Slow Cooker Lechón Asada
Cuban abuela flavor. Set-it-and-forget-it effort.
Portion Matrix (Shredded Pork Only, Mojo Included)
Slow Cooker Lechón Asada
Tap a portion size. Watch the numbers move. That’s the whole book.
Macros: USDA FoodData Central • cooked, defatted weights • trimmed butt as written.
The Numbers Up Front
Total Cooked Yield: ~40 oz / 1130 g shredded pork (from a 4½ lb butt, aggressively trimmed)
That's: six 6 oz portions, or ten 4 oz meal-prep bowls
Default Portion: 6 oz / 170 g plated • 4 oz / 113 g in bowls
✂️ Trim Trim Trim
Trim the Boston butt hard before it hits the slow cooker, then skim the mojo liquid before re-saucing. That two-step defat is what turns a fatty cut into a lean one without losing the silky texture.
Ingredients
Use-what-you’ve-got friendly.
Sorted by dish, with the spices you probably already own kept separate.
Pork
- ◆4–5 lb Boston butt or pork shoulder, aggressively trimmed
- ◆2 tbsp kosher salt • 1 tbsp black pepper • 1 tbsp garlic powder • 1 tbsp onion powder • 1 tbsp dried oregano • 2 tsp cumin • 1 tsp smoked paprika • 1 tsp sazón (optional)
Mojo Liquid
- ◆1 cup orange juice • ¼ cup lime juice • 1 cup chicken broth • 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- ◆8–10 garlic cloves, smashed • 1 large onion, sliced • 2 bay leaves • 1 tbsp olive oil (optional)
Hi-Pro Mojo Crema (Drizzle)
- ◆1 cup nonfat Greek yogurt • ¼ cup orange juice • 2 tbsp lime juice • 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar • 1 tsp garlic powder • 1 tsp oregano • ½ tsp cumin • ½ tsp salt • optional: 1 tbsp adobo sauce
- ◆Per 1 tbsp: 10 cal • 1g protein • 0g fat • 1g carbs
Instructions — Set It and Forget It
- 1
Season — rub trimmed pork with the full spice mix.
- 2
Build the Mojo — everything liquid + aromatics into the slow cooker.
- 3
Cook — pork on top. Low 8–10 hrs or High 5–6 hrs, until shreddable.
- 4
Shred & Defat — shred with forks. Skim fat off the liquid, pour ½–1 cup back over the meat.
- 5
Whisk the crema — smooth, chill.
🧠 Why This Works
Trimming the butt hard drops it from ~23% fat to ~11% — but the connective tissue stays, melting into gelatin so the meat is silky without the grease. Skimming the mojo before re-saucing keeps the flavor and dumps the rendered fat.
🌶️ Flavor Boosters
1–2 chipotle peppers • 1–2 tbsp adobo sauce • 1 tsp achiote/annatto • cilantro stems in the pot
🔄 Use What You’ve Got
- —No sazón? Extra cumin + paprika + pinch of turmeric
- —No fresh citrus? Bottled juice works fine in the braise
- —No slow cooker? Dutch oven, 300°F, 4–5 hrs covered
- —Instant Pot? High pressure 75 min, natural release
📦 Meal Prep Notes
Keeps 4–5 days refrigerated • Freezes beautifully with a ladle of mojo (up to 3 months) • Reheat with a splash of the liquid
📊 Before & After(per bowl)
| Calories | Protein | Fat | Carbs | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Restaurant Pork Burrito Bowl | 815 | 42g | 34g | 85g |
| ⭐ Lechón Asada Bowl | 445 | 42g | 10g | 45g |
| You Saved | −370 cal | even | −24g fat | −40g carbs |
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