Pork and Apple Stew

If you prefer a tart apple taste, you can substitute Granny Smith apples for the golden delicious. (You can also add more apples if you wish. Apples and pork were made for each other!)

Serves 8

Ingredients:

• 1 (3-pound) boneless pork shoulder roast
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 large sweet onion, peeled and diced
• 2 golden delicious apples, peeled, cored, and diced
• 1 (2-pound) bag baby carrots
• 2 stalks celery, finely diced
• 2 cups apple juice or cider
• Optional: ¼ cup dry vermouth
• Optional: 2 tablespoons brandy
• Optional: 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• ½ teaspoon dried thyme
• ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
• ¼ teaspoon dried sage
• 2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and quartered

Trim the roast of any fat; discard the fat and cut the roast into bite-sized pieces. Add the pork to the slow cooker along with the remaining ingredients in the order given. (You want to rest the sweet potato quarters on top of the mixture in the slow cooker.) Cover and cook on low for 6 hours or until the pork is cooked through and tender.

Herbs and Spice Test

If you’re unsure about the herbs and spices suggested in a recipe, wait to add them until the end of the cooking time. Once the meat is cooked through, spoon out ¼ cup or so of the pan juices into a microwave-safe bowl. Add a pinch of each herb and spice (in proportion to how they’re suggested in the recipe), microwave on high for 15–30 seconds, and then taste the broth to see if you like it. Season the dish accordingly.