Healthy Crockpot Freezer Meals are a lifesaver on those busy weeks when there's no time to cook. Get my Mexican Pork Stew recipe below and download my FREE slow cooker freezer meals guide.
I probably receive more requests for paleo and gluten-free slow cooker (crock pot) recipes than anything else. I get it! The crock pot is such a time saver when you simply cannot be home to cook or reheat a thing and just need dinner D.O.N.E!
Now, imagine if the ingredients were already chopped, diced, sliced, marinated and ready to pop into a slow cooker???!!! Doesn’t that sound heavenly. 🙂
Today I am sharing with you one of my favorite recipes for Mexican Pork Stew. It’s designed to be made ahead of time and stored in the freezer until you are ready to serve. Simply defrost, drop into your crock pot and let it do the cooking for you. When you get home from work, school or sports activities, dinner will be ready to go. Hot, homemade, and healthy!
Leftovers make great lunches the next day or can be frozen for an easy, re-heatable meal later. Yum!
No more drive through temptation. Give this amazing paleo and gluten free crock pot recipe a try and enjoy a healthy, homemade meal instead!
Quick Tip: If you are not a pork eater, use chicken instead.
Need a recommendation for a great slow cooker? Try this one!
Mexican Pork Stew
Ingredients
- 1 # pork stew meat
- 1-2 cloves garlic
- 4 stalks celery
- 1/3 # carrots
- 1 yellow and 1 red bell pepper
- 1 jalapeno (optional)
- 1 small red onion
- 2 medium sweet potatoes
- 3 limes
- 4 cups chicken broth*
- 2 tsp cayenne (optional)
- 2 Tbsp chili powder
- 1 Tbsp cumin
Instructions
- Finely chop 1-2 cloves of garlic to equal 1T.
- For the marinade, whisk together the juice of 3 limes, 1T chopped garlic, 2T chili powder, 1T cumin and 1-2 tsp cayenne (optional for added heat). Toss with pork stew meat and set aside to marinate.
- Finely chop celery stalks, carrots, sweet potatoes, both bell peppers, and red onion. Keep ingredients separate.
- Cut jalapeno in half, remove seeds and white veins (option to keep some seeds for added heat), and finely dice.
- In a large freezer-friendly container, layer the following ingredients in this order:– chopped onion– chopped carrots– chopped celery– diced jalapeno (optional)– both chopped bell peppers– chopped sweet potatoes– seasoned pork stew meat
- Store labeled container in freezer for use within the next 2-3 months.
Slow Cooker Instructions:
- Remove container from freezer and, ideally, place in refrigerator overnight to thaw. If not thawed, run hot water over freezer container until food “releases” from container. This can take up to 30 minutes.
- Place ingredients in slow cooker on high for 4-6 hours; low for 8-10 hours. Stir occasionally if you are able to (not necessary, but helpful).
- Add extra broth or water for desired consistency. Season to taste as needed with salt and pepper. Add additional cayenne for heat if desired.
Notes
Want more healthy crockpot freezer meals?
Download my FREE healthy crockpot freezer meals here! These were a lifesaver in our house after my second son was born.
What are your favorite slow cooker recipes? They are such a time saver that I am sure all of our readers would love to hear what you’ve got! Share your ideas and pictures on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram as @prepdish in all 3 places, or leave a comment below.
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This was a huge miss for me. I skipped freezing the ingredients first and put everything in the slow cooker and it came out with way too much liquid. Using a slotted spoon I scooped out the contents and returned half of the veggies to purée with an immersion blender in an attempt to thicken the broth but it still wasn’t right. Came out quite acidic for me as well, two limes might have been enough.
Oh sorry this didn’t work out for you. Thanks for the feedback!