This dish has bright flavors and becomes incredibly easy too with the help of a slow cooker! I came up with this recipe with the flavors and style of cooking meat slowly, inspired by my friend from Cuba.
This was just wonderful! Smelled soooo good while cooking. I made exactly as written with a small exception, I had an individual bottle of OJ, just just threw the whole thing in, about 10 oz. I also cubed two sweet potatoes and added those to the crock, too. Pork was moist & flavorful, and the juices delicious over the pork. Loved this recipe! Thanks for sharing with us, arich01, it's a winner!
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Havana Slow Cooker Pork Haiku: "Way too much cumin. (And I like that spice a bunch.) Masked other flavors." I used a pork loin (not tenderloin, which I don't like to do in the crockpot), and followed the recipe as directed, but the citrus taste didn't really shine, as all I could taste was cumin. The pork itself was good, tender, and had a nice flavor, but it was just a bit heavy on the cumin.
Read MoreThis was just wonderful! Smelled soooo good while cooking. I made exactly as written with a small exception, I had an individual bottle of OJ, just just threw the whole thing in, about 10 oz. I also cubed two sweet potatoes and added those to the crock, too. Pork was moist & flavorful, and the juices delicious over the pork. Loved this recipe! Thanks for sharing with us, arich01, it's a winner!
This was very good but I cooked it for 8 hours instead of 6 so it fell apart into shredded pork. Will be excellent for sandwiches tomorrow.
Very good, sweet and spicy. I shredded the meat and served in tortillas. I had to substitute with things I had on hand, but it still worked: boneless pork sirloin chops instead of tenderloin, apple cider vinegar instead of red wine vinegar, bottled lemon juice instead of a real lemon. I also added a bag of frozen grilled red and yellow peppers. Will definitely make this again!
Havana Slow Cooker Pork Haiku: "Way too much cumin. (And I like that spice a bunch.) Masked other flavors." I used a pork loin (not tenderloin, which I don't like to do in the crockpot), and followed the recipe as directed, but the citrus taste didn't really shine, as all I could taste was cumin. The pork itself was good, tender, and had a nice flavor, but it was just a bit heavy on the cumin.
I try to refrain from making too many alterations to a recipe, but sometimes you have to use good judgment when it comes to adding seasonings. Everyone’s tastes are different. For example, my husband likes cumin, but not a strong cumin taste. In my case, it’s lemon. I can tolerate a little bit of lemon, but not a lot. Then there's cayenne. Some can take the heat, some not. With all of that said, I really wanted to try something new with pork. I adjusted the cumin, grated lemon peel, and cayenne to a level that our tastes would accept. I also baked this in the oven with a watchful eye because tenderloins will dry out quickly if not cooked properly. After it was cooked, I thickened the pan drippings with corn starch and made a thin gravy for spooning over the top. Needless to say, this was absolutely amazing!
Great recipe. I followed the recipe exactly except... Sorry, I had to do that. I hate it when people write reviews like that. Really, I've made this twice, according to the recipe, and it is wonderful! My family loves it!!!
I've made it a few times now and want to share my observances. I always sub the red wine vinegar with raw apple cider vinegar. I always double the amount of onions. Instead of a few tablespoons of minced garlic, I use SEVERAL whole cloves of roasted garlic that you can get at the antipasto bar at whole foods/sprouts, etc. The whole cloves become so soft and buttery when soaked that long with the onions in the juicy base—also, when you double all that stuff, it's great for adding to tacos! Also! Yesterday I also added 3 chopped chipotle peppers (seeds removed) as well as a cup of finely chopped fresh pineapple (and didn't add the grated lemon peel). Mad flavor. Try it!
What can I say - excellent. I always brown my roasts or tenderloins before putting them in the slow cooker, so that's the only thing I did differently. I browned it with a little flour and salt/pepper coating. Other than that nothing else so differently. Yummy!
This was amazingly good and very easy. I followed the recipe exactly except to increase the orange juice to 1 cup and decrease the red pepper to 1/4 tsp. I used a little over 4 lbs of pork tenderloin, cooked it on low and it was done in a little over 4 hours. I served it with black beans (canned, I added a little onion, garlic and red wine vinegar) and brown rice. Delicious, fast dinner.
My roast was a 5-lb Pork loin, but I decided this sounded very good and went ahead and tried it. I did increase the cooking time to 8 hours but pretty much kept the ingredients the same, maybe a bit more garlic and OJ. I pulled my meat out and cleared the top fat off, gave that to the begging dog. Then I easily shredded my meat and added it back in the crock and left it on warm while I prepared my rice. I was quite pleased with the flavor and juiciness of the pork. I served it over yellow rice and Cuban Black beans I and topped it all with Maui Girl's Mango salsa, all can be found on AR. Everyone loved the meal!
This was so amazing! It cooked perfectly in the slow cooker and my kids (who balk at ANYTHING new) loved it! I added a squeeze of lime and fresh cilantro just before serving and served it with plantains and balkbeans and rice. I will make this 1000 ways for any meal where I need a foolproof, amazing dish.
This was great and everyone loved it! I forgot to put the red pepper in, but really didn't miss it. Otherwise I made according to recipe. Served with Rice and steamed broccoli. Also had crushed, warmed pineapple to put on it. That brought it over the top. We plan to use the leftovers with corn tortillas, the pineapple, fresh cilantro for some amazing tacos. Will definitely make again!
Very easy and tasty. I cooked on low for 4 hours, then switched to keep warm for 2 more hours until we were ready to eat. The meat was too dry for my liking, next time make sure that we are ready to eat at the 3-4 hour mark and not to leave it on keep warm for 2 more hours... (you could probably make this with frozen tenderloin, but you would need more time, this time the tenderloin I started with was not frozen) I think that is what dried it out because when I tasted it at 3-4 hours, it was delicious. Also, I didn't have orange juice and so I added some juice from squeezed sea buckthorn berries. This was very sour so I added some syrup to balance this. I also added a small handful of cranberries for some colour and fun. This was delicious and I will make this again.
This was delicious! I made it exactly as it is. My family says this is a keeper. I served it along with honey roasted sweet potatoes. Another reviewer put them in the slow cooker. I may try that another time but knew I would make sandwiches with the leftovers this time. Great recipe!
Very tasty. On the spicy side given the grill seasoning, red pepper, and all that cumin. I'll probably only use only 2 tsp of cumin next time. Note this worked well (and cooked in under an hour) as a traditional braise: brown meat in cast iron dutch oven on stovetop, then deglaze pan w/ orange juice. Add spices, place onions in the juice, then meat on top, cover and place in 350°F oven for about an hour. Done when meat is fork tender, or reaches temp of 160°F or higher. Serve with black beans and rice pilaf... yum!
Only used a teaspoon of cumin and it was way too much!!! Done in four hours. Would not make again:(
Well, when I stared putting all the ingredients in the crock pot, I noticed someone drank the orange juice I had set aside (kids!). I found some raw coconut pineapple juice and used that instead. What a great idea that was! I added a little more red pepper flakes and used a sweet onion as the base. I shredded it and served on top of rice that I steamed with Cuban black beans. .a little squeeze of lime and some queso fresco. So yummy! We're going to take the leftovers camping this weekend and make sliders on sweet Hawaiian rolls with pineapple Cole slaw. Good stuff!
Made this last night - was concerned it would be to spicy - it literally tuned out perfect. Love good Cuban Pork
Try it with pork chops...even better than with chicken. Double the sauce, as it is so tasty. I added a splash of chicken broth as well.
4.15.18 Oh yeah, this one’s the real deal folks. I live in Florida, have eaten a fair amount of Cuban food, and this is a very good recipe. And the fact that it’s “slow cooker” definitely is another plus for it. This is so easy, you don’t even have to brown the meat. Followed the recipe, and the only change I would make in the future would be to cut back the cumin just a little. The citrusy juice is reminiscent of mojo pork, but this certainly has its own identity. I had a smaller pork tenderloin, and it was overcooked (my bad) when I inserted a meat thermometer, but it didn’t matter, it still was plenty tender and juicy. Served with yellow rice and black beans, and Cuban Banana Casserole over vanilla ice cream for dessert. My hubby said he didn’t care what we had today for his birthday dinner, but I can tell you he was one happy man with this meal. Amanda, thanks for sharing your recipe, this one’s a definite keeper!
Ah-mazing! I did cut the cumin by half but loved this so much I almost ate the whole thing myself.
This was so easy and yummy, even my kids liked it! Only change I made was to double the orange juice.
My husband couldn't stop eating this! Even our 3-year-old liked it. I think I had it in the cooker too long (8+ hours, while at work), because it ended up as pulled pork instead of sliced. Also, since I only had 1lb of pork I reduced the spices accordingly, but not the liquid. As it is, it was almost too dry (especially as pulled pork). If you're going to have it cook longer than recommended, I'd suggest adding a bit more liquid.
This was a great week night meal. My family loved it. I added a bit of adobo and sazon for extra flavor.
gorgeous recipe, very big flavours. i subbed a couple of items, i used red wine instead of red wine vinegar & italian seasoning in place of steak seasoning. will def make this again.
The husband went crazy over this. Only modification was I used orange pineapple juice because that's all I had handy. It only enhance the flavors. Great recipe!!
We loved this! I used 1/2 tablespoon of cumin after reading other reviews. It had just the right amount of Cuban flavor. we will definitely be making this again.
Cook carrots and sweet potatoes Leftovers- saute bell pepper, onion and added pork and sauce to saute- add salsa- serve over rice
So delicious, my new go-to pork tenderloin recipe! The only change I made was omitting the red wine vinegar as I had none on hand.
Leftovers make delicious tacos! Just shred, add a squeeze of lime and cilantro in a soft corn tortilla topped with cheese or sour cream - yum!
The lemon and garlic were a perfect pair to really bring this dish over the top! My husband and I loved the steak seasoning, which brought the extra spiciness. One of my favorite slow cooker recipes thus far!
We doubled this for a dinner party and Every last person was raving about it... down to my 5yo son! We will definitely be making this again. Soon!
I think the only thing I did different was I added closer to a cup of orange juice, to finish the bottle. It came out SO good, don't mess with the recipe the first time you make it. There is so much flavor already! I will definitely make this again!
I love coming home to the smell of this in the slow cooker. This is a wonderful meal. I usually use a pork loin instead of a pork tenderloin and sear the outside of it, but I keep everything else the same. I serve it with the Quick and Easy Black Beans and Rice (from this site) and some fried plantains. Wonderful and easy meal. I remove the juices from the slow cooker and leave the leftover pork marinating in the remaining sauce. I have made this a couple of times and my husband has always been away, travelling for work so he never had the opportunity to try it fresh made. The one time he came home and had it the next day as leftovers and still raved about how good it was.
Made this exactly as written-not impressed. Seasoning was so over powering that flavor of meat disappeared. Broth very sour.
Loved it! Great mojo seasoning, I won't buy the bottle ever again! I did make a couple of changes; I decreased the amount of cumin and crushed red pepper as the other reviewers suggested. Used lime juice because I didn't have a lemon, and used a 1 lb pork tenderloin, because it was just two of us. About 45 minutes before dinner, I added a rinsed can of black beans. Served it over rice. Delish!
I use the recipe pretty much to written. As advised by others I cut down on the cumin by using only 3/4 tablespoon, used lemon juice instead, added a dash of chipotle spice for heat, used red onions and 2/3 orange juice. The flavor I found to be subtle and wish I added more spice. I cooked it for 5 1/2 hours and it was perfect! So tender! I cooked the left over juice in a pan with some flour to thicken it to a light gravy, really added to the pork dish. I'm using the remain pork for making Cubano sandwiches!
We made this exactly as the recipe directed and it was absolutely delicious! The flavor was incredible with all the spices--and not over the top on heat. We're already talking about making it again. Maybe shredding it and serving with potatoes or flatbread?
Delicious ! I did have two unexpected substitutions...plastic lemon juice instead of fresh lemon and zest and red wine and distilled vinegar instead of red wine vinegar. Despite the substitutions it turned out wonderful! Smelled so good while cooking, and tasted great, I recommend!
I have to agree with most people here. This is so good!! I added some sliced peppers and mushrooms along with the onions to create a trivet, and then blended the whole thing into a sauce. I also had my pork falling apart by that's not really a complaint. Thank you for sharing.
Oh wow, was this ever great. Didn't and wouldn't change a thing. I served mine over yellow rice. SO GOOD.
Made this recipe exactly and it was just ok. I was expecting more citrus flavor from the lemon and orange but it was just kinda bland. I used two pork tenderloins.
My family liked it. And who doesn't like the convenience of a slow cooker. Had a little zing to it. Excellent on some hard rolls or good buns.
EVERYBODY LOVED IT Lime juice instead of lemon juice No cumin Basil instead of bay leaf
My husband and I absolutely loved this dish. I cut down on the amount of red pepper as I don't like things too spicy and used Sunny D (all I had) in place of the OJ. One of my favorite dinners that we have had in a while!
I loved it! I do not feel it needs to cook for 6 hours. I pulled mine at about 5 hours as it was more crumbly than sliced pork. This is great for sandwiches or cold on top of a salad. The only thing I did different was I used 1/2 tsp. of red pepper flakes vs. a tsp. of ground red pepper because that is what I had on hand.
Liked the flavor, of course I didn't have lemon or lime even, but I dumped on the Texas Roadhouse steak seasoning and cumin and sped up the cooking time by putting the slow cooker on high and it turned out good.
Found it a bit dry, but then this was the first time we had ever eaten tenderloin. Prepared it as instructed, although I reduced the heavier spices a bit as I do not like things too 'hot.' We had too much leftover due to the large amount--since it was meant for 2, I believe I have several servings left. My daughter says: "The meat makes for an excellent pork sandwich!"
I made it according the the recipe and directions with the exception of searing my tenderloin; before cooking:; which is something I do with all "roasts" . This was delicious and a huge hit with my family. I shredded it and we ate it with rice on tortillas. I will make this again. Such a nice change from the typical loin roast with mushrooms and potatoes!!
Very tasty. Easy to make. I used concentrated lemon juice, so I didn’t have the lemon zest to add. Next time I’ll get a lemon. I used extra cumin as well. Served it with homemade Mac & cheese and field peas. Delicious.
Added more oj. It was amazing! We ate everything! The onions were an additional yum that I was not expecting. I will make this again.
My family loves this recipe! Because tenderloin does not need long cooking, I generally cook in a 12” skillet, starting with browning the meat, then adding onions, sautéing until soft, then the garlic for 30 seconds, then the liquids and spices. About 10 minutes later, it is done! Very tender. Also I double the liquids and spices, because my husband could just drink the juice! This recipe is a keeper!
I made it for our dinner last night using 5 pound pork loin. The cumin was way too much., however I only put the seasonings on top of the pork that way if we didn't like the seasonings we could just cut that portion off. The pork cooked for 6 hours and was perfectly tender.
Really good and spicy. Moist and easy to put together. Followed directions exactly. Next time will try to thicken up the broth to make it more like a gravy instead of an au jus.
This was absolutely delicious. We sliced off what we wanted for dinner that night, and shredded the rest for sandwiches later on in the week. The spice combo gave it a good, strong flavor with a little kick, and the meat was flavored all the way through.
The seasoning was great, but my pork was really dry after cooking on low for 6 hours - like hard to swallow! This might be better with a fattier cut, like a pork shoulder.
followed recipe except lighter on the red pepper and cumin (personal taste ). cooked 4 hrs and it was perfect. great leftovers too!
This was delicious! I cut down the hot spices somewhat and it was still really spicy. Great with mashed potatoes to absorb some of the flavorful juices.
This was awesome. I made it in the slow cooker and it has a great taste. The only I would do different is add a little water and add more onions and garlic. The rest of the ingredients is fine. Everyone in my household loved this dish and my son hates pork. ;-)
Yes, the smell was amazing! It was fun to make and my family loved it. My lips burned a little but not too much:) it was just a little too spicy for my taste but I will make it again. I was also so happy that it looked like the picture.
This smells amazing when cooking. The complexity of flavors are wonderful. My downfall was I cooked it too long, and it became a little dry so be mindful of the cooking time for the best results.
Super yummy and a wonderful new dish for us to try! I thickened the juices with a little cornstarch before serving, the gravy thus made was scrumptious although DS did not care for it (he isn't too fond of a strong vinegar taste). My tenderloin was 1.5 lbs and I cooked on low for 6 hours; probably wouldn't have hurt to pull it out at 4 or 5 but it wasn't dried out. Excellent Sunday supper, thanks Amanda for sharing this recipe!
Oh my goodness. Yes! Made it just as the recipe called for except I cooked it in the oven instead of slow cooker. I cooked it for 1 hour, covered with foil, at 350 then uncovered, basted with the juices, for 15 minutes longer at 400. Delicious and the leftovers make great sandwiches the next day.
What a great recipe, it smelled incredible simmering all day and tasted just as wonderful!! I used a well-trimmed 2 pound pork tenderloin, and adjusted seasonings for our taste (omitted salt and reduced cayenne to 1/2 tsp). I poured juices with onion over sliced pork, and served with mashed potatoes, veggies & crusty bread. So much flavor! Can’t wait to make this again!!
I've never been able to properly cook a pork tenderloin. They've turned out dry and flavorless. But this one turned out really well. Even my children loved it. I did add a bit more broth and my loin was only 2lbs. I also reduced cooking time to about 4.5 hours. If I'd cooked it as long as recommended it would have been just as dry as my tenderloins always do. This is a really easy and delicious recipe that I will be adding to my monthly repertoire.
Great. Cut back on the cumin based upon some reviews, but I think I could have used the whole tablespoon. my 2.2 pound tenderloin was done in four hours on low. served with spicy black beans and yellow rice. Wifey poo and I really dug this recipe.
Turned out great. I used 16pz pf orange juice. I used balsamic vinegar. It's what I had on hand. I used 1/2 the amount of cumin. My wife love it, as did I. I really loved that I threw everything in the crock pot and then worked on the house. Easy and delicious.!!
I used half the cumin suggested because it seemed like a lot and others had said it overpowered the other flavors. I also omitted the lemon. It was quite tasty and smelled great cooking. I was surprised at how yummy it was and my husband loved it which considering it wasn't drowning in BBQ sauce like all pork should be is a great feat all unto itself. :)
I really wanted this to work. Cooking a roast in a crock pot is a challenge. I cut back on the cumin and should have cut back on the lemon ..... way too lemony. I never thought that would be an issue, but it was. We love onions and the smells were so wonderful. I doubt if I would make it again ..... too much competition. I am happy I tried it.
The adults in my family all agreed that this was a wonderful recipe... Excellent flavors... but not all of us were used to so much heat. I had already reduced the red pepper by half but that was still a little too hot for some of our tastes even though We all still really enjoyed it. The kids really couldn't eat it. Next time I may try pairing it with something to cool it down a bit... Rice or avocados and maybe omitting the red pepper to get the kiddos to eat it. I had added sweet potatoes and carrots but the sweet potatoes absorbed quite a bit of the spice. I will absolutely make this again, I just may have to play with it to help the little ones to enjoy it a bit more. Thank you for sharing the recipe!
This is a foolproof recipe to prepare in the morning and eat after work. Great flavor, very moist and a perfect slow cooker meal. I added a little extra garlic, apple cider vinegar and celery.
I made this as is, except for adding about 1/4 cup more orange juice. I was worried about the reviews regarding the cumin. When I first tasted it I thought it was super spicy and my husband would hate it, but he loved it. We both enjoyed it very much. Paired it with a cool salad and sides of black beans with garlic and green bell peppers, white rice and flour tortillas. Soooo good and even great the next day. We were still raving about it the next evening.
Delicious. I used a pork shoulder, and it was stellar on black beans and rice, as well as cuban sandwiches.
The onions and liquid were great (flavorful and slightly sweet), but the meat was dry and kind of bland. We'll eat it, and we might use the recipe for juices in another meal, but we definitely won't cook pork this way again.
Will make again! I made it as written. When it was done cooking I spooned the juices to a pot, boiled it, added some flour to thicken, added pepper, a little chicken bouillon and about 3/4 cup water. It was the most flavorful gravy to pour over the pork which was on a bed of rice.
That is a pork LOIN, not a pork TENDERLOIN. Never put a pork TENDERLOIN in a crockpot. Makes about as much sense as boiling a filet mignon! Sub out the pork TENDERLOIN with a pork LOIN. You'll save a buttload of money and still have an excellent dinner.
I used a pork shoulder. Followed this pretty closely, except I added 1 Tbl of oregano and used lemon pepper. I slow cooked it for 8.5 hours to make shredded pork. For a twist - sometimes I throw in a small can of cubed pineapple, with the juice.
You cannot go wrong with this recipe. The meat is succulent, flavorful, and aromatic!
We made the recipe according to directions and it was really good. The flavour was on the mild side, but not too sweet or salty. Will make again. Ours turned into shredded pork as well which was fine.
