Slow Cooker Mojo Pork with Cilantro Lime Rice

Mojo Pork

I’m re-embracing the slow cooker as a method of easy cooking.

Mojo Pork

The first time around, I kept forgetting that one needs to PLAN a slower cooker meal–you can’t throw it into the pot at 6 PM and be eating at 7. Additionally, while the cooking is easy, prep can be involved, so it’s not ideal to for a not-morning-person like me to try to throw something together before running (late) out the door in the morning.

Mojo pork

I’m getting around that. One: Planning. I’ve learned that if I don’t meal plan the week, we eat…mostly pasta. Also probably pizza. This way, I can work around Robby’s unpredictable schedule (who doesn’t love shift work?) Two: The fridge. By that, I mean that I can prep everything the night before, put the slow cooker insert into the fridge, and then pop it into the slow cooker in the morning and leave. I was a little concerned that the cold-to-heat transition would be bad for the insert, but I’ve seen no evidence so far. I highly recommend this technique (if it can be called that) for non-morning-people.

Mojo pork

I went looking for a mojo pork recipe because Robby and I ate recently at a new local place called Caribe Blu. It’s a small family-friendly place that does FABULOUS Latin food, leaning towards Cuban but with Puerto Rican and other island influences. They serve a mojo dipping sauce, which is basically cilantro and garlic, held together with oil. As soon as I got home, I googled “mojo.” I came up with this different-but-no-less-delicious slow cooker recipe.

Mojo PorkIt does have a lot of garlic, along with onion and jalapeno. I noticed when I took the pork out of the slow cooker that those other amazing flavors were still in the pot. I took advantage by blending them up with some of the cooking liquid and stirring that sauce into the shredded pork (make sure you remove the bay leaves first!). I also saved a few onions for garnish, because you can never, ever go wrong with slow cooked onions.

It’s served over cilantro lime rice, because of course it is. I tend to be wary of both cilantro and lime in high doses, but the proportions here are excellent–it’s more like a strongly scented rice than a flavored one. It’s great on its own, and it’s a perfect base for this tender mojo pork. And though I went minimal with the toppings, the sky’s the limit–pico de gallo, cheese, corn, lettuce, whatever your happy heart desires.

Recipes very slightly adapted from Iowa Girl Eats.

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Slow Cooker Mojo Pork with Cilantro Lime Rice

Savory Latin flavors infuse this slow cooked pork and cilantro lime rice. Easy to make, easy to eat!

  • Prep Time: 0 hours
  • Cook Time: 0 hours
  • Total Time: 8 hours 20 minutes

Ingredients

Scale

Mojo Pork

  • 34 pound pork shoulder
  • 3/4 cup chicken broth
  • Juice of 1 orange (about 1/2 cup)
  • Juice of 1 lime (about 1/4 cup)
  • Juice of 1 lemon (about 1/4 cup)
  • 1 onion, quartered
  • 1 jalapeno, halved
  • 1 head of peeled garlic
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon paprika
  • 2 bay leaves

Cilantro Lime Rice

  • 2 cups water
  • 1 cup long grain rice, rinsed
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
  • Juice of 1/2 lime

Instructions

Mojo Pork

  1. Place all of the pork ingredients in the slow cooker. Cook on low for 8-10 hours.
  2. When it’s finished, remove the pork to a bowl or cutting board and shred with two forks. Remove as much of the solid fat as you can.
  3. Remove the cooked garlic, onions, and jalapeno to a blender. Add 1 cup of cooking liquid (more if desired). Blend to a smooth consistency. Mix with pork.

Cilantro Lime Rice

  1. Place water, rice, oil, and salt into a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then simmer covered for about 15 minutes or until rice is cooked.
  2. Add lime juice and cilantro. Stir with a fork to fluff.

Serve

  1. Serve shredded, saucy pork over rice, topped with more cilantro. Other topping suggestions include lettuce, corn, guacamole, pico de gallo, queso fresco, and Cuban-style black beans.

The Burroughs

Katie and Robby Burroughs, writers, photographers, and curators of Bear and Bug Eats.

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