Slow Cooker Mexican Shredded Pork

Ingredients

• 1 cancrushed or diced tomatoes
• ½onion, roughly chopped
• 3 clovesgarlic
• 1 bunchfresh coriander
• 1 packettaco seasoning
• 1.36 kg (3 lb)pork loin roast
• to tastesalt
• optional; amount not specifiedtinned black beans

Instructions

1. 1

   Load the slow cooker

   Pour the tomatoes into the slow cooker and set the pork on top, with the fat side facing up. Add the remaining ingredients, keeping some coriander aside for garnish. Peel the garlic but leave the cloves whole.

2. 2

   Cook the pork

   Cook on high for several hours. After about 3–4 hours, turn the setting to low if the pork seems close to done. If it will be cooking all day, start it on low instead.

3. 3

   Shred and season

   The pork is ready when it falls apart easily. Remove the fat, shred the meat and return it to the tomato juices to cook a little longer. Take out the garlic chunks or mash them and stir them through. Taste and adjust with salt, more taco seasoning or hot sauce if desired.

What is Mexican shredded pork?

Shredded pork is meat cooked until tender enough to pull apart, then mixed with its cooking juices. This version takes Mexican-inspired flavours from taco seasoning, tomatoes, garlic and fresh coriander.

Pork loin is leaner than some cuts often used for pulled pork, so the tomato-rich juices help keep the shredded meat flavourful. Serve it in tacos, bowls or sandwiches.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 190 calories, 30g protein, 2g carbs, 5g fat.

Most of the carbohydrates come from the tomatoes, onion and taco seasoning, while the pork provides most of the protein and the main share of the fat. Pair a serving with vegetables and a suitable portion of rice or tortillas for a more complete plate.

Choosing the ingredients

Pork loin: use a roast that fits comfortably in your slow cooker. Its relatively low fat content makes it especially useful to keep the meat in the cooking juices after shredding.

Tomatoes and seasoning: crushed tomatoes make a more even sauce, while diced tomatoes leave a chunkier texture. Taco seasoning brings the main spice blend, so check the flavour before adding extra salt.

Set up the slow cooker

Fat side up: place the roast on top of the tomatoes with its fat facing upwards, as directed. The tomato base surrounds the meat as it cooks.

Whole garlic: the cloves can go in peeled and unchopped. Once cooked, remove them for a milder result or mash them into the juices for more garlic flavour.

Check for tenderness

Doneness: the recipe’s cue is that the pork should fall apart easily. If it still resists when you try to shred it, it needs more cooking time.

Timing: the method gives several hours on high, with a possible switch to low after about 3–4 hours if the pork is nearly ready. For a longer, all-day cook, start on low; use tenderness rather than the clock alone to judge when it is done.

Keep the meat juicy

After shredding: return the pork to the tomato juices and let it cook a little longer. This helps the strands take on the sauce rather than leaving the meat dry.

Final seasoning: taste the meat and juices before adding salt, more taco seasoning or hot sauce. Reserve some fresh coriander for a bright garnish.

Ways to serve it

Tacos and bowls: spoon the pork into tortillas or serve it over rice with your chosen toppings. Tinned black beans are an optional addition from the recipe.

Sandwiches: use the shredded pork as a filling, adding some of the tomato juices for moisture. Keep extra juices on the side if you prefer a less saucy sandwich.

Recipe notes & tips

• Keep some coriander aside before adding the rest to the slow cooker.
• Use a slow cooker large enough to hold the roast without crowding it.
• Start on low if the pork will cook for most of the day.
• Wait until the pork is easy to pull apart before shredding it.
• Return the shredded meat to the cooking juices before serving.
• Taste before adding extra salt, as taco seasoning can already be salty.

Variations

• Add black beans: stir in tinned black beans as an optional accompaniment.
• Make it hotter: add hot sauce to taste when seasoning the shredded pork.
• Use diced tomatoes: choose them instead of crushed tomatoes for a chunkier sauce.
• Add extra coriander: scatter more fresh coriander over the pork just before serving.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Shredding too soon: if the pork does not fall apart easily, keep cooking until tender.
• Discarding all the juices: return the shredded meat to them so it can absorb flavour.
• Adding salt too early: taste the pork after cooking, then season as needed.
• Leaving garlic cloves whole in the finished dish: remove them or mash them into the juices before serving.
• Using all the coriander in the cooker: reserve some for garnish as the method directs.

How to store

Refrigerate leftover pork in an airtight container with some of its cooking juices and use within 3–4 days. Reheat until steaming hot, adding a little of the reserved juices if needed to keep it moist.

Frequently asked questions