Cuban Pork Roast Crockpot Recipe
This Cuban pork roast crockpot recipe uses a classic sour orange and garlic marinade that turns a plain pork shoulder into tender, pull-apart meat. The slow cooker does the long work and the juices become a bright, garlicky sauce.
8
servings20
minutes8
hoursPork shoulder marinates in a garlicky citrus mojo and then cooks low and slow until it falls apart. The juices are spooned over the shredded meat.
Ingredients
4 lb boneless pork shoulder, cut into 3 or 4 large chunks
10 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 cup fresh orange juice
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 large yellow onion, sliced into rings
2 bay leaves
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Directions
- Whisk the garlic, orange juice, lime juice, olive oil, cumin, oregano, salt and pepper in a bowl. This is the mojo.
- Put the pork chunks in a zip bag or dish and pour over two thirds of the mojo. Turn to coat.
- Marinate in the fridge for at least 4 hours, or overnight for best flavor.
- Spread the onion rings and bay leaves on the bottom of a 6-quart slow cooker.
- Lift the pork out of the marinade and set it on top of the onions. Pour in the used marinade as well.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 8 to 9 hours or on HIGH for 5 to 6 hours. The pork should hit at least 190°F and shred with a fork.
- Move the pork to a large bowl. Remove the bay leaves.
- Shred the meat with two forks, discarding large pieces of fat.
- Stir the reserved fresh mojo and the cilantro into the cooking juices. Taste for salt.
- Toss the shredded pork with some of the juices and serve the rest at the table.
Notes
- No sour oranges? The orange and lime mix here is the standard stand-in. For crisp edges, spread the shredded pork on a sheet pan and broil 4 minutes. Leftovers make excellent Cuban sandwiches with pickles and mustard. Keeps 4 days in the fridge and 3 months in the freezer with its juices.
Why pork shoulder and the slow cooker are a match
Pork shoulder, also sold as Boston butt, is full of fat and connective tissue. Cooked fast, it is tough. Cooked for eight hours at low heat, that collagen melts into gelatin and the meat becomes silky and easy to pull apart.
The citrus helps too. The acid in orange and lime juice softens the surface of the meat during the marinade, and the garlic mellows from sharp to sweet as it cooks, so you get a punch of flavor in every bite.
Mojo is the other half of the story. Cuban cooks use sour oranges, which are bright and bitter. A mix of sweet orange and lime juice gets very close, and it is easy to find in any store, so you do not need a specialty market for a good pot of pernil-style pork.
What to buy for a proper mojo
Pork shoulder: Look for a boneless or bone-in roast with good marbling. Lean loin dries out. If you buy bone-in, add a pound to the weight.
Garlic: Ten cloves is correct. Fresh garlic only. Jarred minced garlic tastes sour and flat in a mojo.
Citrus: Fresh juice makes a big difference. Bottled orange juice is too sweet and has no tang. Use real oranges and limes.
Cumin and oregano: These two give the Cuban flavor. Dried oregano is fine, but make sure it is not old.
Onion: Sliced rings under the pork keep it off the bottom and add sweetness to the juices.
Cook it right
Marinate long enough: Four hours is the minimum. Overnight is better. Garlic and citrus need time to get into a thick roast.
Hold some mojo back: The most common mistake is cooking all the marinade away. Reserve a third fresh and stir it into the juices at the end for a bright finish.
Skim and season: Skim the fat from the juices before serving, then taste. Pork shoulder takes more salt than people expect.
Trim, but not too much: Leave a thin layer of fat on the pork. It bastes the meat during the long cook and gives the juices their body. Skim the surface at the end instead of removing all the fat up front.
Swaps that work and one that does not
For a lighter version, use pork tenderloin and cut the time to 3 hours on LOW, checking for 145°F. Use chicken thighs for a quicker dinner. Add a splash of white vinegar if you cannot get the tang from limes. One swap that does not work is lean pork loin, which turns dry and stringy over a long cook.
If you want crackly edges like traditional roast pork, spread the shredded meat on a sheet pan, spoon over a little juice, and broil for 4 to 5 minutes, watching closely so the garlic does not scorch.
Serving a Cuban dinner
Serve the pork over white rice with black beans, fried sweet plantains and a simple cabbage slaw. Pile it on soft rolls with ham, Swiss cheese, pickles and mustard for a quick sandwich.
Storing and reheating the pork
Keep leftover pork in its juices in a covered container in the fridge for up to 4 days. The juices stop it from drying out.
To freeze, pack the pork with juices into bags for up to 3 months. Reheat in a skillet with a splash of juice or water until hot and crisp at the edges.
Cuban Pork Roast Crockpot Recipe at a glance
- Prep time: 20 minutes
- Cooking time: 8 hours
- Servings: 8 servings
- Ingredients: 12, led by boneless pork shoulder, garlic, fresh orange juice, fresh lime juice
Tips for Cuban Pork Roast Crockpot Recipe
No sour oranges? The orange and lime mix here is the standard stand-in. For crisp edges, spread the shredded pork on a sheet pan and broil 4 minutes. Leftovers make excellent Cuban sandwiches with pickles and mustard. Keeps 4 days in the fridge and 3 months in the freezer with its juices.
Cuban Pork Roast Crockpot Recipe FAQ
How long does Cuban Pork Roast Crockpot Recipe take?
Cuban Pork Roast Crockpot Recipe takes 8 hours of cooking after 20 minutes of prep.
How many people does Cuban Pork Roast Crockpot Recipe serve?
This recipe makes 8 servings.
What do I need to make Cuban Pork Roast Crockpot Recipe?
12 ingredients, led by boneless pork shoulder, garlic, fresh orange juice, fresh lime juice. Amounts are in the recipe card above.
