Keto Cuban Pork (Lechón) Made In A Slow Cooker

This flavor-packed recipe for keto Cuban pork (lechón) is an authentic Cuban dish made easily in a slow cooker.

Enjoy all the classic flavors of Cuban “pernil” pork with minimal prep and effort by making it in a crockpot. If you are familiar with Cuban cuisine, you know that it’s common practice to roast the entire pig.

No doubt, pork cooked in a caja China is a very delicious way to eat pork, but it’s also tons of work.

Cuban pork, lechón asado, is commonly made for special celebrations and holidays because it’s usually a labor-intensive meal.

Thankfully, it doesn’t have to be since you can get equally great results in a crockpot.

The secret to this delicious pork dish lies in the tasty mojo marinade. Mojo simply means sauce.

Cuban criollo mojos recipes can vary, but they generally agree on a few basic ingredients, such as sour oranges or Seville oranges, fresh garlic, salt, and pepper.

My recipe for keto mojo pork includes some extra herbs and spices since this is how I was taught to make pernil.

Cuban food, to this day, is my go-to food for comfort. This is why a keto Cuban pork recipe that could be easily made in a slow cooker became a must in my world.

Be sure to check out our entire collection of Keto Cuban Food for more delicious options!

Keto Cuban Pork (Lechón)

Roasted pork, lechón, is served regularly here in South Florida, but making sure I had a way to enjoy it on a low carb/ keto diet was a way to honor my heritage and still stay compliant with the keto lifestyle.

Pork is actually a great option for anyone doing keto who consumes meat. Seasoning it with a Caribbean twist just makes it extra flavorful.

By now, you may have guessed that I am of Spanish descent. My dad is Cuban, and my mom was born in the Dominican Republic.

This simply means that although I was born in the United States, I have proudly retained my Spanish roots.

This isn’t difficult to accomplish if you grew up in Miami, as I did. There is a large Hispanic presence here, and frankly, I never grew up feeling like a minority.

And I’m grateful for my Hispanic heritage. Without a doubt, growing up, my parents did a great job of making sure I never forgot my roots.

How To Make Keto Mojo Pork

Nothing beats a whole hog that has been lovingly cooked for hours in a Caja China. It’s basically a wood box lined in metal that is then topped with a charcoal tray. 

Cooking in a Caja China is an all-day event that builds the anticipation of the lechón finally being ready to eat. If ever invited, don’t turn down the opportunity to experience the excitement behind this meal.

But let’s face it, who has time to cook this way on a regular basis? This is why I use a slow cooker when I am craving mojo pork.

After the lechón is cooked in the slow cooker, I place the shredded meat under the broiler for a few minutes to allow the meat to crisp up perfectly.

You can make keto mojo pork with basically any cut of pork. With a fattier cut of meat, such as shoulder or pork butt, you will end up with a shredded style similar to carnitas.

If you choose to use fresh, uncured ham or shoulder joint, you will be able to slice the lechón.

What Are Sour Seville Oranges?

Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.

As far as the mojo marinade goes, I use sour oranges, lots of fresh garlic, cumin, paprika, and oregano.

If you are not familiar with sour oranges, they are also known as bigarade oranges, bitter oranges, and marmalade oranges. These oranges are quite sour and would not be eaten raw in the same way you would eat navel oranges.

You can purchase sour oranges at local Hispanic or Caribbean supermarkets labeled as “naranja agria”.

However, if you cannot find them, they can be substituted with a mixture of limes and unsweetened orange juice. This substitution will not exactly have the same taste profile, but it will still be quite delicious.

Another option is to use bottled sour oranges such as Goya’s Marinade, Naranja Agria.

Keto Lechón Made In A Slow Cooker

Because we don’t have the luxury of eating pork that has been cooked slowly in a Caja China, a slow cooker will have to do.

The good news, though, is that cooking a low-carb keto lechón in a slow cooker makes for one delicious option.

This recipe is a nod to my dad’s homeland and reminds me of the importance of a good meal shared among family and friends.

So how does a low-carber accompany her? Easy, with a side of cilantro-lime cauliflower rice and a green salad.

Around these parts, saying no to high-carb foods like rice, beans, and platanitos (sweet plantains) gets lots of stares and questions.

You can also serve this keto mojo pork as carnitas using our keto tortilla recipe.

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I sure hope you will give some of this easy keto Cuban pork recipe a try. Once you do, make sure you remember to tag us on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest.

It’s what keeps us encouraged to keep sharing and perfecting our recipes.

And if you have any leftovers, be sure to try making our keto pulled pork casserole for another delicious meal.

Also, check out our Amazon Store for our recommendations. You might be surprised by how many great keto options are at your disposal.

Be sure to also visit our Keto Hispanic Food for more Latin recipes!

Join Our Jesus And Keto Movement 

Randy and I came to the keto diet looking at it from a Christian perspective; it’s the filter we choose to see from.

When we decided to combine our Christian faith and the keto diet, we did so in hopes of finding lasting transformation.

To say we needed God’s intervention is to put it mildly. When we followed the Holy Spirit’s lead to embrace the ketogenic diet and combine it with our faith, we got on the path to real transformation.

If you are looking for a Christian group that is using the keto diet to transform their lives, we invite you to join our Private Facebook Group and see if it’s not the key you have been missing.

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