Special Preview of "The Southern Slow Cooker" Cookbook!

It's amazing to think that in only a few short days (August 20th to be exact) "The Southern Slow Cooker: Big-Flavor, Low-Fuss Recipes for Comfort Food Classics" will be officially released, and all I can say about that is, "Yee haw people!".

It's been over a year and half since I began this project with Ten Speed Press, and I am so excited and pleased with how this book turned out. Just today, my publishing house created a Scribd preview for the book, which contains a few recipes, including one of my favorites (and our requisite cover art star), Slow Cooker Blue Crab and Corn Chowder with Sweet Corn Relish, a true, end-of-summer crockpot meal. Here's a link to the preview, which you can also download or print. I hope you enjoy it, and if you're anywhere near Richmond, Virginia on August 25th, come join me for the official book release party!

Happy slow cooking everyone,

Kendra

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Slow Cooker Porcupine Meatballs Recipe from The Southern Slow Cooker cookbook

Photo credit: Erin Kunkel from The Southern Slow Cooker cookbook

As we get closer to the publication date of The Southern Slow Cooker: Big-Flavor, Low-Fuss Recipes for Comfort Food Classics, which is officially August 20th, I've decided to reprint a few teaser excerpts from the book, a little something to whet your appetite if you will. First up, is one of my very favorite recipes from the book that we've been making in our family for many years. Growing up, my mom used to make these tasty meatballs studded with rice and bathed in a piquant tomato sauce in a skillet on top of the stove. However, I've adapted the recipe to work in the slow cooker. And, guess what? These meatballs are made for slow cooking in the crockpot! It's one of many recipes in the book that I've decided are actually better when made in the slow cooker versus the oven.

So please enjoy this classic Southern recipe for porcupine meatballs. In the meantime, I encourage you to pre-order your copy of the book now since in about a month these special pre-order prices will no longer be available. Pre-order your copy from Amazon (including the Kindle version) or Barnes and Noble. I also highly encourage you to support your local independent bookstores and place your order directly with them. Fountain Bookstore is a wonderful local bookstore in Richmond, Virginia where you can order the book. I encourage you to visit their site and check them out.

Slow Cooker Porcupine Meatballs

From The Southern Slow Cooker: Big-Flavor, Low-Fuss Recipes for Comfort Food Classics by Kendra Bailey Morris (Ten Speed Press, 2013)

Serves 6

This hearty, slow-cooked, tomato-based dish gets its name from the long-grain rice that is blended into the meatball mixture giving it a quill-like quality. This is comfort food at its finest and an ideal cold-weather meal. Serve these delicate meatballs topped with grated Parmesan alongside a green salad and a wedge of crusty bread for soaking up any leftover sauce. For an amazing second-day meal, you can make meatball subs: just spoon some warm meatballs into sub rolls, top with provolone cheese, and broil until the cheese melts.  •  The meatballs are different from traditional Italian meatballs. They are more fragile, so avoid stirring them too much, or they’ll fall apart. If they do break apart, no worries, just serve them over mashed potatoes, which is another great combination.

SAUCE

1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained (such as Red Pack petit diced)
1 (10-ounce) can diced tomatoes with green chiles (such as Rotel brand), drained
1 (5.5-ounce) can tomato juice
1 (10.75-ounce) can tomato soup
1 cup water
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1½ teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried parsley
2 bay leaves

MEATBALLS

1½ pounds extra-lean ground beef
½ cup uncooked long-grain rice
1 small onion, diced
½ cup milk
1 egg, beaten
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1½ teaspoons prepared horseradish
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
Pinch of celery salt
2 tablespoons olive oil

Salt and black pepper
Fresh flat-leaf parsley, minced, for garnish
Grated Parmesan cheese, for garnish

Spray the inside of the slow cooker with cooking spray.
To make the sauce, add both cans of tomatoes, the tomato juice, tomato soup, water, Worcestershire sauce, sugar, oregano, dried parsley, and bay leaves to the slow cooker and stir well.

To make the meatballs, mix together the beef, rice, onion, milk, egg, Worcestershire sauce, horseradish, garlic, basil, oregano, salt, pepper, and celery salt in a large bowl. Gently form into round balls 1½ to 2 inches in diameter.

Heat a large sauté pan on the stovetop over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil. Add the meatballs and brown well on all sides, about 5 to 7 minutes.

When the meatballs are all browned, add them to the slow cooker along with the pan juices. Stir gently once or twice until all of the meatballs are coated in sauce, being careful not to break them up. Cover and cook on low at least 6 hours, and up to 8 hours.

If you would prefer a thicker sauce, set the slow cooker to high and uncover it for the last 30 to 45 minutes of cooking, or until the sauce is thickened. Season with salt and pepper. Remove the bay leaves.

To serve, spoon the meatballs and sauce into individual serving bowls and top with fresh parsley and Parmesan cheese.

©2013 "The Southern Slow Cooker: Big-Flavor, Low-Fuss Recipes for Comfort Food Classics" by Kendra Bailey Morris (Ten Speed Press, 2013). All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

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Slow Cooker Pork BBQ Sandwiches with Creamy Slaw Recipe

Ok, this recipe for crockpot BBQ (barbecue, barbeque or bar-b-que) couldn't be easier, and is one of my favorite recipes from The Southern Slow Cooker cookbook, which is about to come out this summer (whee!). It's important to note that this recipe is for an eastern NC-style 'cue, which is heavy on the cider vinegar, crushed red pepper and brown sugar. Personally, it's my favorite kind of barbecue. However, if you prefer a saucy sweet BBQ, you can always skip making my suggested BBQ sauce and pour in your favorite bottled stuff. Either way, it's gonna be tasty good. 

When it comes to NC-style barbecue, typically the pork is slow cooked over a wood burning fire for hours and hours until the meat has absorbed all the beauty of real-deal smoke. However, I've made this recipe easy peasy for the home cook by dry rubbing it in a mixture of spices and sugar and then plopping it in the slow cooker on top of some onions where it cooks all by its lonesome (or overnight if you prefer). You don't need to stoke any fires.

I recently demo'd this recipe on "The Heart of the Home", a cooking show that I host for The Virginia Farm Bureau's award winning bi-monthly show, "Real Virginia". Check out my on-line how-to and then scroll down for the whole recipe, which includes my family's recipe for creamy cider slaw. Enjoy!

Kendra

Vinegar Style Slow Cooker Pork BBQ with Cider Slaw Recipe

Serves 10-12 (makes approximately 2 quarts)

This slow cooker recipe gives a well-deserved nod to true NC-Style BBQ by incorporating a sauce that’s heavy on the vinegar and hot pepper. However, you can skip the sauce making part altogether and enjoy a basic roasted pork, which is not only fantastic on a bun with slaw and hot sauce, but is great for making burritos, BBQ pizza, or nachos.

Sidebar: I recommend using a 5-6 quart slow cooker for this recipe due to the size of the pork roast. You can also cut this recipe in half and use a smaller slow cooker.

2 large onions, sliced
5 pound pork shoulder roast
6 cloves garlic, smashed
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons brown sugar
½ tablespoon red pepper flakes
1 cup cider vinegar
1 cup apple cider or apple juice

For the sauce:

2 cups cooking liquid (reserved from slow cooked pork)
1 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 ½ teaspoon tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1/4 cup ketchup
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
½ cup water
¼ cup cider vinegar
2 teaspoons brown sugar
Salt and pepper, to taste

Buns, slaw and hot sauce, for serving

Spray the inside of the slow cooker with cooking spray.

Place the onions in the bottom of the slow cooker. Make slits in the pork roast and insert garlic cloves. Rub salt, pepper, brown sugar and red pepper flakes into the meat. Place pork in slow cooker fat side up and pour in vinegar and apple cider. Cover and cook for 10-12 hours or until the meat is fall apart tender.

Remove meat to a large bowl and shred it with two forks. Set aside.

Pour two cups of the pan juices into a measuring cup. Let cool and skim off any visible fat. Pour this liquid into a saucepan (discard any leftover juices still in the pot). Add Worcestershire, chili powder, paprika, mustard, ketchup, red pepper flakes, water, cider vinegar and brown sugar. Bring this mixture up to a boil and simmer uncovered for 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Return the shredded pork to the pot and add one cup of the sauce mixture (more if you like it wet). Give it a stir and set the slow cooker to warm. Serve any additional sauce on the side.

Serve pork straight from the pot with a slotted spoon with buns, slaw and hot sauce.

Creamy Cider Slaw
Makes about 2 cups

In true country cooking fashion, this is a recipe where one must taste as she goes, adding a little more of this or that as needed. If you like your slaw on the sweet side, add more sugar. Like it tart? Use less sugar and more vinegar.

4 tablespoons sugar, or to taste
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, or to taste
2-4 tablespoons mayonnaise
½ medium head green cabbage, finely grated (about 2 cups grated)
Salt and pepper, to taste
Pinch of celery seed, optional

In a large bowl, whisk sugar and vinegar together until the sugar is completely dissolved. Add mayonnaise and blend dressing until it is smooth and creamy.

About 30 minutes before serving, add your cabbage (this is not an overnight slaw). Mix well to coat and season with salt, pepper and celery seed, if desired.

All photos and text ©2013 Fatback and Foie Gras. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

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