Name: Slow Cooker Cuban Pork Tacos
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 8 h
Total time: 8 h 15 min
Yield: 8
Ingredients: 4 slices bacon, chopped; 2 1/2 lb. boneless pork loin; 1 teaspoon alt; 1 teaspoon black pepper; 1 large onion, diced; 1/2 green pepper, chopped; 6 garlic cloves, minced; 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and diced; 2 teaspoons oregano; 2 teaspoons paprika; 2 Tablespoons cumin; 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper; 2 1/2 c. chicken broth; 3/4 c. orange juice; 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained; 1/2 c. fresh cilantro, chopped; 2 c. cooked rice; 8 soft tortillas; 3/4 c. shredded cheddar cheese

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Cuban Pork Tacos are sweet, spicy, and smoky and are made in the Slow Cooker for an easy weeknight meal.

I started thinking about my resolutions a few weeks ago. One that is related to my blog is that I want to make recipes that require less prep time and hands on time for during the week when I work. By the time I get home I’m usually tired and I don’t want to spend numerous hours preparing and then cooking dinner.

That often means using the slow cooker or the Instant Pot. I love coming home after work and having dinner ready to eat.

While I know some slow cooker recipes require significant prep time, I’ve bookmarked quite a few that are thrown together in under 15 minutes and that make a complete meal.

I wanted to share this Cuban pork with beans and rice because it made a huge amount and we ended up eating it three different ways. Talk about short prep time! I love being able to cook once for several days, especially when I can make three different meals out of one cooking.

Ingredients:

bacon
boneless pork loin (you could also use pork shoulder)
salt and pepper
onion (I prefer a sweet onion but you can use your favorite)
green bell pepper (feel free to use any color bell pepper)
garlic cloves
jalapeno pepper (you can use fresh or jarred)
dried oregano
paprika
cumin
cayenne pepper (optional)
chicken broth (or vegetable broth)
orange juice
black beans (I use canned but you can use dried and cook them the entire time)
fresh cilantro

This recipe is fairly easy to make. The only prep it really requires is to cook the bacon before you add everything to the slow cooker.

My husband and I had a debate about the bacon as well. The bacon is cooked then added to the slow cooker so it gets really soft but adds flavor to the pork.

He thinks that you should put half the bacon into the slow cooker and save the other half to keep crispy and put on top of the pork once it’s cooked. Which is a good option so keep that in mind after you fry the bacon.

what is cuban pork?

Cuban pork is a popular traditional dish from Cuba. It is made from marinated and roasted pork which results in a tender and flavorful meat. The marinade typically consists of a combination of citrus juice, usually orange or lime, garlic, oregano, cumin, and other spices. The pork is marinated for several hours or overnight to allow the flavors combine with the meat.

Can I use dried black beans?

I originally used dried black beans in this recipe but it’s a bit of a pain. You need to rinse the beans to remove any debris. Then you should soak the beans. You can soak them overnight or do a quick soak. I generally do the quick soak which is placing the beans in boiling hot water, covering, and leaving them for an hour. If you choose to use dried black beans put them in the slow cooker with the pork at the beginning of the recipe.

Can I make Cuban pork in the instant pot?

You can make this in the Instant Pot. I cooked the bacon first then put everything except the black beans in the Instant Pot. I closed the lid and cooked on high pressure for 30 minutes. I let it naturally release steam for 10 minutes then released the remaining steam.

Next I shredded the pork and returned it to the Instant Pot. I also added my canned black beans. I put the lid back on, put it on Slow Cooker setting, and cooked it for 30 more minutes.

The original recipe calls for the pork and black beans to be served over rice. We actually had this as our second meal because my husband had a better idea for the original meal.

My husband thought it would be a good idea to make pork tacos using the pork, beans, and rice inside soft tortillas. They turned out great and were really filling because of the addition of both rice and beans in the tacos.

You can use whatever toppings you’d like on your tacos. We used cheddar cheese, sour cream, and salsa. My husband added additional jalapenos but I thought the tacos were spicy enough without them.

More taco recipes:

The third day we decided to use the pork to make Cuban Pork Nachos. I put the remaining pork and beans over top of tortilla chips along with some cheese and baked them in the oven for 10 minutes. They turned out great!

So if you are looking for an easy to make dinner that can be eaten three different ways make sure to give this Slow Cooker Cuban Pork a try!

If you’ve tried my Slow Cooker Cuban Pork Tacos or any other recipe on Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks please take a minute to rate the recipe and leave a comment letting me know how you liked it. I love hearing from you! You can FOLLOW ME on: