Crockin' up some rockin' chalupas!

Annnnnnd...back to CROCKPOT MADNESS! What's crockin' in my pot this time? A recipe that I ran across on Crock Pot Girls (now known as Crockin' Girls due to alleged copyright infringement) called Pork Chalupas. You cook dry beans and a pork roast with some fragrant spices, garlic, and chilies, and then you serve the resulting goodness in soft tortillas or taco shells or, as I did, over corn chips as in the classic and much-loved Frito pie. This really delish and feeds a crowd--or the leftovers could be used to fashion many other hearty dishes with a zesty, Latin flair.

Pork Chalupas

1 lb. dry pinto beans (I used Rancho Gordo Yellow Indian Woman beans)
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 large onion, diced
3 to 5 lb. pork roast (I used 3 huge country-style ribs instead)
6 cloves garlic, minced
2 small cans diced green chiles
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 1/2 tablespoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 teaspoons ground celery
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
few dashes hot sauce, to taste

Rinse the dry beans then cover with 2-3 inches of cold water. Let soak for a few hours, then add to the crock pot.

In a large skillet over medium heat, saute the diced onions in one tablespoon of oil until tender and just starting to brown. Add to the crock pot. In the same skillet, add the other tablespoon of oil and brown the pork roast (or ribs) that has been seasoned liberally with salt, pepper and granulated garlic. Add the meat to the crock pot, then the minced garlic, the green chiles, and all of the seasonings. Cook on low for 8-9 hours or until the meat starts to fall apart.

When the roast is tender, take it out of the pot and carefully remove excess fat and any bones. Shred the meat and add back to the pot. Simmer with the lid off until thick (up to another hour), stirring occasionally.

Gina's Note: I cooked the beans with the pork overnight (9 hours), and by morning, the meat was done, but the beans weren't. So I fished out the meat and refrigerated it while I continued to cook the beans for another SIX hours! Then I shredded the meat (which was actually easier to do when cold) and added it back to the pot about an hour before serving. Just FYI...you might want to start this recipe the night before, just in case.

Serve in warmed tortillas or over a bed of corn chips and add any or all of the following:
grated cheese
lettuce
onions
tomatoes
sour cream
salsa
guacamole

P.S. Leftovers make great burritos!