Ingredients (~8 servings)
- 3 1/2 lbs boneless pork shoulder, cut into 2-inch chunks
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large red bell pepper, diced (~1 1/2 cups)
- 1 large red onion, diced (~1 1/2 cups)
- 3 tablespoons Harissa paste (mild or spicy, depending on preference)
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
- 2 cans (14.5 oz each) fire-roasted diced tomatoes
- 2 cans (15 oz each) kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken stock
- 1 1/2 tablespoons ground cumin
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- Salt and black pepper to taste
The Dry Rub
- 1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 2 teaspoons black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
Crust the Pork
Mix the chili powder, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and smoked paprika in a small bowl. Dump the pork chunks into a large bowl and toss them with the spice rub until every piece is coated matte red.
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet (or your Instant Pot on “Saute”) until it shimmers. Sear the meat in batches for ~3 minutes per side. You are looking for a dark, mahogany crust, not just grey, cooked meat.
Set the seared pork aside on a plate.
Bloom the Harissa and Vegetables
Add the diced onion, bell pepper, and harissa paste to the hot fat remaining in the pan. Stir and scrape the bottom of the pot to lift up the fond (the stuck-on brown bits).
Cook for ~4 minutes. The onions should turn translucent and the harissa will darken and smell toasted; this step is crucial to wake up the oils in the paste.
Stir in the apple cider vinegar and Worcestershire sauce.
Braise the Chili (Instant Pot)
Dump the sautéed vegetable mixture, crushed tomatoes, fire-roasted tomatoes, chicken stock, kidney beans, cumin, and the seared pork (plus any juices from the plate) into the pot.
Lock the lid and cook on High Pressure for 30 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally for 15 minutes. If you flip the valve immediately, the rapid change in pressure can seize the muscle fibers and make the pork tough.
Braise the Chili (Slow Cooker)
Transfer the sautéed vegetable mix and the seared pork to your slow cooker. Add the crushed tomatoes, fire-roasted tomatoes, chicken stock, kidney beans, and cumin.
Cover and cook on LOW for 8 hours. The pork is ready when you can smash a piece against the side of the crock with a spoon.
Shred and Thicken
Use two forks to shred the pork directly in the pot. It should fall apart with almost no resistance.
Stir in the tomato paste. While most recipes add this earlier, adding it at the end helps thicken the loose liquid into a cohesive sauce. Taste for seasoning; the beans and pork soak up a lot of salt, so be prepared to add another hit of salt or pepper to balance it out.
Harissa Pork Chili
Ingredients
Ingredients (~8 servings)
- 3 1/2 lbs boneless pork shoulder cut into 2-inch chunks
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large red bell pepper ~1 1/2 cups, diced
- 1 large red onion ~1 1/2 cups, diced
- 3 tablespoons Harissa paste mild or spicy, depending on preference
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 can crushed tomatoes 28 oz
- 2 cans fire-roasted diced tomatoes 14.5 oz each
- 2 cans kidney beans 15 oz each, drained and rinsed
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken stock
- 1 1/2 tablespoons ground cumin
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- Salt and black pepper to taste
The Dry Rub
- 1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 2 teaspoons black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
Instructions
- Mix dry rub spices and coat pork chunks thoroughly.
- Sear pork in hot oil until mahogany brown, about 3 minutes per side.
- Sauté onions, bell pepper, and harissa paste until fragrant, 4 minutes.
- Add vinegar and Worcestershire sauce to vegetables.
- Combine all ingredients in Instant Pot.
- Cook on High Pressure for 30 minutes, natural release 15 minutes.
- Shred pork with two forks.
- Stir in tomato paste to thicken sauce.
- Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
