Slow Cooker Pork Adobo Bowls

Score: 8/10

A very well-structured, flavorful, and practical slow cooker recipe. The technique of reducing the braising liquid at the end to glaze the pork elevates the dish significantly. Minor adjustments to the rice-to-water ratio and clarifying the asparagus cooking method will make it perfectly foolproof for a home cook.

Strengths

Excellent workflow, with all preparation steps logically grouped at the very beginning.
Smart technique: searing the pork first builds flavor, and reducing the braising liquid at the end fixes the common slow cooker problem of watery, thin sauces.
Flavor profile is balanced, pairing rich, salty, and acidic pork adobo with a crisp, seasonal vegetable side.

Issues

medium / ingredient_usage: The water-to-rice ratio for the Jasmine rice is too high. 1 1/4 cups of water for 3/4 cup of rinsed Jasmine rice (a 1:1.66 ratio) will likely result in mushy rice. Rinsed Jasmine rice typically needs a 1:1 or 1:1.25 ratio maximum.
low / clarity: The recipe suggests whole black peppercorns as an option. Biting into whole peppercorns coated in a reduced syrupy glaze can be unpleasant for many home cooks. If using whole peppercorns, an instruction should be added to strain the cooking liquid before reducing it.
low / clarity: Step 7 instructs to 'sauté or steam the asparagus' but no cooking fat or water is specified for this step in the ingredients or instructions.

Suggested fixes

Reduce the water for the rice to 1 cup (or 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons) to ensure fluffy jasmine rice.
Add an instruction to either strain the braising liquid before reducing if using whole peppercorns, or default strictly to cracked black pepper.
Allocate a teaspoon of oil or a splash of water in the ingredient list specifically for cooking the asparagus, and update Step 7 to reflect its use.