Slow Cooker Cuban Pork (Mojo Pork)

At a glance

What stands out: A citrus-based marinade adds flavor and tenderness to slow cooker Cuban pork. This recipe is a nice variation from the usual pulled pork and it makes fantastic Cuban sandwiches.

How long it takes: 15 minutes of prep, 8 hours to marinate, 6 to 10 hours to slow cook
Equipment you’ll need: slow cooker, large zip top bag
Servings: 8

Slow Cooker Cuban Pork

Flavorful and tender. A nice long soak overnight in a straightforward-to-make marinade makes this Cuban pork, aka Mojo pork, a winner. Slow cooked all day, it’s fall apart tender with lots of garlicky citrus flavor and juicy onions. (If you don’t have all day to slow cook, try one pan Cuban chicken and rice with fresh pineapple salsa.)

Reliable for bowls… We love this tender pork served in a bowl with cilantro lime rice, black beans, and pico de gallo. Be sure to include a wedge of lime to squeeze over the contents of the bowl. Add fried plantains for a traditional Cuban dish.

…or make a Cubano sandwich! Cuban pork is absolutely reliable for Cuban paninis, or Cubanos. Layered with sliced ham, dill pickles, mustard, and Swiss cheese, and pressed into a crispy, buttery panini sandwich, you’ll be glad you made a big batch of pork.

Popular for game day or tailgate parties! Like any pulled pork, Cuban pork is wonderful piled on a bun or wrapped in a tortilla with lots of toppings, too. It’s so versatile and rich, you’ll find yourself turning to this straightforward recipe often.

Gael Said:

“This is one of a standby pork dishes we’ve ever had. And it’s straightforward. An excellent find.”

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What goes in

Boneless Pork Shoulder: Pork shoulder and pork butt (Boston butt) both come from the shoulder region of the pig; for this recipe, either type will work. Look for one that is about 3 pounds. If you can’t find boneless, bone-in will also work, you’ll just need to remove the bone when it has finished cooking.

Onion: Look for a nice big one! You’ll slice this and place it on top of the pork to flavor it as it cooks.

Freshly Squeezed Lime and Orange Juice: The base of the marinade is freshly squeezed lime juice and orange juice. The acid from the citrus helps to tenderize the meat, and the citrus juices infuse the pork for standout flavor.

Seasonings & Spices: Fresh garlic, oregano, cumin and bay leaves give Mojo pork plenty of traditional Cuban flavor, along with salt and pepper. Cuban pork is not spicy but if you’d like it to be spicier, add cayenne powder or red pepper flakes, or add hot sauce when it has finished cooking.

How it comes together

Make the marinade. Combine the marinade ingredients (lime juice, orange juice, water, minced garlic, dried oregano, ground cumin, salt, pepper, and 2 bay leaves) in a mixing bowl or large measuring cup.

Helpful Hint: Before adding the marinade, pierce the meat deeply in several places to allow the flavor to seep into the meat.

Marinate pork. Put the pork and the marinade into a sturdy zip top bag and set the bag in a pan or dish in the fridge. You don’t want to take any chances of the raw meat dripping into your fridge and making a big mess! Marinate the pork overnight.

Cook the pork. In the morning, empty the contents of the bag, including the marinade, into your crockpot, add a bunch of sliced onions on top, and get it cooking. Slow cook for ten to twelve hours on Low, or five to six hours on High.

Shred the pork. When the pork is fall-apart tender, remove it from the slow cooker, shred it, and put it back into the pot to keep warm. The tender shredded meat is ready to add to whatever dish you’re preparing, whether it’s a bowl with rice and beans, or on sandwich, panini, or tortilla.

Carnitas

You can use Cuban pork to make carnitas if you like. After you pull the pork, place it on a sheet pan and broil until crispy. Another option is to heat the pulled pork in a frying pan over high heat until crispy, stirring only once or twice. If you prefer carnitas, we highly recommend our slow cooker carnitas or Instant Pot carnitas.

Make-Ahead Ideas

Make Cuban pork ahead of time so it will be ready to use for a variety of meals. Either refrigerate or freeze it in serving size containers to use later.

Keeping leftovers

Refrigerate: Cuban pork will keep in the refrigerator for up to four days. After it’s cooled down a bit, refrigerate it in a tightly sealed container.

Freeze: You can also freeze it for up to 3 months, or even more. Thaw overnight in the fridge.

Reheat: Put the pork in a heavy pan and reheat it over low heat on the stovetop until it’s heated through, adding a little chicken broth if it seems dry. It can also be reheated in your slow cooker. To reheat individual-sized portions, you can use the microwave but it may dry out the meat slightly.

Free Meal Plans

Interested in a weekly meal plan that includes this recipe? Take a look at our Meal Plan #22 or Meal Plan #88. You’ll find a wholesome recipe for each weekday plus a categorized grocery list. Let us do the planning for you this week!

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• Yield: 8
• Prep: 15 minutes
• Cook: 6 hours
• Total: 14 hours 15 minutes

Ingredients

For Marinade:

• ½ cup lime juice (from 3 limes)
• ¼ cup orange juice (from 1 orange)
• ¼ cup water
• 3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 bay leaves

For Pork:

• 3 pounds boneless pork shoulder (see note)
• 1 large sliced onion

Method

1. For the marinade, combine lime juice, orange juice, water, garlic, oregano, salt, cumin, pepper, and bay leaves in a medium bowl.
2. Pierce meat in several places and place in zip-top bag. Pour marinade over meat. Refrigerate overnight.
3. Remove meat from refrigerator. Transfer the meat and marinade into crockpot; top with sliced onion.
4. Cook on Low for 10 to 12 hours or on High for 5 to 6 hours.
5. Discard bay leaves and remove meat. When it's cool enough to handle, shred the pork using 2 forks. Put shredded pork back into the crockpot so it can absorb more of the juices. Keep on Warm until ready to serve.
6. Serve pork and onions on rice and black beans, if desired. The pork makes delicious Cuban panini sandwiches (see notes).

Notes

Pork: Either pork shoulder or pork butt (Boston butt) will work for this recipe. Look for a roast that is about 3 pounds; it doesn’t have to be exact. If you can’t find boneless pork, bone-in will work. Buy a larger roast because the bone adds weight. Remove the bone when the pork is cooked before you shred the meat.

Cuban sandwiches. The pork is reliable for Cuban sandwiches or paninis, made with shredded pork, ham, dill pickles, mustard, and Swiss cheese.

Make ahead/Storage: Slow cooker pulled pork can be made up to four days in advance. After it’s cooled down a bit, refrigerate it in a tightly sealed container. You can also freeze it for up to 3 months, or even more. Thaw overnight in the fridge.

Reheating: Reheat slowly in a heavy pan on the stovetop or in your slow cooker until it’s heated through, adding a little chicken broth if it seems dry. To reheat individual-sized portions, you can use the microwave, but it may dry out the meat slightly.