Crock Pot Mojo Pork with Cuban-Style Black Beans is one of my favorite crock pot recipes to date!
Pork shoulder is slow cooked in a trio of citrus including orange, lemon, and lime juice then spiked with onion, fresh jalapeno, herbs, spices, and a whole head of garlic. GARLIC LOVERS UNITE! Ahem. This recipe also falls into the “throw stuff into a pot and cook it” category, which I’m obviously fangirling these days (I’m looking at you, Crock Pot Chicken and Wild Rice Soup).
Besides the fresh and light flavor of the Mojo Pork, I’m also loving the recipe because it’s got a long cooking time – 8-10 hours renders the pork juicy and buttery. Three cheers for a dinner that cooks itself while you’re at work!
Ooo, I have to tell you about the Cuban-Style Black Beans buried under the pork and mountain of guacamole. Mojo pork is a popular Cuban recipe which combines citrus juice, garlic, and dried oregano, and I thought it’d taste fantastic with Cuban-style black beans which are simply canned black beans simmered with onions, bell peppers, chicken broth, dried oregano, and a splash of vinegar. Ready in a jif and perfect to pair with the succulent pork.
Watch How to Make It
There are a ton of ways you can use the shredded pork and beans – tacos, nachos, or on a big crunchy salad – but I never turn down an opportunity to make cilantro-lime rice so I went that route. However you enjoy the final product, it all starts the same. I’ll show ya’!
How to Make Crock Pot Mojo Pork
Start by trimming a 3-4lb boneless pork butt (which is the shoulder cut of a pig) of any large pieces of excess fat then cut the roast into four or five big hunks and add it to a 6-quart crock pot.
To the crock pot add chicken broth, orange juice, fresh lime juice, and fresh lemon juice.
Next add onion, a whole HEAD of garlic, cloves separated and peeled, fresh jalapeno, dried bay leaves, plus dried oregano, cumin, and smoked paprika. Mix everything up then pop a lid on top of the crock pot and cook on low for 8-10 hours.
Once the pork is juicy and fall apart-tender, shred it with two forks. Use the forks to mash up the garlic cloves which will be buttery and soft by this point, too.
How to Make Cuban-Style Black Beans:
About 30 minutes before the pork is done, make the Cuban-Style Black Beans.
In a large skillet saute chopped onion and green bell pepper in extra virgin olive oil until tender. Add minced garlic cloves then saute for 1 minute, and then add dried oregano, chicken broth, and a splash of red wine vinegar. Simmer until the liquid has been absorbed by the beans.
So fab – you must try this simple side dish recipe!
Like I said, there are a few ways I would suggest serving the pork and black beans besides straight to your face. Scooping them into soft corn tortillas with guacamole and pico de gallo would be incredible, and I can’t imagine how quickly I’d demolish a tray of tortilla chips topped with the pork, beans, and a mound of melted Monterey Jack cheese. Piled on a mountain of cilantro-lime rice then topped with a thwack of fresh guacamole pretty much sounded like Heaven to me!
However you decide to enjoy this simple meal, I know you’ll love it. It’s easy, fresh, and definitely not another heavy, gloopy recipe from the crock pot. Enjoy!
More Crock Pot Recipes You’ll Love
- Crock Pot White Chicken Chili
- Crock Pot Chicken and Wild Rice Soup
- Crock Pot Sausage and Peppers
- Crock Pot Italian Beef Sandwiches
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Crock Pot Mojo Pork with Cuban-Style Black Beans
Description
Crock Pot Mojo Pork with Cuban-Style Black Beans is a simple and satisfying long-cooking crock pot meal. Use to make tacos, nachos, or rice bowls!
Ingredients
- 3-4lb boneless pork butt, trimmed of excess fat then cut into big hunks
- 3/4 cup chicken broth
- 1/2 cup orange juice
- 1/4 cup lime juice
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 1 onion, cut into big chunks
- 1 jalapeno, sliced in half
- 1 head garlic, cloves separated and peeled
- 1-1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 2 bay leaves
- For the Cuban-Style Black Beans:
- 1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 onion, chopped
- 1/2 green pepper, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- salt and pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 15oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1/4 cup chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
Directions
- Add all ingredients except those for Cuban-Style Black Beans to a large crock pot then stir to combine. Cook on low for 8-10 hours or until pork shreds easily with a fork.
- For the Cuban-Style Black Beans: heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add bell pepper and onion, season with salt and pepper, and then saute until vegetables are tender, 5-7 minutes. Add garlic then saute for one more minute. Add dried oregano, black beans, chicken broth, and vinegar then simmer until most of the broth has been absorbed and beans are tender. Taste then add salt and pepper if necessary.
- Serve pork and beans over cooked Cilantro-Lime Rice, in corn tortillas, or on top of nachos.
This recipe is courtesy of Iowa Girl Eats, http://iowagirleats.com.
Video
Hi, I made this tonight and it is delicious. Thank you for the meal plans. I am often at a loss for dinner and your plans are a great help for a working mom.
I’m so, so glad to hear the meal plans are helping, Kathy!
Hi Kristin – making this today :) I do have two quick questions though – first, you mention ‘melting’ the garlic into the sauce. Yum! But just curious about the other solids, do you strain and discard them (the onion, jalapeno)?
My second question is about the sauce that the dish makes. Is there a use for it after we take the pork out? Soup perhaps? I hate throwing away all that delicious liquid! I can imagine that once cooled and skimmed of fat, it could be delicious for something – so interested in any ideas :)
Thanks as usual for such lovely meal solutions. I am making strawberry muffins next and then mini egg bites!
Hi Karine! You can leave the onion and jalapeno in the crock pot with the juices when removing the pork and garlic cloves – I discard them vs mashing them into the pork. That said, you could definitely do that if you’d like! You could also absolutely strain the cooking liquid and use it in soups, straining out the fat using a fat separator, or scraping it off after it cools. I hope you LOVE these three dishes!
Did you seriously put guacamole and a jalapeño in a Cuban recipe? You know we’re not Mexican, right?
Hi MJB! I don’t claim this to be an authentic Cuban recipe which is why I purposely said “cuban-style”. I am not Cuban nor am trying to pass this recipe off as anything by my version of pork with mojo sauce. My sincere apologies if I have offended you!
Cuban black beans ALWAYS require cumin.
That’s a great addition – I will add that next time!
Hi! Could the pork be made in an Instant Pot? Wondering how long to cook! Thanks!
Hi Amanda! I’m sure it could – I just haven’t personally tested this recipe in the IP!
This is the best and easiest way to make mojo pork. I’d tried other recipes and it was just Ok. Your recipe is fantastic. Thank you!
I’m thrilled to hear that, Deb, thank you so much!
Having this for dinner again tonight. Every time I’ve made this it’s been wonderful. The black bean recipe is delicious, too. Thats also on the menu with the pork. The aroma in this house is seriously mouthwatering.
I love to hear that, Deb!! So happy this is a “repeater” for you, and I know what you mean about the aroma in your house. It’s always a treat coming home to a crock pot meal – smells so welcoming!