Jancey's Cooking Corner: Slow Cooker Pork with Orange Chipotle Glaze

Photos courtesy of the Cooking Corner.

     One of our local restaurants recently offered orange chipotle glazed pork on it's buffet. I was completely taken. I loved the tenderness of the pork and the sweet/heat balance of the glaze. Remaking this dish became my mission.
     I'm sure the original recipe used a boneless pork loin but I found a boneless pork roast more affordable. This did change the presentation, there were no nice slices, we had chunks of pulled pork. The glaze had a little more heat and less orange (I didn't use any zest).
    It was an interesting dish with bold flavor and tender meat. In the pan, the glaze wasn't so pretty because there were tiny bits of onion and chipotles, but once on the meat it didn't seem to matter. Now this was not the dish I tasted on the buffet, but it was easy, affordable and full of bright flavors.

Slow Cooker Pork with Orange Chipotle Glaze
boneless pork roast
3 cloves garlic, diced
1/2 medium onion, sliced
1/2 cup liquid (chicken broth, beer or water)
2 T. smoky dry rub
1 tsp. ground black pepper

Glaze -
1/3 cup orange juice
2 T. honey
1 T. chipotles, chopped
1 clove garlic
2 T. onion, minced
1 T. butter
1 T. orange marmalade
orange zest (optional)

Insert garlic into pork, between fat, into cracks or cut small slits. Sprinkle pepper and dry rub generously over all sides of pork.

Lay onion slices on bottom of slow cooker. Place pork on top. Add liquid along side of pork (don't wash off dry rub). Cook on high 4 hours.

In small saucepan, melt butter and then add onion, chipotles and garlic. Cook over medium heat 3-4 minutes until soft. Add orange juice, honey and zest if using, continue cooking over medium heat, stirring often 4-5 minutes. Stir in marmalade and simmer another 5 minutes. Turn heat off and let sit.