pulled the Pork out of the pot and with two forks shredded the meat and added it back to the pot.  Finally, I got myself a good bowl full and crumbled a fresh corn muffin on top and some shredded cheese.  OMG, this is the best chili I have ever made!  The sweetness of the BBQ sauce along with the spices and heat of the peppers was so balanced; I could not stop at one bowl.  I thought I would miss the beans (yes, there are no bean in this chili), but with the shredded Pork, chunky tomatoes, onions & peppers – it all made perfect sense.  We are having a chili cook-off here at work and believe me – I plan on this one winning 1^st place.

I hope you enjoy this as much as I am (I still have at least two more meals left on the pot).  I have already added this recipe to my quick reference library, and I am sure you will too.  So make a batch, fire up the campfire (or fireplace) and just sit enjoying the crisp autumn air and what will be your new favorite chili – Shredded BBQ Pork Chili.

BBQ Pulled Pork Chili

·       2 to 2 ½ pounds of pork loin, cut into about 1” cubes

·       2 tablespoons of Olive oil

·       1 – 6 oz. can of tomato paste

·       1 Tablespoons of Chili Powder

·       2 teaspoons of Ground Cumin

·       1 teaspoons of Garlic Powder

·       1 teaspoons of Black Pepper

·       1 teaspoons of Old Bay seasoning

·       ½ teaspoon of Chipotle Pepper powder

·       2 – 28 oz. (large cans) of diced tomatoes (I used one with Chili seasoned & onions; the other was with Chipotle)

·       1 – 15 oz. can of tomato sauce

·       1 bottle (about 18 oz.) of your favorite BBQ Sauce

·       One large chopped Onion

·       One chopped Red Bell Pepper
One chopped Poblano Pepperh

·       Vegetable Juice

Dry Rub:

Use equal portions of each of these:

·       Cajun Seasoning

·       Garlic Powder

·       Chili Powder

·       Old Bay Seasoning

·       Chipotle Chili Pepper Powder

Take your Pork loin out of the refrigerator and dice into 1’ cubes.  In a large skillet, brown the Pork cubes in hot Olive oil over medium heat.  While the pork is browning, add the tomato paste.  This will bring out the sweetness of the tomato paste. Place the pork in your Crockpot and add the remaining ingredients, leaving the Vegetable juice until the end.  Now you can add the Vegetable juice to about ½” from the top of the pot.  Cook on high for 4 to 6 hours.  Just before serving, shred the pork with a large fork.  Enjoy with your favorite fresh baked bread or corn bread muffins.