SLOW COOKER BEER BRAISED WILD HOG SHANKS

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The meal possibilities that you have with this Slow Cooker Beer Braised Wild Hog Shank recipe are virtually endless. You can use this pork filling as is or to make tacos, nachos, enchiladas, tortas or burritos. There's very little hands-on food prep going on here and you're letting the slow cooker do most of the work.

With the versatility of this filling being so vast, it's great to freeze and have some on hand when needed. With that being said, you can easily swap out the boar shanks for around 4 pounds of diced boneless pork shoulder and double the recipe. Below are a few tips that may be useful for you.

COOKS TIPS:

• Adding more Flavor: An easy way to add layers of flavor is to sauté the onions and garlic in a little olive oil before adding them to the slow cooker. You can also sear the shanks in a hot pan until they are nice and golden brown before cooking them.

• Eating the Shanks by Themselves: If you opt to eat the shanks as a standalone meal, broiling them for a few minutes in the oven after they are slow-cooked is a great way to add color, flavor and texture. Simply pour the sauce on after they have reached the color that you like.

• Freezing the Leftovers: If you have leftovers or make a double batch of this recipe you can always freeze what's left. Stored properly this will keep in the freezer for around 2 months.

Wild Boar Torta Cubana

INGREDIENTS

• 4 wild hog shanks or domestic pork shanks

• 1 (12 ounce) Mexican Beer, Tecate or Modelo Negro are great

• 1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes, preferably fire-roasted

• 5 to 7 canned chipotles in adobo, roughly chopped

• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

• 2 large onions, roughly chopped

• 6 garlic cloves, peeled and roughly chopped

• 2 teaspoons ground coriander

• 1 tablespoon dried oregano, preferably Mexican

• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon, preferably Mexican canela

• kosher salt

• cilantro, for serving

DIRECTIONS

1. Season the hog shanks with salt and place them into your slow cooker (crockpot).

2. In a large bowl pour in the remaining ingredients and stir to combine.

3. Pour the bowl mixture over the pork shanks.

4. If the mixture isn't covering the shanks by 3/4, add enough water or chicken stock to do so.

5. Cover with the lid and cook on the high setting for around 8 hours or until tender. You can also cook them on the low setting for around 10 to 12 hours or until tender.

6. Carefully remove the pork shanks from the slow cooker once they are cool enough to handle and set aside. Shred the meat from the bones.

7. Scoop out the vegetables from the slow cooker and place them in a blender. Add enough of the cooking liquid to puree into a sauce with the consistency of your liking. Season to taste with salt. If you like a little more spiciness you can add more chipotles or even a little honey if you would like some sweetness.

8. Add the sauce to the pork to your liking. Fold in chopped fresh cilantro and season with more salt and lime juice if needed.

Looking for other wild boar recipes? These are a few of my favorites:

Wild Boar Maple Breakfast Sausage

Mexican Style Beer Braised Wild Boar Roast

Wild Boar Cured Lonza

Lastly, if you make this easy Slow Cooker Beer Braised Wild Hog Shank Recipe, be sure to leave a comment or tag me on Instagram! I thoroughly enjoy hearing feedback and checking out the photos of recipes that you've made.