There were a few years during college that I didn’t eat meat, and for the most part, I was ok with that. But, there were two things that I missed dearly that not a plant product on earth could come close to being the satisfying. Those two things were pork and Chick-fil-A chicken. I love living in Latin America, but everytime I am back in the US, Chick-fil-A and southern bbq pork are usually my first two meal request. Baby spinach and crunchy apples also make the list, because sometimes the things you miss from your home country are weird. While I might not be able to get a Whitt’s pulled pork sandwich without an international flight involved, I can definitely still enjoy pulled pork with local flavors. Chimichurri is one of my favorite sauces thanks to the combination of the bright, fresh parsley and cilantro, the sour vinegar and fruity olive oil. Although it is most popular served alongside beef, chimichurri pairs also perfectly with pork. This recipe for succulent slow cooker chimichurri pork sandwiches is easy, flavorful and sure to be put on repeat.
What exactly is chimichurri?
Step aside Heinz 57. There’s a new steak sauce in town. Chimichurri originated in Argentina, although it’s exact roots are a point of argument among food historians and many households. This flavorful sauce is made up of loads of garlic, fresh herbs, vinegar and oil. It’s a little spicy, a little acidic and the perfect compliment to balance fattier meats like beef and and pork. Over the years, chimichurri has migrated into many other central and south american countries and is served in just about any restaurant with grilled meat on the menu. For this chimichurri, we are going to use a combination of fresh italian parsley and cilantro. This sauce is best after sitting for a few hours, so I would suggest that you make this in the morning when you start your pork.
Recipe for chimichurri
You are certainly welcome to use a food processor for your chimichurri, but I personally think this is a time to get out your biggest knife and do a little chopping. Be sure to remove the leaves of parsely and cilantro from your stems before measuring out your leaves. Pack the leaves into a measuring cup, but keep in mind we aren’t looking for perfection here. Not a fan of cilantro? Use all parsely. Have tons of cilantro and only a little parsely, try mixing and matching your quantities. The point is, we want a mountain of fresh herbs. Make sure to finely chop them and then add directly to your olive oil and vinegar. Add in your finely chopped garlic as well. I like about 6 large cloves of garlic, but you use whatever feels right in your soul. Garlic is not something we measure with spoons, rather with our hearts. Don’t you forget it! You are also free to add as large a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes as makes you happy, but do remember we have a little spice from the fresh garlic. And no, you may not use the jarred garlic. Buy yourself the real thing. It’s the right thing to do.
Slow Cooker Pork
As far as slow cooker recipes go, this is one of the easiest. Just pop everything in the crockpot and let it go low and slow for 8 hours. The key to juicy and tender crockpot meats is to cook them on low. As the meat cooks, most of the fat will melt off the pork and mix with the citrus, onions and garlic to make a mildly sweet sauce similar to Cuban mojo. I like to remove my pork from the cooking liquid to shred, but depending on your cut of meat and personal preferences, you can grab a fork and shred right in the slow cooker. If you are a remove-and-shred kind of person too, be sure to place your pork back in the juices to soak up all the flavor before serving.
Sandwich Assembly
If you have ever heard that the key to good food is good ingredients, there is no where that I find that more important than with bread. For these sandwiches, you are going to want a bread that isn’t going to get soggy and fall apart. I mean, what’s worse than a sandwhich that won’t stay together?! Lot’s of things are worse, actually, but let’s try to make sandwiches that stay together, agreed? For these sandwiches, ciabatta or something similar that has a crusty exterior and chewy interior is ideal. To assemble, toast your bread, pile on your meat, add a few spoonfuls of chimichurri and it’s dinner time. Wondering what to serve alongside? For some extra latin flavor, I would suggest serving your sandwiches with plantain chips and refreshing hibiscus tea. Yum!
If your mouth is watering and you’re ready to add this to your next menu, here is what to do…
Slow Cooker Chimichurri Pork Sandwiches
Equipment
- 1 Slow Cooker
Ingredients
Slow Cooker Pork
- 3 lb pork roast
- 3/4 cup orange juice
- 1/4 cup lime juice
- 3 tsp salt
- 10 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
- 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
Chimichurri Sauce
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 TLB red wine vinegar
- 1 cup cilantro leaves, loosely packed
- 1 cup italian parsley leaves, loosely packed
- 1 1/4 tsp salt
- 6 cloves garlic, finely minced
- pinch of chili flakes
- 6 6 in ciabatta rolls
Instructions
- In a slow cooker, place your pork roast, orange juice, lime juice, onion, garlic, and salt. Cook on low 8 hours.
- In a small bowl, combine olive oil and red wine vinegar. Finely chop the cilantro and parsley after measuring (should be a little over 1/2 cup once chopped) and add to the olive oil and vinegar.
- Add salt, garlic, and chili flakes to the oil, vinegar and herbs. Stir and let refrigerate while your meat is cooking.
- Once meat is fork tender, remove from the slow cooker and shred with a fork, removing any large pieces of fat that remain. Return the shredded meat to the juices in the slow cooker.
- To serve, toast the ciabatta and layer on meat and a few spoonfuls of the chimichurri sauce.
Notes
- If you have a food processor, you can make the chimichurri by pulsing the herbs and garlic until finely chopped. Then add the remaining ingredients and pulse just to combine.
- Chimichurri sauce will last up to 7 days in the fridge and can be frozen up to 6 months. To store frozen, place portions in an ice tray and freeze. Remove from the ice tray, place in a freezer-safe zip top bag and store. Remove and use as needed.