Harissa pork chili is made with harissa paste, tomatoes, red pepper, kidney beans, onion, and shredded pork. The recipe is for the slow cooker and the Instant Pot. Go forth and make spicy, flavor packed chili.

One of the perks of being a food blogger and cookbook author (I get to say that now, hehehe) is you are your own boss for the most part. You can say what days you are cooking and testing new recipes. The other days you can pick to sit at the computer or on your phone and answer emails or do the whole social media thing.

As long as kids don’t appear out of nowhere over your shoulder and demand to look at the latest Avengers Infinity War Lego sets on Amazon on your phone instead of Instagram, you’re golden. For the most part.

One of the downsides of being a food blogger and cookbook author (is it annoying yet?) is I am my own coworker. I spend 75% of my time in my own head anyway as an introvert, so sometimes I could use another adult around.

Luckily, I have made some great virtual friendships with other food bloggers. I like to think of them as my co-workers. Nobody else in the real world quite understands the weirdness of this blogging business. Nobody else wants to hear the rants about algorithms. 

Trust me I tried. Crickets.

Way back in September, my food blogging co-worker Jenn from Peas and Crayons complained that she doesn’t have a Trader Joe’s nearby. She was pining after my eggs and avocado toast with Everything but the Bagel seasoning Blend. I suggested we do a Oprah-ish like favorite things trade.

I sent her some seasoning blends, crackers, and snacks from Trader Joe’s. Naturally some of Andy and Jack’s fave gummies went along for her cute lil chickpea of a daughter. 

The package from Jenn arrived and along with pumpkin gummies for the boys, I got some Harissa paste and lots of other new (to me) seasoning blends. Jenn has a knack for spicing up food with amazing Middle-Eastern flavors. I was so excited and inspired by my co-worker. 

I made harissa pork chili using that amazing, flavor packed paste. You guys know I love to give you at least two outside of the box chili recipes each year. The chili recipe is for both the Instant Pot and the slow cooker, so both sides of the battle will be appeased. 

Harissa pork chili is rather simple since most of the seasonings come from the paste. If you do not have harissa paste, go buy some. I have since used a little in tomato sauce, beef for tacos, and mixed into a vinaigrette for a salad. I am obsessed.

In closing, this chili is awesome and so are my coworkers.

You really appreciate coworkers when you don’t get to see them everyday.

Harissa Pork Chili

Yield: serves 4-6

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Instant Pot Cook Time: 30 minutes

Slow Cooker Cook Time: 8 hours

Total Time: 8 hours 40 minutes

Shredded pork, red bell pepper, onion, and kidney beans in a harissa tomato chili base. Cooked in the slow cooker and Instant Pot.

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Ingredients

• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tbsp chili powder
• 2 1/2 lbs boneless pork shoulder, cut into thirds
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 1 red onion, diced
• 2 tbsp Harissa paste
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1, 28oz can crushed tomatoes
• 1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken stock
• 1, 14.5oz can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
• 1, 14.5 oz can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 tbsp ground cumin
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 tbsp tomato paste

Instructions

1. Season all sides of the pork shoulder with the salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika, and chili powder. Rub seasonings into the meat. Let the meat come to room temperature.
2. FOR THE INSTANT POT: Press "saute" and let the pot heat for 1-2 minutes. Add the oil and sear the pork on each side for about 10 minutes total. Press "cancel" once thoroughly browned.
3. Remove the pork and transfer to a nearby plate off to the side. Add the pepper, onion, harissa, apple cider vinegar, and Worcestershire. Mix and stir to deglaze the bottom of the pot.
4. Mix in the crushed tomatoes, chicken stock, diced tomatoes, beans, cumin, salt and pepper. Add the pork back to the pot.
5. Secure the lid with the steam vent sealed. Press "Pressure Cook" until the light is beneath "High Pressure." Use the "-/+" buttons to adjust the time until the display reads 30 minutes.
6. Once the timer sounds, quick release the pressure. Remove the lid. Use two forks to shred the pork. Mix in the tomato paste and adjust salt and pepper to taste.
7. FOR THE SLOW COOKER: Add olive oil to a large skillet over a medium/high flame. Sear the pork on all sides for about 10 minutes. After 10, minutes, remove pork, and transfer to a plate.
8. Add pepper, onion, harissa paste, vinegar, and Worcestershire to the pan. Stir to deglaze. Transfer the pan sauce along with the crushed tomatoes, chicken stock, diced tomatoes, beans, cumin, salt and pepper to the slow cooker. Mix to combine.
9. Add the seared pork to the slow cooker. Cover with lid. Cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours.
10. After the time is up, remove the lid, shred the pork using two forks, mix in the tomato paste, adjust salt and pepper to taste.

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