Cuban Pork

I think we all tell ourselves with the coming of the New Year that we are finally going to get organized. We have good intentions, and that organization generally lasts little more than a couple of weeks. During my process of organization, I told myself that, at long last, I was going to clean out the big freezer. I really do need to use up a lot of things that I bought last year, so one morning as I was rummaging through I found a pork tenderloin. 

I was tired of doing the same old same old, recipe wise, with pork tenderloin, so started rummaging around on the Internet and found this recipe for Cuban Pork. It called for a 3-pound pork shoulder that I didn't have, but I did have a 1-pound tenderloin, so adapted the recipe to fit. The house smelled fantastic the whole time it was cooking, so much so that I could hardly wait to dig in. But, patience is a virtue when using the Crockpot, because the longer you wait, the more tender this delicious meat will become. 

This meat was so tender and so flavorful that I had a hard time stopping myself from eating it all. It would be excellent on a sandwich, but I chose to serve it as a main dish alongside a portion of cilantro rice (you can find the recipe here), and side of blanched broccoli. It was a fabulous, satisfying meal, and so ridiculously easy.

Cuban Pork

Adapted from bellyfull.net

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

¼ cup orange juice

¼ cup lime juice

¾  teaspoon salt

½  teaspoon cumin

½  teaspoon dried oregano

Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes

Freshly ground black pepper

2 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed

1 small sweet onion, sliced thin

1 bay leaf

1 1-pound pork tenderloin

In a medium bowl, whisk together the oil, orange juice, lime juice, salt, cumin, oregano, red pepper flakes, pepper, and garlic.

Make slits in the pork with a pairing knife and liberally coat pork with the oil mixture.

Place meat in the slow cooker; top with the onion and bay leaf. Pour the remaining juices from the bowl over the pork.

Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours.

Transfer pork to a cutting board and let cool slightly. Using two forks, shred into thick chunks. Return to juices in Crockpot to warm through. Serve with Cilantro Rice and spoon sauce over the top.

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