Slow Cooker Cuban Mojo Pork made with citrus, garlic, oregano and cumin takes almost no prep time and makes a fantastic, flavorful meal your family will love any night of the week!
Slow Cooker Cuban Mojo Pork is a twist on the normal pulled pork most people love making in their slow cookers. One of our favorite ways to cook pulled pork is to put it in the slow cooker dry with nothing but Hawaiian sea salt and a bit of Worcestershire sauce for 24 hours on low to make the most tender Hawaiian Luau Pulled Pork ever. 
This Slow Cooker Cuban Mojo Pork is such a flavorful dish that we usually end up making it in large quantities (fun fact I have 4 slow cookers…yep, not kidding) and using the leftovers for EVERYTHING. We eat it with sandwiches, make it into tacos, shred it into quesadillas, top it over scrambled eggs and even add it to soups in the winter.
Being a slow cooker meal sometimes you’ll want to just make this meal overnight or during food prep times and save it for later. Here it is ready to be frozen for later. Tell me you wouldn’t be happy to open up your freezer and see this waiting for you for dinner. 
This Slow Cooker Cuban Mojo Pork is so flavorful you’ll find yourself standing at the slow cooker picking at it while no one is looking to get all the delicious browned crust.
Speaking of Slow Cooker Pork Meals, have you checked out some of the other ones on the site?
- Slow Cooker Hawaiian Luau Pork
- Slow Cooker Crispy Skin Pork
- Slow Cooker Bacon Garlic Pork Loin
- Slow Cooker Ham and Potato Soup
- Slow Cooker Ham and White Bean Soup
The sauce/liquid left in the bottom of the slow cooker when you’re done cooking will be a bit thin. If you want it to be thicker as you can see in the pictures here, you’re going to want to follow the steps in the recipe card and add the cornstarch slurry at the end of cooking.
It really does add to the meal and makes a luscious sauce. We use the sauce to pour over the roast or even in other things like over side dishes or on top of enchiladas or eggs. Look at how delicious the sauce looks even before you’re cooking the pork: 
Sometimes if we know we are going to use the pork for a secondary recipe like enchiladas or tacos we will double all the sauce ingredients. Then you’ll have enough that you can skip making any enchilada sauce.
The citrus, garlic and cumin add so much flavor you’ll use the sauce on everything you can.
Tools used in the making of this Slow Cooker Cuban Mojo Pork:
Slow Cooker: For a pork shoulder this size I stay away from my larger slow cooker. I use a 4 quart round one, which allows for the pork to cook properly and lets it nestle amongst the sauce it makes instead of being in a much larger cooker and sitting in much shallower pool of liquid.
Dutch Oven: I use this to brown meats before they go into the slow cooker if I am not using my All-Clad slow cooker with the aluminum insert.
Cumin: I absolutely love cumin, it is a spice I use given any opportunity to use it. This brand is hands down a favorite of mine, I’ve tried many but the flavor here is brighter, bolder and just wonderful. You can find it locally as well, most ethnic stores sell the brand.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
- 2 teaspoons Kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 4 pound pork shoulder
- 1/4 cup orange juice
- 1/4 cup lime juice
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 4 cloves garlic , minced
- 2 leaves bay
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch (optional)
- 1 tablespoon water (optional)
Instructions
- In a large pot add the canola oil on medium high heat.
- Season the pork with the kosher salt and black pepper and brown the pork on all sides.
- To the slow cooker add the orange juice, lime juice, cumin, oregano, red pepper flakes, garlic and bay leaves and mix it together.
- Add the pork to the slow cooker and roll it in the mixture until it is coated well.
- Cook on low for 8 hours or on high for 6.
- When the pork is done you can serve as is with the juice on top.
- If you want a thicker sauce, 30 minutes before it is done skim the fat off the top, add a cornstarch slurry (1 tablespoon of cornstarch and 1 tablespoon of water to the slow cooker and cook on high for 30 minutes.
Nutrition
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I made this pork today and it was unreal. One of the most flavorful and moist pork dishes I have ever had!! I am not the biggest pork lover and I think I have been transformed. This recipe is seriously so amazing! My family loved it. I did leave out the bay leaves because I did not have any but otherwise made is on low according the recipe’s directions.
10000% will make again!
Love it!! So happy to have converted you to love pork, haha! So glad you enjoyed it, Emily!
Hey I have a 10.5 pound bone in “pork shoulder picnic”. Will this recipe still work. What tweets do I need to do?
Yes, it’ll work but you need to double the sauce. Enjoy!
Can you use a porl loin roast for less fat/mess from the shoulder
You can use it but because it’s a leaner cut of meat it’ll be dry. I wouldn’t recommend it, sorry.
This definitely is Amazing !! Cooks up perfectly with the times given . I did go ahead and thicken the sauce as directed . All is yummy
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for coming back to let me know!
Wonderful recipe! I used a 9 lb bone-in pork shoulder cooked on High for 6 hours and it was melt in your mouth delicious. I tripled the sauce ingredients and so happy I did. Delicious!
This is easy and absolutely delicious. I double spices, lime and orange juices.
Husband says this is a keeper. Chopped the pork after cooking, thickened the gravy, poured over meat and served as tacos. We use shaved cabbage. Thank you so much for sharing.
Fantastic! Thanks so much for taking the time to come back and let me know!
Marinated a 7 lb Boston Butt in “Badia” Mojo marinade the day before cooking. Double the ingredients… Turned out Excellent! So tender, the Bone just fell out. Thanks!
Fantatic! Thanks so much for the 5 star rating!
Is there an instant pot version of this?
I haven’t tested it using an Instant pot but I’m sure you can find a recipe online using the same ingredients and follow that one. Sorry
I made this recipe in my Instant Pot today. It works great to brown the pork using the saute function, then put the sauce in the pot with the pork on top and cook it using the Slow Cook function for 6 hours. The temperature was already on medium and I didn’t change it. At the end, I took the pork out, put the pot back on the Sauté mode, and mixed in a tablespoon of Corn Starch, letting the sauce boil for a short time until it thickened. I also sautéed some sliced onions in a separate skillet using garlic infused olive oil to serve with the mojo pork. The pork was delicious and I will definitely make it again.
Thanks for leaving feedback using an IP! So glad you enjoyed it!
This was fantastic! I made it without adding or changing anything. So simple and so good. Husband had 3 helpings. I served it with jasmine rice. Best slow cooker pork recipe I have ever made, and I have tried quite a few.
Excellent recipe, I’m a full blooded Cuban and I usually make pork roast in the oven. Obviously it’s been too too hot to use the oven so I needed the liquid quantities and time. This was excellent. My only changes were that I sauteed some onions with the garlic IB the crock pot after browning the meat and I reduced the cumin to 1/2 teaspoon.
Delicious!!! My family loved it too. Thank you for the recipe!
You’re welcome! Thanks for the 5 star rating!
Absolutely delicious. Served it with saffron rice and black beans. Baked Cuban bread today…..tomorrow using this amazing pork for Cuban sandwiches! Lots to put in the freezer for even MORE great meals. Great recipe. Thank you!!
I am making it for the third yummy time. Thank you so very much for sharing!!!
That’s so amazing! I’d definitley call that a winner!
I just finished making this… My husband and I wanted something different.
For starters our house smells amazing. Secondly the ease of this recipe is remarkable for the flavor that it produces. We’re serving over white rice and I am so excited. Thank you for sharing this recipe!
I’m so glad you guys enjoyed it! Thanks for coming back to let me know!
don’t know what went wrong, followed the recipe step by step and it didn’t turn out at all like the one in the photos. After 9 hours of slow cooking, the meat was swimming in liquid and didn’t have much taste. Maybe I need to double up on the spices or let it marinade overnight first. I ended up cooking some cajun beand and rice and served the pork over it to give it more flavor. Family thought it was OK.
Oh no! Sounds like there was too much liquid in the pork. Was it completely thawed before being put into the slow cooker? If you’d like, you can email me at contact @ dinnerthendessert.com and we can troubleshoot together.
I love love love this recipe!!! It was definitely spot on….I think I put a tb flakes, for extra spice, but the seasonings and flavor was robust savory, and delectable!!! Thank you so much….. it helped it was super super easy!!!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for coming back to let me know!
I can’t wait to try this! It sounds so delicious. I have some questions, though: is the garlic taste strong, or is it mellowed by the long cooking time? Would the dish be as good without the garlic?
(As you can guess, I’m not very fond of garlic.?)
The garlic is a prominent flavor but if you’re not a fan, you could use less or omit it completely. Though it will change the flavor a bit, it should still be fine without it. Let me know how it turns out.
Can you use fresh oregano instead of dried oregano?
Yes, but you’ll want to add more as dry herbs are generally more potent and concentrated. Try doubling the amount to start and then add more to taste.
So easy, so much flavor. Best new recipe I have come across in a while. Served as tacos, with different toppings, so good. Everyone loved it. This will be a regular in our house. Thank you. I would have shared a picture but it’s gone!
I’m so glad everyone enjoyed it!
Did you use a boneless pork shoulder?
Yes it was boneless. 🙂
Can you use a bone in shoulder and if so,do you do anything differently?
Yes 🙂
How long for a 7 pound
pork shoulder?
Same cook time 🙂
Hosting a cuban dinner for my International cooking club tonight – can’t wait to try this! Smells amazing! Cheers from Copenhagen!
Good’! I’m Cuban and I must say your recipe is very close to the “traditional”. Just want to mention to readers that if they can find sour oranges——fresh not bottled——then use those versus mixing orange juice and lime juice to get the original real Cuban flavor. Also, adding 1/4 or 1/2 cup of dry sherry is likewise very Cuban.
Thank you so much! That’s a great suggestion! I need to try that!
Hello, I’m also Cuban. I’m use to marinating over night. Can I still do that? Or will it be to strong in flavor?
Nope, you can marinate overnight if you’d like. 🙂
What is the green garnish in the pictures? Cilantro? Thanks!
Just parsley, I have an unhealthy parsley addition, hahaha.
I have a small 2 pound shoulder. Should I adjust the cook time?
Yes, it definitely won’t take as long. I would suggest 6-7 hours on low, 4-5 on high. Enjoy!
This may be a silly question but how do you prefer to prep for the freezer. Make ahead and freeze or bag it up and freeze raw so you can thaw and drop in a crock pot later?
I usually make it and then freeze it but it really works either way. I just make so much for the blog that I tend to freeze after I’ve made it so I can share the recipes and photos with all of you too.
You mention doubling the sauce ingredients. Specifically which ingredients should be doubled?
You’ll want to double everything except the oil, salt and pepper for the sauce. You might not have to double the bay leaves either. Enjoy!
Sabrina, I live in Miami and eat a lot of Mojo Pork and I have to tell you your recipe is excellent. I made this today and it was delicious. My only food “hack” was I used fresh oranges and limes for the juice and I zested them as well and added them to the mixture for even more citrus flavor. It was a good addition. Thanks!
Thank you so much Chris! So glad you enjoyed it!!
Hi I was just wondering if ground cumin or cumin seeds were better to use?
I used ground cumin in this recipe. Enjoy!!
I made this last night. It was amazing! I am half Cuban and was seriously surprised how close it came to my late mom’s recipe. After it was all set and done I served it with sauteed onions and black beans and rice. It was a big hit! I did not add the optional water and corn starch. The only change I made was that I did not have red pepper on hand so I substituted with cayenne
(google recommended that).
Thank you so very much.
Wow, that’s a huge compliment! Thank you so much!!
Made this last week and making again this weekend for friends. So very, very delicious…will be sharing this recipe for sure! First served with beans and rice. Next night pork tacos. Thanks for the recipe!
So glad you enjoyed it!
This was a great recipe! Do you have the nutritional info for it?
Sorry I don’t have the nutritional facts for recipes on the site but I know there are a lot of free resources on the internet from when I’ve cooked for clients with low calorie diets.
Do you use fresh squeezed oranges and limes or do you recommend a certain brand or type (e.g. Simply Orange, Minuted, Pulp free)? Thanks and can’t wait to make this!
I used fresh citrus 🙂
Thank you! I bought both just in case. Making it today!
Turned out delicious and even better reheated the next night! I added the juice of more orange for more liquid since I was concerned there wasn’t enough bc the sauce only went up 1/4 of the way from the bottom of the pork shoulder in my 4.5 quart crock pot. The sauce was so good I am planning on doubling it next time as you suggest!
Awesome! Thanks for coming back to let me know how much you enjoyed it!
We recently filled our freezer with a bunch of pork from my dad’s farm. We have tons of fresh pork steaks. I could use them, right?
Yes, those would be great for this. That’s awesome that your Dad has a farm for you to get your pork from!! I’m jealous, haha!!
So, we made this dish!!! We ALL LOVED it!!! First time we ate with cooked rice as you shown on your blog. The second time, we ate as burrito style!! We just LOVE LOVE LOVE this citrus flavor!!! Definitely a keeper!! I love your slow cooker recipes! All of yours are VERY different than any other slow cooker recipes!!! Thank you so much and please keep up your amazing job!!!
You just made my day!! Thank you so much for taking the time to come back and let me know how much your family loved it!
I have a huge 10 pound pork roast to cook. Should I just double the ingredients to make enough sauce? How I’m going to brown that thing beforehand, I have no idea lol.
Because of the size of your roast, you might want to cut it in half and use 2 slow cookers. It’ll make the browning process easier too!
What about a 7 lb. bone in Boston Butt? I know the crockpot can handle it but not sure what to do with this recipe.
Just keep the cook time the same and it should be fantastic!
Can you make this without browning it first?
Absolutely. There is a lot of extra flavor gained by browning, but you 100% can do it without the browning.
Omg, soooo good! Made with black beans and rice. Yum!
Sounds like a perfect meal! Thanks for dropping back by to let me know how much you enjoyed it!
I don’t eat pork but this sauce looks so good…I’m thinking chicken thighs?
Absolutely! And even better if you brown the skin on thighs before adding them to the slow cooker!
Could you use this with beef instead of pork? Would the add-in’s taste as good?
Yes, you could use beef instead and I would suggest using a chuck roast. I would love for you to come back and let me know what you thought with switching it up. Enjoy!
So many amazing flavors packed into this pork! This would be a winner around here!
Thanks Angie!
That looks amazing…your pictures are making me hungry!
Thank you Michelle!
Holy smokes this looks sensational. Love the fact that is made in the slow cooker too!
I love letting my Slow Cooker do the cooking! Especially when it turns out this good!
Me too, it’s such a life saver!
This dish is seriously making my mouth water! Loving the flavors!
We LOVE pork in this house, but we’ve never made it this way! I cannot wait to try this!
What temp. for how long?
I got so distracted with eating it all, I totally forgot to add that! So sorry! Cook on low for 8 hours or on high for 6.
Totally!! You cook such a great food, who wouldn’t be distracted!! Thank you for replying!!! I’m so excited to make this recipe for this coming up Sunday dinner!!!
Low what temp those 275 350???
Each brand is different but a low temp setting is usually around 190 degrees.
Your slow cooker recipe for Cuban Mojo Pork did not have information on the slow cooker setting or the cook time on that setting. Would you please email me that info so I could make this recipe this weekend? Thank you
Richard Helms
So sorry about that! I just updated it. Cook on low for 8 hours or on high for 6.
This looks so succulent and perfect!
Thank you Des!
Is the pork shredded after cooking, or sliced?
I just take two forks and lightly pull it apart. 🙂