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I am a huge fan of Cochon de Lait. HUGE. If you ask my husband about my love for it, he will tell you that a Cochon de Lait po-boy is the only reason I go to Jazz Fest every year. I swear.
What is Cochon de Lait?
A New Orleans recipe, Cochon de Lait is traditionally referred to as a pulled pork from a young pig roasted over an open flame.
As you can imagine, this traditional method is not doable (nor appetizing) for many of us; so today's recipe is a way for you to enjoy this dish at home made with your favorite cut or pork roast, not the whole pig.
The aroma of the rub seasonings themselves will get your stomach grumbling long before the pork is done cooking. Last year, at Jazz Fest, I ate two Cochon de Lait po-boys at the festival and brought a third one home for “later”.
Over the past year, I’ve barbecued pork, slow roasted in the oven, in a cast iron pot… and in the crockpot. In the end, I settled for a shoulder roast in the crockpot and perfected my Cochon de Lait Rub recipe.
Ingredients
Just a few items and an epic meal is on the way. Check the ingredient list and you’ll see how simple this recipe is:
- Pork roast: shoulder or center-cut pork.
- Dry pork rub: a tasty mix of spices that add tons of flavor to our meat.
- Water: to get some sauce while it cooks.
- Creole Coleslaw: you can shred the veggies or use a store-bought bag. It’s mixed with a dressing of my own making; a fantastic combination of my two favorite Zatarain’s items: Creole Mustard and Big & Zesty Creole Seasoning. So. Good.
- Bread: buns or French bread for serving. If you want a low-carb meal, omit the bread.
How to Make Cochon de Lait in the Crockpot
Enjoying this New Orleans classic at home is super easy, no matter where you live. Let the crockpot do the hard work and you’ll have a delicious Cochon de Lait that will wow everyone! Here are the steps:
- Pat dry the pork
You pat the pork dry with paper towels. This will help the rub stick to the meat. - Rub
Now, you generously rub the pork roast with the pork dry rub. - Slow cook
You place the pork roast in the slow cooker, add some water, and cook for 6 hours on high or 10 hours on low. Cooking time will vary depending on the size of your roast. - Shred the meat
Half an hour before serving, you remove the pork roast from the slow cooker onto a large cutting board and shred the meat between 2 forks. - Keep cooking
You place the pork roast back into the slow cooker to cook it on low for an additional 30 minutes. - Make the Creole coleslaw
Before serving, you make the Creole coleslaw. - Serve
Time to enjoy! You can serve this cochon de lait in a bowl or as a sandwich, inside French bread or buns.
Watch how this crockpot cochon de lait comes together in this recipe video.
Creole Slaw
Unlike traditional coleslaw, Creole slaw recipe is seasoned with homemade creole seasoning and it adds the perfect amount of spice when served with pork.
You can make the slaw yourself by shredding cabbage and carrots or you can skip this step and buy a bag of your favorite slaw mix already chopped.
Where there's Cochon de Lait, there's Creole slaw -at least everywhere I've enjoyed it in New Orleans and today's recipe won't be any different.
The best part about Creole slaw is that it can be made ahead of time, up to 2 days, and it always tastes better (in my opinion) after a few hours of being mixed with the dressing.
You can grab my Creole Slaw Recipe below and enjoy it with this Cochon de Lait.
How to Serve Cochon de Lait
Traditionally, Cochon de Lait is served inside fresh French bread with a little of the Creole Slaw for crunch. In most places in New Orleans, you can ask for a 6" or a 12" po-boy (sandwich) of this magical pulled pork recipe.
That said, you can skip the bread and serve Cochon de Lait over Creole slaw, turning it into an epic lower carb option you're going to want to enjoy again and again.
Low Carb Cochon de Lait
With so many of us trying to live a healthier lifestyle and limiting our carb intake, a grain-free cochon de lait meal is a terrific alternative to the traditional sandwich.
When served over a bed of Creole slaw, the magic of this pork roast comes to life with the contrast of flavors and textures.
It also happens to be a favorite recipe of my community members when they find it inside the Family KickStart Program.
What I love about this recipe is that anyone can make it at home regardless of where you live in the world. It makes me happy to be able to share a little bit of my passion for good family food with you.
Crockpot Cochon de Lait
Watch how it’s made:
Ingredients
- 3 pounds pork shoulder roast
- 1 dry pork rub recipe
- ½ cup water
- 1 Creole Coleslaw recipe
- 8-12 buns or French bread, optional
Instructions
- Place the pork roast on a flat surface and pat dry with paper towels. Generously rub about ¼ cup of the pork dry rub onto the roast and transfer to the dish of a 6-quart slow cooker. Add the water, cover with lid, and set to cook for 6 hours on high or 10 hours on low. Cooking time will vary depending on the size of your roast.
- Half an hour before serving, remove the pork roast from the slow cooker onto a large cutting board and shred the meat between 2 forks. Place the meat back into the slow cooker and stir to combine with the cooking liquid. Cover and cook on low for an additional 30 minutes.
- Before serving, make the Creole coleslaw.
- Serve as a bowl or inside French bread or buns.
Paola Britos says
This recipe is delicious and very easy to make. The entire family enjoys this meal
Kaitlyn C says
If you’ve been to New Orleans, this recipe is amazing and you know it.
This is your sign to make it !! :))
Dani says
easiest way to make cochon de lait at home
annemarie says
perfect authentic cochon de lait flaovr i’d been craving