Along with truffles, dark chocolate covered strawberries and pink champagne on Valentine’s Day, I just had to serve something savory for my guests to enjoy to balance out all of the sweetness.

A friend asked if I had been cooking all day with the smells wafting in the air. I admitted I dusted off the handy dandy crock pot to slow cook pork while I was slaving away at my day job. 

Inspired by Cuban dishes I have had in the past, I decided to whip something up that could be served over cauliflower rice, with green olives, onions, garlic, fresh radish, and cilantro.

I couldn’t have been happier with this recipe, as the meat fell off the bone and flavors balanced nicely. 

Cuban Slow Cooked Pork

• 1 rack pork ribs (pastured)
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 oranges (juice of)
• 1 lime (juice of)
• 1 lemon (juice of)
• 1 large sweet potato
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 6 garlic cloves (minced)
• 1 yellow onion (sliced crosswise into rings)
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp oregano
• 6 radishes (chopped)
• 1 avocado (chopped)
• 6 sprigs cilantro (finely chopped)
• 32 ounces cauliflower rice
• 10 green olives (smashed)
• 5 whole garlic cloves (skins on)
• fleur de del salt & pepper (to taste)
• 2 whole limes (sliced into quarters)

1. Heat a skillet with olive oil over medium-high heat.

2. Cut pork rack into individual ribs (I love to cut so you have 2 ribs on each piece). Season with salt and pepper on either side.

3. Add pork ribs and brown, about 2-3 minutes on either side.

4. Chop onions crosswise into thin rings, mince garlic cloves and dice sweet potato bite-size cubes.

5. Add onions, garlic and browned ribs to the crockpot.

6. Squeeze oranges, lemon, and lime into the crockpot with the mixture and add chicken stock. Ideally, you want to cover the meat and vegetables.

7. Add spices and mix with a large spoon.

8. Set the crockpot to either 4 hours on high or 8 hours on low, depending on when you want to serve your meal (you will achieve the same result).

9. About a half hour before mealtime, heat oven to 375 degrees and heat a cast iron pan with olive oil over medium-high heat. 

10. Pour cauliflower rice into cast iron pan and stir until lightly cooked about 7 minutes.

11. Smash green olives, as you would when crushing garlic. It releases flavors and breaks the olive down. Add whole garlic cloves with skins off along with olives to the cauliflower rice.

12. Place cauliflower rice, with olives and garlic in the oven for 30 minutes. 

13. Dice radish and avocado. Mince fresh cilantro. Cut lime into quarter wedges.

14. Once cauliflower is baked, scoop into individual serving bowls. With tongs, pull out a rib and vegetables into each bowl. Ladle out cooked juice over rice and pork. 

15. Garnish with avocado, cilantro, and radish. Optionally season with salt and pepper. Place lime wedge with each serving bowl.

Want More Latin Inspired Lectin-Free Recipes?

Cumin Spiced Plantain Chips

Yucatán Salad

Grain-Free Fried Fish Tacos