5.0 from 30 votes
Slow Cooker Carnitas
Made with a few simple ingredients, this Slow Cooker Carnitas recipe is a crowd-pleaser. It's tender, juicy, and beyond flavorful!
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
6 hrs
Total Time
6 hrs 10 mins
Servings: 10 - 12 servings
Calories: 258 kcal
Course:
Main Course
Cuisine:
Mexican
Ingredients
- 4 to 5 pound boneless pork roast fat trimmed (Boston butt or shoulder) (1.8-2.25kg)
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 yellow onion chopped (260g)
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- ½ cup orange juice (120mL)
- ¼ cup lime juice (60mL)
Instructions
- Pat the pork dry with paper towels. In a small mixing bowl, combine salt, chili powder, cumin, oregano, and pepper. Rub the spice mixture all over the pork.
- Place the pork in a large slow cooker. Top with the onion and garlic. Pour the orange juice and lime juice over the top.
- Cover and cook on Low for 8 hours or on High for 6 hours or until very tender and the meat easily pulls apart. Shred with two forks. Stir well to coat the pork in drippings.
- Preheat the oven to Broil.
- Line a large rimmed baking sheet with foil. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the shredded pork onto the baking sheet, leaving the drippings in the slow cooker, and spread into an even layer.
- Broil for 4 minutes or until the edges of the pork start to brown. Remove from the oven and spoon a small amount of dripping over the pork. Toss to coat then spread back out into an even layer. Return the pork to the oven and broil for another 4 minutes or until the edges are crispy. Drizzle with more sauce before serving. Serve as tacos in tortillas, on salads, or in burrito bowls.
Cup of Yum
Notes
- If you do not want to use the oven to crisp up the shredded pork, you can add the meat to a skillet with oil over medium heat. Cook until the meat has browned to your liking and is crispy.
- Carnitas go with everything! Try serving them with chips and salsa or queso, guacamole, sweet potato fries, pineapple salsa, or pico de gallo.
- If you’d like the carnitas to be on the spicier side, add some cayenne pepper to the spice rub before adding the pork to the slow cooker. Alternatively, you can serve the carnitas with jalapenos.
- The fat and connective tissue in the pork butt or shoulder requires time to break down. If you try to shred the pork and it feels tough, you may need to cook it longer, especially if you use a large cut of pork than I am.
- Avoid opening the slow cooker’s lid while the pork is cooking. Opening the lid releases the built-up heat, requiring extra time to rebuild the lost heat.
Nutrition Information
Calories
258kcal
(13%)
Carbohydrates
4g
(1%)
Protein
41g
(82%)
Fat
8g
(12%)
Saturated Fat
2g
(10%)
Polyunsaturated Fat
1g
Monounsaturated Fat
3g
Cholesterol
114mg
(38%)
Sodium
801mg
(33%)
Potassium
761mg
(22%)
Fiber
1g
(4%)
Sugar
2g
(4%)
Vitamin A
278IU
(6%)
Vitamin C
9mg
(10%)
Calcium
30mg
(3%)
Iron
2mg
(11%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 10- 12 servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 258
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 258kcal | 13% |
| Carbohydrates | 4g | 1% |
| Protein | 41g | 82% |
| Fat | 8g | 12% |
| Saturated Fat | 2g | 10% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 1g | 6% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 3g | 15% |
| Cholesterol | 114mg | 38% |
| Sodium | 801mg | 33% |
| Potassium | 761mg | 16% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 2g | 4% |
| Vitamin A | 278IU | 6% |
| Vitamin C | 9mg | 10% |
| Calcium | 30mg | 3% |
| Iron | 2mg | 11% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.