Smokey Slow Cooker Chili

Ingredients

• 2  bay leaves 
• 1 cup beer (lager-style
• 7.8 ounce tomato sauce hot-style canned (such as El Paso)
• 3 tablespoons chili powder 
• 0.5 cup cilantro leaves finely chopped
• 3  garlic clove minced
• 1.8 cups bell pepper green chopped
• 0.5 cup spring onion finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin 
• 0.8 teaspoon pepper fresh black
• 8  lime wedges 
• 3 cups onion chopped
• 2 teaspoons oregano dried
• 15 ounce pinto beans drained canned
• 29 ounce plum tomatoes undrained chopped canned
• 1 lb fatty pork 
• 1 lb boston butt pork shoulder cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 2 ounces queso fresco crumbled
• 0.5 teaspoon salt divided
• 8 ounces pork hock smoked
• 1.5 tablespoons sugar 
• 6  tomatillos quartered
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste 

Equipment

• bowl
• frying pan
• ladle
• stove
• slow cooker

Directions

1. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray.
2. Add ground pork to pan; cook 5 minutes or until browned, stirring to slightly crumble.
3. Drain well.
4. Transfer pork to an electric slow cooker.
5. Recoat pan with cooking spray.
6. Add pork shoulder; cook 5 minutes or until lightly browned, turning occasionally.
7. Transfer pork to slow cooker.
8. Recoat pan with cooking spray.
9. Add onion and bell pepper; saut 8 minutes, stirring frequently.
10. Add garlic; saut 1 minute.
11. Add tomato paste; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in beer; cook 1 minute.
12. Transfer onion mixture to slow cooker.
13. Add 1/4 teaspoon salt, chili powder, and next 9 ingredients (through ham hock) to slow cooker. Cover and cook on HIGH 5 hours or until meat is tender.
14. Remove bay leaves and ham hock; discard. Stir in remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and sugar. Ladle about 1 1/3 cups chili into each of 8 bowls; top each serving with 1 tablespoon cilantro, 1 tablespoon green onions, and 1 tablespoon cheese.
15. Serve each serving with 1 lime wedge.Note: You can also cook the chili in a slow cooker on LOW for 8 hours. For cooking chili on the stovetop, use a total of 12 ounces beer and simmer, covered, for 2 1/2 to 3 hours or until the pork shoulder is tender.