Aunt's Classic: Just 3 ingredients. Get a deeply savory dish in no time

This slow cooker bacon and hominy is one of those old-fashioned, three-ingredient wonders that tastes like it took all day on the stove. My Aunt Ruth used to bring a big black crock of this to church suppers, and there was never a spoonful left. The bacon slowly renders and seasons every plump kernel of hominy, giving you a deeply savory dish with hardly any effort. It’s the kind of recipe that fits right into a Midwestern kitchen: simple pantry staples, honest flavor, and a warm memory in every bite.

Serve this bacon and hominy hot right from the slow cooker, with a big spoon for everyone to help themselves. It’s wonderful alongside roast chicken, pork chops, or meatloaf, and it makes a cozy bed for grilled sausages. Add a simple green salad, steamed green beans, or buttered peas to round out the plate. A basket of warm cornbread or dinner rolls to soak up the bacon drippings in the bottom of the crock never hurts, either.

Servings: 6

6 slices thick-cut bacon, chopped

Cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until it is deeply browned and crispy, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir occasionally so it renders its fat evenly and doesn’t scorch.

Using a slotted spoon, transfer the crispy bacon pieces to a paper towel–lined plate, leaving the hot bacon drippings in the skillet.

Pour the bacon drippings from the skillet into the bottom of a 4- to 6-quart slow cooker. (Carefully scrape in all the browned bits; that’s where the deep savory flavor comes from.)

Add the drained and rinsed white hominy to the slow cooker, spreading it out in an even layer so the kernels are coated with the bacon fat.

Sprinkle the crispy bacon pieces over the hominy, then pour the chicken broth evenly over the top.

Cover and cook on LOW for 3 to 4 hours, or on HIGH for 1½ to 2 hours, until the hominy is plump, hot, and glossy and the flavors have melded.

Just before serving, lift the lid and give everything a gentle stir to distribute the bacon throughout. Taste and, if desired, adjust with a pinch of salt only if needed, since the bacon and broth are already salty.

Serve the bacon and hominy straight from the slow cooker while it’s steaming hot, making sure each spoonful has plenty of chewy hominy and crisp bacon bits.

If you like a smokier flavor, use thick-cut applewood-smoked bacon or hickory-smoked bacon. For a richer dish, stir in an extra splash of chicken broth if it looks too dry near the end of cooking, or let it go a bit longer with the lid off if you prefer it thicker. You can also reserve a small handful of crisp bacon to sprinkle on top right before serving, so you get both soft, rendered pieces and some crunchy bits for contrast. For a heartier main dish, spoon the hot bacon and hominy into bowls and top with sliced grilled sausage or leftover roast pork. If you need to stretch it for a crowd, stir in an extra can of hominy and a little more broth. Any leftovers reheat well on the stove over low heat with a splash of water or broth to loosen; just warm gently so the bacon doesn’t get tough.