Derek and I both really like Mexican flavors. So one day as we were trying to plan meals for the week we started talking about needing a slow cooker meal for one night and talking about enjoying Mexican flavors, Derek comes upon this list of 20 Slow Cooker Mexican Favorites on Better Home and Gardens website. After looking through all the great recipes on the list we were inspired by Jerk Pork with Lime Mayo…. Yes jerk pork, very Mexican right? I have no idea how it ended up on that list. Anyway, we ended up going our own direction with the pork and making a homemade lime aioli.
The cooker Jamaican Jerk pork in this recipe will leave you with lots of options for a meal and for leftovers. In fact, we weren’t even 100% sure if we wanted to make tacos or pulled pork sandwiches until we got home from work the first time we made this.
Turns out we made the right choice turning them into tacos with fresh mango, red onions, and a light and fresh lime aioli. Best of all, like all slow cooker meals you walk into your house to the smell of dinner.
Here’s what you need:
We started by making the lime aioli the day before (we knew we’d make tacos eventually even if it wasn’t the first night) but you can definitely make it right before shredding the pork. In a food processor combine egg yolks, the zest and juice of a lime, a pinch of salt, and a clove of grated garlic. Then with the food processor running begin streaming in some olive oil.
I used about a ½ cup of olive oil. Stream it in really slowly. You’re trying to emulsify the oil with the other ingredients. It will eventually become thick like this:
Now prep the pork for the slow cooker. We used a pork sirloin roast. If there is a thick fat cap on the pork, trim it to about a quarter of an inch thick. Rub the pork generously with Jamaican Jerk seasoning and thyme. Place in your slow cooker. I made this in my Cuisinart 3-1/2 Quart Slow Cooker
Pour in pineapple and orange juice.
Cook on low for 8 hours.
Shred the pork mixture and mix in a squeeze or two of lime juice and if you like some of the cooking liquid. To make tacos, serve with tortillas, lettuce, mango, onion, and the lime aioli.
I added a squeeze of fresh lime to my tacos as I was eating them. This turned out to be a light, fresh, meal that we both really enjoyed.
Like most slow cooker recipes – especially when you try to cook for two –this one makes plenty of leftovers. You could use it in so many different ways:
Quesadillas
Pizza – with Monterrey jack, mango, red onion, bbq sauce.
Pork Sandwiches w Grilled Pineapple
To make the pork sandwiches, we grilled strips of fresh pineapple for about 3 minutes a side until dark grill marks appeared. Then built the sandwich with pineapple, pork, and cheese. We put this on the warming rack of the grill until the cheese melted.
- Lime Aioli:
- 2 pasteurized egg yolks
- 1 lime, zest and juice
- Pinch of salt
- 1 clove garlic
- ½ c extra virgin olive oil
- Pork Tacos:
- 2-1/4 lb sirloin pork roast (fat cap trimmed to ¼ inch)
- 2 T Jamaican Jerk seasoning
- ½ t thyme
- ¾ c pineapple juice
- ¾ c orange juice
- 2 limes
- Mango, chopped
- Red onion, chopped
- Lettuce
- Flour tortillas
- Make the lime aioli by mixing together the eggs, lime zest and juice, salt, and garlic in a food processor. With the machine running slowly stream in olive oil until the mixture thickens to a mayo like consistency.
- Season the pork roast with the Jamaican jerk seasoning and the thyme. Place in the slow cooker. Cook over low heat for 8 hours.
- Remove from the slow cooker and shred the pork. Squeeze on the juice of 1-2 limes (to taste) and if desired add a little of the cooking liquid.
- If making tacos, serve with warmed flour tortillas, lime aioli, mango, red onion and lettuce.
- Save the leftovers for sandwiches, pizza, or quesadillas.
I’m at work and your pictures of the tacos make me hungry! Mom