Classic Carnitas Recipe (Slow Cooker)
User Reviews
5
Classic Carnitas Recipe (Slow Cooker)
Description
This Classic Carnitas Recipe features pork shoulder rubbed with a blend including garlic, brown sugar, oregano, and cinnamon. The pork simmers with oranges, carrots, onion, and bay leaves in a slow cooker, imparting subtle citrus and savory depth. The long slow cooking turns the meat tender enough to shred easily. After shredding, the meat is fried in a skillet with some cooking liquid to caramelize and crisp the edges, adding texture contrast to the moist interior. The carnitas are then served with choice tortillas and toppings such as refried beans, sliced onions, cilantro, limes, and various salsas, offering customizable flavor layers. This method emphasizes slow cooking and finishing for authentic texture and a balance of savory, sweet, and citrus notes.
Ingredients
Carnitas
- 6 lbs pork shoulder pork butt, boneless
- 2 orange cut in half
- 2 carrot large, cut in half
- 1 onion cut into quarters, white or yellow
- 3 bay leaf
- 3/4 cup chicken stock
- 3/4 cup orange juice
Rub
- 6 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 2 tbsp oregano or regular, Mexican variety
- 1 tsp cumin ground
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
Assembly
- flour tortilla or corn tortilla
- refried beans
- 2 onion white, sliced
- 1 cilantro bunch, chopped
- 3 lime sliced
- Pico de Gallo
- salsa verde
- tomato salsa roasted
- guacamole
- carrot pickled
Instructions
- Combine the rub ingredients together in a small bowl. Use your hands to apply the rub over the entire surface of the pork.
- Place the pork butt in the slow cooker, fat side up. Add the oranges, carrots, onion and bay leaves and pour the chicken stock (or orange juice) over and cover.
- Slow cook on low heat for 10 hours, or high heat for 6 hours.
- Use a slotted spoon to carefully transfer the pork carnitas to a serving platter. Allow the meat to cool slightly, then shred by hand or by using two forks. Eat as is, but BEST if crispy.
Crispy
- Remove and discard cooked orange and vegetables from cooking liquid. Set aside.
- In a large skillet over high heat add a tablespoon of oil and fry shredded carnitas meat in batches, pouring 1/4 cup of cooking liquid in and simmer until juices have evaporated and meat is crispy and caramelized.
- Serve with hot tortillas, refried beans, sliced onions, tomato slices, cilantro, limes and salsas of choice.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 10Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 416 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 416kcal | 21% |
| Carbohydrates | 17g | 6% |
| Protein | 63g | 126% |
| Fat | 10g | 15% |
| Saturated Fat | 3g | 15% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 1g | 6% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 4g | 20% |
| Trans Fat | 1g | 50% |
| Cholesterol | 164mg | 55% |
| Sodium | 650mg | 27% |
| Potassium | 1240mg | 26% |
| Fiber | 2g | 8% |
| Sugar | 11g | 22% |
| Vitamin A | 2180IU | 44% |
| Vitamin C | 31mg | 34% |
| Calcium | 73mg | 7% |
| Iron | 3mg | 17% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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