Tender, shredded, caramel-brown pieces of pork glisten with a light coating of tangy BBQ sauce, arranged in a half moon on the plate. Adjacent to it, a vibrant hash consisting of golden butternut squash, rich red bell peppers, and verdant sprigs of fresh thyme completes the plating, making an exciting color contrast.

Slow-Cooked BBQ Pork with Butternut Squash Hash

Name: Slow-Cooked BBQ Pork with Butternut Squash Hash
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 300 min
Total time: 320 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 400g Boneless pork loin None; 250g Butternut squash peeled and cubed; 1 Red bell pepper diced; 3 sprigs Thyme leaves plucked; 1/2 cup BBQ sauce None; 1 Tbs Olive oil None; to taste Salt and Pepper None

Hearty slow-cooked pork with sweet butternut squash

Category Main Course

Prep 20 minutes

Cook 300 minutes

Style American

Technique Slow Cooking

Diet Friendly Gluten-Free

Daily recipe · September 15, 2024

A little about this dish

In this unique spin on classic American cuisines, we're combining the comfort of slow-cooked, melt-in-your-mouth pork with the sweet and hearty flavors of autumnal squash. The result is a delightful dish with a harmonious blend of flavors, textures, and colors - all in one pot!

Ingredients (for 2)

Boneless pork loin — 400g — None
Butternut squash — 250g — peeled and cubed
Red bell pepper — 1 — diced
Thyme — 3 sprigs — leaves plucked
Bbq sauce — 1/2 cup — None
Olive oil — 1 Tbs — None
Salt and pepper — to taste — None

Preparation

Step 1 — 🔪🐖

Score the pork loin and sprinkle it with salt and pepper. This will help the flavors penetrate deep into the pork and make it more flavorful.
Step 2 — 🥘🍖

Add pork loin in your slow cooker, slather it with BBQ sauce, and set it on high for 4 hours. This will make the pork tender and flavorful.
Step 3 — 🍴🔥

Once the pork is tender and shreds easily, remove it from the slow cooker and keep it warm. The meat will be incredibly tender at this point.
Step 4 — 🌶️🥘🌿

In the same slow cooker, add olive oil, butternut squash, diced bell pepper, thyme leaves, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook this on high for another hour, until the butternut squash becomes soft and slightly caramelized.
Step 5 — 🍽️🍖😋

Once everything is cooked, plate up! Layer the squash hash on one side of the plate, followed by a heap of that succulent slow-cooked BBQ pork. Finish with a drizzle of the remaining BBQ sauce from the slow cooker. Enjoy!

A final fox tip

This dish is the very representation of comfort food but with a fresh, seasonal twist. You can swap out butternut squash for any other seasonal squash variety such as acorn or kabocha for a new experience each time. Be adventurous with the BBQ sauce too - a smoky, sweet, or spicy sauce could add an entirely new dimension to the dish!