Pork

Choose shoulder (preferably Boston butt), short ribs, baby back ribs, country-style ribs (which are usually cut from the loin but tend to have enough fat for slow cooking), or smoked ham hocks or neckbone. Loin and tenderloin and most chops are pretty lean, so use with care. Smoked sausage, in an eight-hour dish, tends to give up most of its flavor to the broth, so I sear and add it at the end of cooking; fresh sausages will become very tender but most will retain their juiciness (you might have to experiment with different sausages to find one you like in the slow cooker—the more fat content, the better).