Slow Cooked Chinese Pulled Pork

As you may have noticed, I have not blogged much in the last year... forgive me, I am working full time and am in grad school, so I have very little time to cook and blog!  I've been eating very simple tofu kale salads that serve my most immediate need: to fuel my brain, but not necessarily to indulge my creative urges to cook and enjoy a delicious meal.  I was talking to my sister about how I never have time to cook and she suggested that I get a crock pot to make easy, but warm and comforting meals during the busy semester.  Well, of course I have not had the time to buy a crock pot, but luckily my sister got me one for Christmas!  The first dish I attempted to make was Chinese style slow cooked pork for Christmas dinner.  I found a great recipe online, bought a hunk of pork and put everything into the pot on Christmas morning, turned it on low and left for the day.  I went to Glide Memorial Church for a joyful and soulful Christmas service, saw the Nelson Mandela movie, and then by the time I came home, there was a deliciously cooked piece of meat waiting for us!  It turned out so well!  I am very proud of myself as I'm usually intimidated by cooking meat, but I think this crock pot slow cooking thing is the way to go!  I can't wait to try some lentil soup, chili, and honey sesame chicken in my crock pot!  Enjoy this delicious dish!

Ingredients

• 2 lb pork sirloin center cut roast
• 1 cup of gluten free soy sauce/tamari
• 1 cup of gluten free chicken broth (I needed about 2 cups to fill my crockpot because it is a large one, but use 1 cup if you have a regular small crockpot)
• 1/3 cup of balsamic vinegar
• 3 tbs maple syrup
• 1 tsp sesame oil, plus a pinch of red pepper flakes
• 1 tsp of Chinese Five Spice
• 5 gloves of garlic, crushed
• 1 tbs of freshly grated ginger
• 2 scallions sliced
• 2 cups of sliced shitake mushrooms
• Olive oil, salt and pepper

Directions

1. In a bowl (or tupperware if you want to let it marinate overnight), mix together all of the ingredients except the pork and mushrooms and let sit.
2. Season the pork with salt and pepper, and leaving the string on, fry it in a pan coated in olive oil on medium/high heat for about 7 minutes on each side, or until golden/browned.  
3. Place pork and marinade into the crock pot and turn knob to "low" setting and let cook for about 7 hours.
4. When you think the pork is close to being down (maybe 30 minutes before), throw in the sliced shitake mushrooms.  
5. When the mushrooms are tender and the pork can be pulled apart, turn off the crock pot and serve over rice and steamed bok choy, kale and snow peas!