When the weather warms up, I crave Southeast Asian flavors, and lemongrass is the aroma that instantly transports me there. With hot, humid days lately, I’ve been on a serious lemongrass streak.
I love the classic combination of lemongrass, garlic, ginger, basil, and cilantro with a touch of heat — to me, that blend captures the essence of Vietnamese cooking. I decided to blend those flavors (plus a few complementary ingredients) into a paste and coat a boneless pork loin with it.
I set the pork in the slow cooker and went about my day. Within a couple of hours, the whole house smelled irresistible. Thus Slow-Cooker Lemongrass Pork was born — and it was outstanding.
I started with a boneless center-cut pork loin trimmed and cut into roughly 3-inch cubes before placing it in the slow cooker. Because the loin was cubed beforehand, it cooked faster than you might expect — about 5 hours on HIGH to reach fall-apart tenderness. I used tongs to move the cooked pork out of the slow cooker and into a mixing bowl, then strained the cooking juices into a saucepan and reduced them into a concentrated, flavorful sauce.
While the juices reduced, I shredded the pork with two forks, then tossed the meat with the reduced sauce. That simple finishing step concentrates the flavors and gives the pork a glossy, savory coating. I serve this lemongrass pork in many ways: lettuce wraps, rice bowls, salads, spring rolls, or simply on a plate. My kids enjoy it with a fried egg for breakfast or tucked inside quesadillas for lunch. It makes a generous batch that works for multiple meals and preparations.
Cook’s Notes
- Trim large slabs of fat off the pork loin before cutting it into cubes to make shredding easier. If you prefer juicier results, leave a slab or two of fat on top of the meat in the slow cooker to baste it during cooking; omit the fat if you want a leaner finished dish.
- Cut the pork into cubes approximately 3 inches in size, aiming for consistent pieces so they cook evenly.
- After placing the cubes in the slow cooker, mix the remaining ingredients and use your hands to rub the mixture over the pork so each piece is well coated. Cover and cook — it won’t take long.
- Once the pork is tender, transfer the cubes to a mixing bowl. Strain the cooking liquids into a saucepan and boil over high heat until reduced to about one-fifth of the original volume, or until the sauce is dark and aromatic. While the sauce reduces, shred the pork with two forks. Pour the reduced pan sauce over the shredded meat and toss to coat. Serve immediately, garnish with chopped cilantro if desired, or portion and freeze for future meals (up to 3 months).
Looking for a complementary side? A simple rice noodle stir-fry or steamed jasmine rice pairs beautifully with this lemongrass pork.
Slow-Cooker Lemongrass Pork
Rebecca Lindamood
Pin Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 pounds boneless center-cut pork loin, trimmed of fat and sliced into 3-inch cubes
- 1/2 cup unseasoned rice vinegar
- 1/4 cup raw sugar or light brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons lemongrass paste or 2 stalks of fresh lemongrass smashed to release juices
- 3 tablespoons grated ginger or ginger paste
- 2 tablespoons garlic paste or 8 cloves garlic peeled and minced
- 2 fresh jalapeno peppers sliced in half, or 2 bird chiles, pierced several times with a sharp knife
- 1 handful fresh cilantro stalks well rinsed
- 1 stem fresh basil leaves
- 1 lime juiced and zested
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce or soy sauce
Optional:
- chopped cilantro for garnish
Instructions
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Place the pork cubes in the crock of a slow cooker. Add the remaining ingredients and use your hands to rub the mixture over the pork so the cubes are evenly coated. Cover and cook on HIGH for 5 hours or LOW for 8 hours, until the pork is fall-apart tender. Use tongs to transfer the tender pork to a mixing bowl. Strain the cooking juices into a saucepan and boil over high heat until reduced to about one-fifth of the original volume or until dark and fragrant. While the sauce reduces, shred the pork with two forks. When the pan sauce is ready, pour it over the shredded pork and toss to coat. Serve immediately, garnish with additional cilantro if desired, or divide into meal-sized portions and freeze for up to 3 months.
Nutritional information is an estimate provided as a courtesy. Calculate nutrition using the actual ingredients and amounts you use if you need precise values.
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