4 Cuts of Pork You Can Totally Slow-Cook

Rachel Bshero
Jul 25, 2018

When you think of slow-cooker pork, it’s easy to think of the pulled variety that gets sandwiched into buns or tacos — but there’s so much more you can do with the other white meat. Whether in roasts, stews, or even a shareable rack of ribs, pork is incredibly versatile and offers another alternative to beef. Read on for our favorite cuts of pork to slow-cook.

The Best Cuts of Pork For Slow-Cooking

Loin: This cut is best prepared as a classic roast. Add a deboned loin to your slow cooker with apples, pears, onions, stuffing, or whatever you fancy. Cook on high for three to four hours or on low for six to eight hours.

Ribs: Baby back ribs are technically bone-in loin, but the preparation is different enough that we consider it a different cut. Coat the ribs in plenty of barbecue sauce, cover, and cook for nine to 10 hours on low for fall-off-the-bone tender meat.

Shoulder: This cut of meat is incredibly versatile, particularly for stews or shredded meats as it becomes tender after hours of slow-cooking. For barbecue pulled pork, we recommend using a four- to five-pound boneless pork shoulder, seasoned generously with your favorite barbecue spices like chili powder, brown sugar, and garlic. Slow-cook for six to eight hours on high or eight to 10 hours on low, with a cup of chicken broth or stock. Strain and shred, and add barbecue sauce just before serving.

Tenderloin: Since this is the leanest cut of pork, keep a watchful eye on it so it doesn’t dry out. Try it with spices or marinating it with red wine, lemon juice, or even a brown sugar/soy sauce mixture. Pork tenderloin should be cooked on high for three to four hours or until the center reaches 145°F.

A few notes about slow-cooking pork:

  • You can slow-cook pork without liquid, but if you’re looking to make a juicy pulled pork, add some chicken broth or stock and seasonings. It’ll help keep the pork from getting stringy.
  • Bacon is not included here, because pork belly (where bacon comes from) doesn’t fare well in a slow cooker. When a slow-cooker recipe calls for bacon, always pre-cook it first in a microwave or oven until crispy and stir it into the dish at the last minute. Uncooked bacon won’t crisp up in the slow cooker, and you’ll end up with a greasy mess as the fat renders out of the bacon.

What’s your favorite way to slow-cook pork? Tell us @BritandCo!

(Illustrations via Yising Chou / Brit + Co)

These Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos Are The Tastiest Game Plan For Super Bowl Party

A slow cooker is your best friend when it comes to feeding a crowd, and there is no better time to put it to good use than Super Bowl Sunday! These Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos are so rich and tender, from the flavors cooking together low and slow all day. Making the taco shells crunchy is entirely optional but totally worth it. It’s one additional step that makes a huge difference, and might have you adding them to your regular weeknight dinner repertoire, too!

For this recipe, you can use a variety of bell peppers – each color offers a different flavor and adds dimension to the tacos. And, if you don’t have a slow cooker, you can make this on your stovetop, too, as more of a skillet-style fajita, by sautéing the bell peppers and onion over high heat to get a great char. Cook the chicken separately, then toss them together with the taco seasoning. If you’re looking for some great veggie options you can try my Sweet Potato or Mushroom Tacos too – there’s truly something for everyone!

This is also one of those slow cooker Super Bowl recipes that you can freeze and save for later. These tasty tacos can be made ahead of time and stored in freezer-friendly containers, so you can thaw them in the fridge the day you want to eat them, then heat them up when dinner time rolls around. A simple trick that I use is to store tortillas in the freezer too, so I always have them on hand. When I want to reheat them, I pop them in the microwave for 15-30 seconds. Easy peasy! So, no matter what celebration comes your way, you’ll be prepared having these tacos on-hand.

If you’re looking for something sweet to bring your meal to the end zone, there’s no better play in your game plan than these Double Chocolate Football Brownies – they are an absolute winner, and utterly delicious too!

Ingredients for Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos with Oven-Baked Crunchy Shells

  • Cooking spray
  • 1 1/2-2 pounds chicken breast, sliced into very thin strips
  • 1 red onion, sliced into thin strips
  • 3 bell peppers, sliced into thin strips
  • 1 12 ounce can black beans, rinsed
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice plus additional lime wedges for topping
  • 1/4 cup avocado oil or olive oil
  • 2 cloves fresh garlic, minced
  • 2 tablespoons taco seasoning
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 10-12 8 inch tortillas (corn or flour work)
  • 2-4 tablespoons olive oil
  • 12 tablespoons shredded Mexican-style cheese

Tutorial: Watch How To Make Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos

It can be hard to decide on which slow cooker Super Bowl recipes to make for your crew, but these Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos make the choice so easy. Each bite brings a different flavor that's super addicting. Everyone will be asking for the recipe!

How to Make Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos with Oven-Baked Crunchy Shells

  1. Lightly coat the bowl of the slow cooker with cooking spray, or two tablespoons of olive oil.
  2. Add the chicken, onion, bell peppers, and black beans to the slow cooker.
  3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the lime juice, oil, garlic, taco seasoning, and salt.
  4. Pour the mixture over chicken, onions, and peppers and toss to coat well.
  5. Cover and cook on high for 2-3 hours or on low for 4-6 hours, or until chicken is cooked through.

Assembling the Slow Cooker Tacos

  1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
  2. Place the corn tortillas on a half-sheet baking pan, or similar size baking sheet, lined with aluminum foil.
  3. Drizzle enough olive oil over the tortillas to evenly coat each side of the shell with olive oil.
  4. Place about 1 tablespoon of cheese along with about 1/3 cup of the chicken mixture onto 1 half of the tortilla so that the other half can fold over; exact amounts will vary based on the size of the tortilla used.
  5. Repeat until all the tortillas are filled and folded.
  6. Bake in the oven for about 10 minutes, then flip the tacos over and cook about 10 more minutes or until both sides are crispy.
  7. Remove the tacos from the oven and once they are cool enough to handle, add toppings and a fresh squeeze of lime onto the tacos and enjoy while they are hot.
  8. Top with your favorite toppings like Cotija cheese, fresh salsa, fresh cilantro, chopped guacamole, and sour cream

Check out my favorite go-to, no-mayo slaw to serve with these crunchy tacos available in my cookbook, Everyday Celebrations From Scratch, which is on SALE now! Get your copy in time before your next celebration!

Here are some more of my Southwestern favorites for your Super Bowl shindig!

Brit + Co may at times use affiliate links to promote products sold by others, but always offers genuine editorial recommendations.

Photo courtesy of Leslie Grow.

This post has been updated.

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WTF Does The "Challengers" Ending Mean?

Challengers is honestly just one giant tennis match. While we watch Zendaya's Tashi, Mike Faist's Art, and Josh O'Connor's Patrick play the game in a literal sense, we also see their personal relationship spiral, ricocheting back and forth as each character plays a different role every couple of years. And the crazy Challengers ending is a culmination of this intense emotional journey because it solidifies Patrick, Tashi, and Art's relationship — both to one another, but also to tennis itself.

What did the ending of The Challengers mean?

Image via Niko Tavernise/Amazon MGM Studios

There is a lot of tension between Tashi, Art, and Patrick throughout the movie, and it all builds to the titular Challenger match. It's Art vs. Patrick, and they're playing for way more than just the title and the money (though of course, they're definitely playing for the title and the money) — this is one final chance to prove themselves to Tashi, who's sitting court-side looking very unimpressed.

Both men lose their cool during different sets, but it's in the third and final set that everything comes to a head. At the end of the match, Patrick confesses to sleeping with Tashi using a tennis ball and racket signal only Art recognizes. For a split second Art is is complete shock, and I expected him to completely lose it. And, technically, he does, but in a totally unexpected way. Rather than jump the net and punch Patrick in the face, Art channels his emotions into his tennis, and the fury he feels actually allows him break through whatever slump he's been stuck in.

Unable to have a conversation about Patrick's secret, Art and Patrick talk with their serves and returns. And because Tashi doesn't catch the signal, for the first time in the whole movie, she's cut out of the conversation.

Did Tashi love Art and Patrick?

Image via Niko Tavernise/Amazon MGM Studios

Tashi's been pulling the strings ever since she met Art and Patrick, and she's never not been in control. After Patrick sends the signal, she knows something is going on between them, she just doesn't know what — and it unnerves her. Thanks to Zendaya's expert subtlety, the twitch of her eyebrow or the particularly anxious way she grips her hands are the only things that give her away. But her confusion, and the men's anger, quickly turn to pure joy in the final moments of the movie.

Patrick and Art end up playing so intensely that they meet at the net and embrace, prompting Tashi's iconic tennis yell before she gives one of her first genuine laughs of the film and the screen cuts to black. The first time I saw the movie, I thought "What?!" but the more I think about it, the clearer the Challengers ending is.

Patrick and Art (whose relationship begins six or seven years before the movie opens) haven't spoken since the big fight surrounding Tashi's injury, and their hug proves they're just happy to be playing together again. It's what they've always loved, and their fight over Tashi almost ended it forever. Tashi's pure elation shows she's happy to watch some good tennis, especially after she failed to help Art break out of his rut.

We've only seen Tashi scream like that once before, when she admits to a perfect tennis match. While Tashi does care for Patrick and Art, the end of Challengers proves the characters' true love was never really each other — it was always the game.

What did you think of the Challengers ending? After you rewatch the movie (and then rewatch it again), check out the other Most-Anticipated Spring Movies For 2024.

Lead image via Niko Tavernise/Amazon MGM Studios

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Make This Slow Cooker Chana Masala Recipe Now, Have It For Dinner Later

Indian cuisine is delicious all year round, but it's especially perfect for cold weather. Enter this slow cooker chana masala. Made with warming spices and fresh ingredients, thisvegan recipeis the ideal antidote to the winter blahs. Even more importantly, it's made in with aslow-cooker, so you can set it and forget it as you go about your day... and then come back to a healthy and filling meal that won't leave you feeling weighed down. Read on to discover this slow cooker chana masala recipe perfect for seasonal eating.

Traditional Slow Cooker Chana Masala

Ingredients:

  • 1 tablespoon avocado oil
  • 1 large yellow onion, finely diced
  • 2 tablespoons ginger paste OR 1 small knob fresh ginger, grated
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon pink salt
  • 1 teaspoon garam masala
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 14 ounces crushed tomatoes or tomato puree
  • 62 ounces canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed

To Serve:

  • Basmati rice
  • Cilantro
  • Limes
  • Yogurt
  • Naan

Directions:

  1. In a large pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add in onion and sauté until softened and lightly golden brown. Add in the ginger and garlic and continue cooking for 2 minutes until fragrant.
  2. Add the salt and spices and continue stirring and cooking until the spices are fragrant and mixture is slightly thickening up. Add in chopped serrano chili if you feel adventurous.
  3. Add in water to deglaze the pan. Pour the mixture into a blender along with the crushed tomatoes and blend to make a smooth, creamy sauce.
  4. Pour the sauce into a slow cooker and add in drained chickpeas. Stir to combine, adding any salt or seasoning, to taste.
  5. Set slow cooker to low and cook for 6 hours. Serve with basmati rice, cilantro, lime, yogurt, or naan.

Love this slow cooker chana masala recipe? Sign up for our newsletter to recipe more recipes like this one, right in your inbox!

Recipe and photos by Sarah Anderson.

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7 Devastating TV Breakups That Almost Broke Us

While it's always nice to see something realistic represented in our favorite TV shows, there are few things more painful than watching a TV breakup. Even when we don't actually know fictional characters IRL, it's absolutely devastating to see them break each other's hearts. (Although, it's equally as bad as never seeing your favorite prospective couple get together — I will never forgive The 100 for what they did to Clarke and Bellamy!!).

Keep reading to see some of our most heartbreaking splits — and then check outWhat Being Team Conrad Or Jeremiah Says About Your Dream TV Boyfriendto put a smile back on your face.

Image via NBC

Ross and Rachel from Friends

Friends is one of the most iconic sitcoms of all times, and Ross and Rachel is definitely one of the most devastating TV breakups. In season 3, this iconic couple decides to take a break in and in "The One with the Morning After," Ross wakes up with another woman named Chloe at the exact moment Rachel shows up at his door. Rachel finds out about the affair, and after a fight in Monica's living room, the couple calls it quits.

Regardless of how you feel about Ross claiming they "were on a break" when he slept with Chloe, seeing Rachel's reaction (and knowing the trust between them was broken) is one of the worst moments in the whole show. Just thinking about it makes my stomach bottom out!

Image via The CW/WB

Rory and Jess from Gilmore Girls

This is one of my personal most-devastating TV breakups because it seems like, out of all of Rory's boyfriends, Rory and Jess are just perfect for each other when they start dating. Not only does their love of books bring them closer together, but their personalities are so compatible. But when Jess leaves for California at the end of season 3 — without saying anything to Rory, I might add — is unacceptable! It breaks my heart, and based on the final look he gives Rory during A Year in the Life, he also regrets it BIG TIME.

Image via The CW/WB

Damon and Elena from The Vampire Diaries

This Vampire Diaries couple was truly endgame, and the will-they-won't-they of it all was one of my favorite things about the show. So when they broke up (to my horror), I was devastated.

Damon and Elena admit they're bad for each other in the season 5 episode "While You Were Sleeping" (then Damon tells her he doesn't even want to be friends. Ouch!!), but it's the season finale, "Home," that makes me extra emotional. When Damon gets stuck with Bonnie on the Other Side, he says goodbye to Elena, who's begging him not to leave but can neither see nor hear him. Say it with me: gut! wrenching!

Image via Erika Doss/Prime Video

Conrad and Belly from The Summer I Turned Pretty

The Summer I Turned Pretty fans are PASSIONATE about whether they're team Conrad or team Jeremiah (trick question, my OTP is Taylor and Stephen), and even the most dedicated Conrad stan hates the prom scene. You know, when he breaks up with Belly at her prom, in the rain. I know he just thinks Belly deserves better, but it's still very painful to watch.

Image via FOX

Schmidt and Cece from New Girl

When I hear "devastating TV breakup" I IMMEDIATELY think of Schmidt and Cece from New Girl. Schmidt gets away with a lot of ridiculous things throughout this show, but dating two girls at one time is not one of them. After Nick has a hard time keeping Schmidt's love life a secret, Schmidt finally comes clean to Cece in "Double Date," leaving both her and me in tears. No matter how many times you rewatch the show, it truly feels like their relationship (and maybe even the friend group) will never recover.

Image via BBC/Prime Video

Fleabag and The Priest on Fleabag

In the history of TV, I don't think I've ever heard anything as heartbreaking as "I love you," "It'll pass." Like, who approved that line?! The viral moment comes at the end of the Fleabag series finale, when Fleabag is sitting with The Priest at the bus stop. Over the course of the series, we not only see how much these two care about each other, but how well they know each other (like how The Priest recognizes when Fleabag zones out). To be loved is to be known, and that's what makes this devastating TV breakup even more devastating.

Image via HBO

Carrie and Aidan on Sex and the City

After so much back and forth, it's hard to accept Carrie and Aidan's final breakup on SATC. But in season 4's "Change of a Dress," Carrie realizes she's not ready for marriage and Aidan realizes he doesn't trust her after her affair with Big. The combo of broken trust and being at two different life stages makes this extra painful to watch, and I don't think any amount of rewatches (or And Just Like That binges) is going to change that.

What's YOUR most devastating TV breakup? Let us know on Facebook!

Lead image via The CW/The WB

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Sophia Bush And Ashlyn Harris Made Their Relationship Red Carpet Official

Sophia Bush and Ashlyn Harris caused quite a stir at Elton John's Oscars afterparty, but for good reason! After dodging dating rumors for quite awhile, they dressed to impress and made their first public debut as a couple! Sophia even wore her best accessory — a mega-watt smile — that further confirms this blissful pair.

While some people love to know whencelebrity couples fell in love, the details about Sophia Bush and Ashlyn Harris' relationship have people wondering when this couple actually got together. Well, our wait is over because Sophia decided to open about what led to her romance with Ashlyn Harris and why certain rumors hold no merit!

Since we're clearly tuned in to this love story, here's everything you need to know about Sophia Bush and Ashlyn Harris's relationship!

Who is Sophia Bush?

Image via Robin L Marshall/Getty Images

Sophia Bush has had a lengthy career as an actress, and she's most recognized for her portrayal of Brooke Davis in the hit TV series One Tree Hill. She's also appeared in Nip/Tuck, Chicago Fire, Incredibles 2, and John Tucker Must Die. When she's not showing off her acting chops, she hosts the Drama Queens podcast alongside former One Tree Hill castmates Hilarie Burton and Bethany Joy Lenz!

Who is Ashlyn Harris?

Image via Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for W Magazine

Ashlyn Harris is a former U.S. soccer player who had a successful run — no pun intended — as a goalkeeper during the career. She also won the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada and continued making an impressionable mark. However, she announced her retirementin 2022 and — per her Instagrampage — has gone on to become the Global Creative Advisor for Gotham FC and Adidas Football.

When did the dating rumors about Sophia Bush and Ashlyn Harris start?

Image via Frazer Harrison/Getty Images and Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

June 2023

Rumors about a possible connection between Sophia Bush and Ashlyn Harris swirled last summer when Cosmopolitanreported they were on a panel at Cannes Lion International Festival of Creativity. Sophia shared a pic of the two at the festival on Instagramand wrote, "Love you @ashlynharris24 and @sophieannkelly" towards the end of her caption.

A source told Page Six, "It’s very new...They are definitely a couple.” But, Sophia Bush and Ashlyn Harris didn't confirm or deny anything at that time.

When did Sophia Bush file for divorce from Grant Hughes?

Image via Leigh Vogel/Getty Images

August 2023

A couple of months after Sophia Bush and Ashlyn Harris were seen getting cozy together, Sophia filed for divorce from her former husband Grant Hughes. Peopleshared that they were only married for a little over a year — 13 months — but didn't end on a bad terms. A source then told Entertainment Tonight, "Grant and Sophia are better off as friends and they weren’t getting enough time with each other before their breakup."

When did Ashlyn Harris and Ali Krieger file for divorce?

Image via Roy Rochlin/Getty Images

October 2023

While things seemed to quiet down, Ashlyn Harris soon filed for divorce from Ali Krieger after getting married towards the end of 2019. What's interesting is that a source told Peoplethis decision wasn't surprising. "Although it’s new information to the public, Ashlyn and Ali’s divorce began months ago and they have been living apart since the summer,” the source said.

This is also around the time it was speculated Sophia Bush and Ashlyn Harris had their first official date. A rep told People, "Grant will always want the best for Sophia, and is supportive of all that makes her happy and fulfilled." We guess it helps he and Sophia had a solid friendship before getting married!

As for Ali Krieger, she basically let the world know things were business as usual with an Instagrampost. She captioned a pic of her playing soccer with, "Preparing for playoffs while in my Beyoncé lemonade era." A comment from user @lgbtlfg said, "the fact that a lot of players in these comment’s usually mind their business and stay out of drama but are supporting ali should tell everyone all they need to know."

The only thing Ashlyn said about it on Instagramis that she never intended for her and Ali's divorce to be made a public matter. A portion of her note says, "This process is never easy, but we were making our way through."

Have Sophia Bush and Ashlyn Harris publicly talked about their relationship?

Image via Vivien Killilea/Getty Images for Tequila Don Julio

March 2024

Besides showing up to Elton John's Oscars afterparty together, Sophia Bush and Ashlyn Harris were previously tight-lipped about their relationship. The only hint Sophia offered was much more of a reflective post about 2023 on Instagramat the beginning of January. She said, "This year taught me to listen to myself and no one else. To let go of expectation that wounds and grasp possibility that frees. To not care about optics and instead invest in honesty."

But, she's since chosen to own where she is in life.

Image via Lauren Dukoff/Glamour Magazine

Sophia Bush on the cover of Glamour Magazine

April 2024

Sophia Bush has now reached a point where she's publicly ready to stand in her truth regarding her life and her relationship status so much that she penned her own cover story for Glamour. The first thing she did was open up about how she really felt about her marriage and fertility struggles.

She wrote, "But after the wedding I found myself in the depths and heartbreak of the fertility process, which was the most clarifying experience of my life. It feels like society is finally making space for brutally honest conversations about how hard and painful any fertility journey is, but I kept mine private. I was trying to get through months of endless ultrasounds, hormone shots, so many blood draws that I have scar tissue in my veins, and retrieval after retrieval, while simultaneously realizing the person I had chosen to be my partner didn’t necessarily speak the same emotional language I did.”

Image via Lauren Dukoff/Glamour Magazine

As far as her relationship with Ashlyn Harris is concerned, the star is enjoying the love that exists between them. Contrary to alleged rumors, their initial relationship was a platonic one that stemmed from a place of understanding and support.

She told Glamour,“I didn’t expect to find love in this support system. I don’t know how else to say it other than: I didn’t see it until I saw it. And I think it’s very easy not to see something that’s been in front of your face for a long time when you’d never looked at it as an option and you had never been looked at as an option. What I saw was a friend with her big, happy life. And now I know she thought the same thing about me.”

She also added, "A lot of effort was made to be graceful with other people’s processing, their time and obligations, and their feelings. What felt like seconds after I started to see what was in front of me, the online rumor mill began to spit in the ugliest ways. There were blatant lies. Violent threats. There were the accusations of being a home-wrecker. The ones who said I’d left my ex because I suddenly realized I wanted to be with women—my partners have known what I’m into for as long as I have (so that’s not it, y’all, sorry!).”

Image via Lauren Dukoff/Glamour Magazine

It's safe to say that Sophia Bush is thoroughly comfortable with her love life and identity as a queer woman. She said, "I’ve experienced so much safety, respect, and love in the queer community, as an ally all of my life, that, as I came into myself, I already felt it was my home. I think I’ve always known that my sexuality exists on a spectrum. Right now I think the word that best defines it is queer. I can’t say it without smiling, actually. And that feels pretty great.”

And this is what it looks like to reclaim your narrative when so many people are looking at a brief glimpse of the lives of celebrities. We love that Sophia Bush and Ashlyn Harris are loving each other on their terms without feeling pressured to share anything before they were ready to. Our hope is that their love story continues to unfold beautifully.

Be sure to watch Sophia Bush's interview with Glamour's Editor-in-Chief Samantha Barry here!

Full Credits From Glamour Magazine:

Writer: Sophia Bush

Photographer: Lauren Dukoff

Stylist: Deborah Afshani

Hair: Matthew Collins

Makeup: Afton Williams

Manicure: Brittney Boyce

Have Sophia Bush and Ashlyn Harris made their official red carpet debut?

Image via Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images for Kimball Stroud & Associates

April 27, 2024

Per Glamour, Sophia Bush and Ashlyn made their official red carpet debut as a couple on Friday. They attended the White House Correspondent's dinner where they were dressed to impress in complementing black ensembles.

It's easy to see the glowing couple couldn't stop laughing and smiling as they posed for pictures that seemed to capture every good angle of their faces and style.

Image via Paul Morigi/Getty Images

After the dinner, Sophia Bush and Ashlyn Harris posed for more pictures on the red carpet leading to the Correspondent's after-party. Now that we're able to see their full faces, we have to talk about how well their hair and makeup complements their outfits. It's clear that Ashlyn's contour and bronzer were expertly applied to her face while Sophia's blush gave her a natural flush.

*Sigh* Their smiles are the only confirmation we need that they're enjoying the bliss of being a couple.

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This article has been updated.

Lead image via Paul Morigi/Getty Images

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