Slow Cooker Pork with Dark Beer and Molasses

Slow Cooker Pork with Dark Beer & Molasses

Sometimes, I just want to eat something that tastes deep and rich.  Technically, I'm not supposed to be consuming beer because of the gluten and also the molds, so I didn't actually eat this dinner, but the family liked it, and I loved the smell that wafted through the house as it was cooking (all day!).

A few years back we were lucky enough to take a trip to Ireland, and I had the most delicious beef stew with Guinness.  This dish mimics that taste.  I didn't have any Guinness in the house, so I used a brown ale, and I was all out of onions as well so I had to use minced dried onion, but the end product was still a hit :) I served it with oven roasted potato wedges, which the boys dipped in the extra cooking liquid.  I'm not sure if there is any gluten-free dark beer on the market, but I'll bet a regular (GF) beer would work just fine.


Slow Cooker Pork with Dark Beer & Molasses

2 lbs boneless pork chops
2 bottles dark beer (I used Newcastle Brown Ale)
2 cups beef broth
1 cup molasses
2 Tbsp minced onion
2 Tbsp dried parsley flakes
3 bay leaves
1 Tbsp mustard powder
salt and pepper to taste

Season pork with salt and pepper and brown on both sides in a large skillet.  Transfer to slow cooker, and add the rest of the ingredients.  If you need to stack your pork chops on top of each other, drizzle a little molasses in between the layers.  Cook on low heat for 7 hours.

Shared with Hunk of Meat Monday at Beyer Beware and the Homestead Barn Hop at the Prairie Homestead and Melt in Your Mouth Monday at Make Ahead Meals for Busy Moms.