Salvadorian-Style Chicharrón Shredded Pork

By
Marian Blazes
Marian Blazes
Marian Blazes is a freelance writer and recipe developer with a passion for South American food. She wrote a cookbook focusing on the cuisine of Brazil.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 07/18/21
Pupusas, El Salvador

Kryssia Campos/Getty Images

Prep: 5 mins
Cook: 8 hrs
Total: 8 hrs 5 mins
Servings: 20 servings
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
313 Calories
21g Fat
2g Carbs
27g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 20
Amount per serving
Calories 313
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 21g 28%
Saturated Fat 8g 40%
Cholesterol 98mg 33%
Sodium 366mg 16%
Total Carbohydrate 2g 1%
Dietary Fiber 1g 2%
Total Sugars 1g
Protein 27g
Vitamin C 1mg 6%
Calcium 41mg 3%
Iron 2mg 10%
Potassium 451mg 10%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

The word chicharrón means different things in different parts of Central and South American. Usually, chicharrones are fried pieces of pork rind or some kind of fatty fried pork. In El Salvador, chicharrón is finely shredded seasoned pork used to fill the popular stuffed corn tortillas called pupusas. Chicharron is usually prepared by cooking the pork until it's tender, then frying it a bit in its rendered fat, then grinding it to a paste with tomatoes, onions, and seasonings. This recipe uses salsa and the crockpot for convenience, and the resulting ​shredded pork is great for burritos or nachos or served with rice.

Ingredients

  • 3 to 5 pounds pork butt

  • 1 to 2 cups salsa

  • 1 teaspoon cumin

  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste

  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. Cut pork into several large pieces and place meat in slow cooker with 1 cup salsa, cumin, salt, and pepper to taste.

  3. Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours (or 4 hours on high) or until pork is fork tender.

  4. Remove pork from slow cooker, reserving liquid, and shred finely with a fork or using a food processor (fitted with plastic blade).

  5. Place shredded pork and reserved liquid in a large skillet and saute until liquid evaporates and pork starts to brown slightly. Stir in remaining salsa until desired consistency.

  6. If making pupusas, add pork and salsa back to a ​food processor, fitted with metal blade, and process with short pulses until finely ground.