Slow Cooker Pork Stew over Brown Rice

Apple juice and dried fruit add a touch of sweetness to this stew. This dish can be put together in minutes and then left to simmer in your slow cooker. Served over brown rice, it’s a great comfort food to have waiting at the end of a long day. The crushed cereal acts as a thickener and adds a nutty flavor to the stew. Try substituting dried apricots or cranberries for the cherries as desired.

Makes

8 Servings

Ingredients

• 2 pounds lean pork stew meat
• 3 cups baby carrots
• 1 large onion, sliced
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 1/2 cups complete bran and wheat flakes ready-to-eat cereal (crushed to 3/4 cup)
• 1 cup dried tart cherries
• 3/4 cup 100% apple juice or apple cider
• 4 cups hot cooked brown rice

Directions

1. Trim fat from pork.
2. Spray large pan with non-stick cooking spray. Cook half of the pork at a time until browned.
3. In a 4 to 6 quart crockery cooker, layer carrots, onion, thyme, pepper, salt, and garlic. Sprinkle with cereal and cherries.
4. Top with pork and pour apple juice or cider over contents in the cooker.
5. Cover and cook on low for 7 to 8 hours or on high for 3 1/2 to 4 hours.
6. Prepare the brown rice according to package directions toward the end of the stew cooking time. (Brown rice typically takes about 40 to 45 minutes to cook.)
7. Stir pork mixture and serve over 1/2 cup brown rice.

Notes

Learn more about: Carrots Onions Herbs Garlic