By Homecoming week. There's an energy at a high school during homecoming that I've never fully outgrown loving. The hallway banners, the spirit days, the drumline rehearsing in the parking lot at seven in the morning. I've been at this school long enough that some of the parents in the bleachers Friday night were players I coached in my first year here. That math is starting to hit me differently.
We won 35-14 and the crowd was as loud as I've heard it all year. Marco Rios threw three touchdowns. Afterward in the locker room I watched the seniors act like seniors — loud, joyful, a little desperate, knowing these moments are numbered. I didn't interrupt. I just watched from the doorway. At forty I understand things about fleeting moments that I couldn't have articulated at twenty-two.
Homecoming also means the fall fair and carnival, which means I got conned into riding the Tilt-A-Whirl with the twins and nearly lost my dinner. I make excellent carnitas. I do not make an excellent amusement park companion. Diego thought this was hilarious. Sofia won a goldfish at the ring toss and named it Touchdown. It died the next morning, which was a teaching moment nobody asked for.
I did a slow-smoked pork belly this weekend. Twelve hours at 225, applewood chips, simple rub of brown sugar and ancho chile powder. The bark was dark and crackly and the interior was silk. Sliced it thick, served it over rice with pickled red onion and fresh cilantro. Lisa said it was the best thing I'd cooked all year. High praise from a woman who sets standards.
The twelve-hour smoke was the centerpiece of the weekend, but if you don’t have a smoker or a full Saturday to babysit a brisket, this Slow-Cooker Poblano Pork Loin gets you most of the way there with a fraction of the effort — and it carries that same smoky, chile-forward warmth that made Lisa’s eyes go wide at the dinner table. After a week of homecoming chaos, a ride on the Tilt-A-Whirl I will not soon forgive, and a goldfish named Touchdown who did not make it to Sunday, I needed the kitchen to be the easy part. Set it, walk away, come back to something worth sitting down for.
Slow-Cooker Poblano Pork Loin
Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 7 hours | Total Time: 7 hours 15 minutes | Servings: 6
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 to 3 lb boneless pork loin roast
- 2 poblano peppers, seeded and sliced
- 1 medium yellow onion, sliced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon ancho chile powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Fresh cilantro and pickled red onion, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Make the rub. In a small bowl, combine the ancho chile powder, smoked paprika, cumin, salt, pepper, oregano, and brown sugar. Mix until evenly blended.
- Season the pork. Pat the pork loin dry with paper towels. Rub the spice mixture all over the surface of the roast, pressing it in so it adheres.
- Sear for color. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the pork loin on all sides until a deep golden-brown crust forms, about 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer to the slow cooker.
- Build the base. Scatter the sliced poblano peppers, onion, and garlic around and over the pork in the slow cooker. Pour the chicken broth along the sides — do not pour it directly over the crust.
- Cook low and slow. Cover and cook on LOW for 6 to 7 hours, or until the pork is fork-tender and registers 195°F internally. Resist the urge to lift the lid early.
- Rest and slice. Transfer the pork to a cutting board and let it rest for 10 minutes before slicing thick. Spoon the softened poblanos and braising liquid over the top.
- Serve. Plate over steamed white rice or roasted potatoes. Garnish with fresh cilantro and pickled red onion if you have them. You should have them.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 310 | Protein: 38g | Fat: 12g | Carbs: 8g | Fiber: 1g | Sodium: 420mg