Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas
by Chungah
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The easiest carnitas you will ever make in the crockpot. Cooked low and slow for the most amazing fall-apart tender goodness! Yes, please!
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Why you’ll love slow cooker pork carnitas
- Feeds a crowd. This recipe feeds a big crowd, great for entertaining, weekend company or gifting to new parents or a loved one recovering from surgery.
- Great summertime recipe (as well as the rest of the year). Keep your kitchen cool during the hot summer months! The slow cooker allows for no fuss, hands-free cooking without warming up the kitchen.
- Versatile recipe. Pork carnitas can be served as tacos, burritos, salads, grain bowls, nachos and so much more. The sky is the limit here.
- Make-ahead convenience. This is one of those great slow cooker recipes where you can prep everything the night before and throw it right in the crockpot just before leaving for work. And when you get home, you’ll have the most tender, juicy pulled pork. So effortless, so good.
- Freezer-friendly. Pork carnitas can keep in the freezer for up to 3 months, perfect for meal prep for those busy weeknights, thawing overnight and reheating in a pan for a quick and easy dinner.
What is carnitas? What is the best cut of meat for carnitas?
Pork carnitas
Carnitas is a Mexican pork dish from Michoacán, and translates to “little meats” in Spanish and often times described as Mexican pulled pork. Carnitas is traditionally slow cooked until incredibly tender and falling apart, using heavily marbled (inexpensive) pork butt or pork shoulder, then shredded and roasted until the edges are caramelized and crispy.
Best cut of meat
Pork shoulder is typically best for carnitas due to its high fat content, containing enough fat to stay moist during long cooking times, yielding tender, juicy meat when cooked low and slow (especially in the slow cooker).
How to make slow cooker pork carnitas
- Season the pork shoulder. Combine all the dry spices together first, then rub the mixture all around the pork.
- Place all ingredients in the slow cooker. Add everything to the slow cooker – garlic, onions, orange and lime juices along with the well seasoned pork.
- Cook on low heat. Cover and cook for 8 hours, or until the pork is extremely tender and easily shreds with a fork (there should be no resistance when shredding). If the pork is not shredding easily, it will need more time to cook. Freeze or store as needed here, crisping up just before serving.
- Make it crispy. Heat the broiler to high heat, placing a rack 6 inches from the broiler. Broil the shredded pork on a sheet pan in a single layer with some of the leftover cooking juices until crispy and caramelized.
- Serve. Serve carnitas as tacos, burritos, bowls, quesadillas, enchiladas or nachos.
storage and freezing pork carnitas
Storage
Leftover carnitas can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Freezing
Portion the meat into plastic freezer bags in individual servings with some of the leftover cooking fat and liquid (to prevent it from drying out), squeezing out any excess air before sealing. Label, date and freeze up to 3 months.
Reheating
Thaw overnight in the fridge, reheating in the oven at 350°F or in a skillet (adding a splash of broth or water if the meat looks dry) until warmed through and crispy.
What to serve with slow cooker pork carnitas
Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas: Frequently Asked Questions
This recipe works very well with pork shoulder or pork butt due to its fat marbling (the high fat content helps keep the meat moist and flavorful) as well as its easy shredding capabilities.
Yes! If you do not have a broiler or want to crisp up just a small batch of carnitas, cook the shredded pork in a hot cast iron skillet over medium high heat until crispy.
Absolutely! Cook and shred the pork ahead of time, storing as needed (fridge or freezer) and broil just before serving for crispy, tender goodness.
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Yes! We have a recipe for that here.
We have an easy 30 minute stovetop recipe here!
Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas
Video
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons salt, or more, to taste
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 4 pound pork shoulder, excess fat trimmed
- 4 cloves garlic, peeled
- 2 onions, quartered
- ½ cup freshly squeezed orange juice
- ¼ cup freshly squeezed lime juice
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt and pepper. Season pork shoulder with spice mixture, rubbing in thoroughly on all sides.
- Place garlic, onions, orange juice, lime juice and seasoned pork shoulder into a 6-qt slow cooker. Cover and cook on low heat for 8 hours or high for 4-5 hours.
- Remove pork shoulder from the slow cooker and shred the meat before returning to the pot with the juices; season with salt and pepper, to taste, if needed. Cover and keep warm for an additional 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to broil. Place carnitas onto a baking sheet with some of the cooking fat and liquid, and broil until crisp and crusted, about 3-4 minutes.
- Serve immediately.
Equipment
Notes
- Use the right size crockpot. A 6-qt slow cooker is ideal for this recipe. If the slow cooker is too small, the pork may not cook evenly. If the slow cooker is too large, the liquid may cook down too quickly, causing the pork to burn.
- Avoid lean meats. Opt for pork shoulder or pork butt, avoiding lean meats such as pork tenderloin or pork chops (lean cuts tend to dry out).
- Make it crispy. Broiling is essential for perfectly browned, crispy edges. Broil the shredded pork, about 6 inches from the broiler, in a single layer on a sheet pan with some of the leftover cooking juices until crispy and caramelized. Watch carefully as the pork can quickly burn under the broiler!
- Make ahead of time, but skip the broil. When making ahead of time, shred the meat and store as needed, broiling just before serving.
- Meal prep for the week. This recipe is ideal for big batch cooking! Repurpose the leftover pork throughout the busy weeknights for tacos, quesadillas, burrito bowls and salads.
- Freeze for up to 3 months. Let the carnitas cool completely. Portion into plastic freezer bags in individual servings with some of the leftover cooking fat and liquid to prevent the meat from drying out. Label, date and freeze up to 3 months. To reheat, thaw overnight in the fridge, reheating in the oven or stovetop until crispy.
Did you make this recipe?
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THIS is in our forever recipe box of tricks! My boyfriend has been making this recipe since we discovered it about a year ago… at least over a half dozen times.. tonight is my turn to try my hand at it. DEFINITELY do the broiler finish… it takes this to the next level and you WON’T be disappointed! Just be careful, I really like the charred caramelized bits and once we went a bit too long under the broiler. Though it didn’t burn, it did seem to somewhat dry out this amazing meat, stripping it of some of the flavor we love!
Made for Sunday dinner after church. Used pork steaks and cooked 6 hrs in crock pot. Put in broiler while I changed clothes and got out some precooked beans. Served with corn and flour tortillas, cheese, salsa and sour cream. Easy and fast! Through with dinner and dishes before 1 pm.
I followed this exact recipe. I just increased the ingredients because the pork shoulder was 7lb. with bone-in. It was so easy and the results were delicious, juicy and tender meat. Browning it in the broiler was a great idea, better than frying it in oil. I browned about 1/2 of it and will be using the other 1/2 for pulled pork sliders. Thank you for the recipe!
Can you make this with chicken breast. Same ingredients. Just have an in-law who has Heart Disease. Just wondering if it would work.
Jason, I don’t know about chicken, but I make this with lean pork all the time. It slow cooks with liquid so it’s great for lean pork, it does not dry out. I buy loin cuts (boneless loin chops or tenderloin if it’s on sale) and trim the meat, loin cuts are about the same as chicken for fat and cholesterol. With the meat trimmed, I’m adding almost no fat to the crockpot and it still comes out great. It would probably be a wonderful treat for someone that has been limiting pork consumption, it’s delicious with lean pork and wouldn’t even be cheating on their diet! Good luck!
Made this as directed except subbed a smaller pork loin as my store didn’t have shoulder at the time. Cooked about 7 hours on low. The meat was falling-apart tender and very tasty. Used street taco sized corn tortillas and topped with lots of chopped onion and cilantro. Great dinner with chips and homemade salsa on the side!
What about an 8.5 lb shoulder??
I used 9 lb butt and doubled everything in the recipe. Came out wonderfully!
Absolutely phenomenal! Made them exactly as instructed and my entire family devoured them, thank you for another wonderful recipe!
I make my own carnitas, follow this to the letter and you will not be disappointed. It is the most fantastic dish I’ve ever made in a slow cooker.
I fried it in a pan to get the crispiness out of it, sometimes the broiler catches me off guard and burns what I place under it.
Learn to make your own corn tortillas with some Maseca corn flour, cut up some limes and chop some cilantro and onions and eat directly.
I also make my own salsa and I didn’t use it once while eating this. It was so delicious!
I’ve made this for 5 Super Bowls in a row. It’s consistently awesome!!
Made this recipe last week and it was AMAZING! The pork fell apart as I was pulling it out of the crock pot. Highly recommend. Followed the recipe exactly and turned out perfect.
The name of the website describes exactly how the carnitas taste. DAMN DELICIOUS! It doesn’t specify what kind of Chili Powder to use, so I used Ancho Chili Powder. This will be my forever go to carnitas recipe.
Easy to prepare and the family loves it! We make pork tacos, enchiladas and quesadillas.
Made carnitas for the first time last night for company and everyone agreed it was fanrecipe! It was so simple, and thr only thing I did differently was add a handful of banana pepper rings and some of the juice for a little extra kick. Thank you for sharing this amazing recipe!
I’ve made this recipe several times thru the years. It reminds me of a roadside carnitas place 17 K south of La Paz, on the way to San Jose del Cabo. They made it in a huge black pot. The best in Baja ! I always throw in a couple of jalapeños and do the 8 hours on low. Best carnitas recipe ever! Thanks
I just made this tonight to use tomorrow. I was unable to get a pork shoulder in the correct weight so the butcher recommended a pork sirloin roast (4.5 pounds). I cooked the pork on high for 5 hours and it was very dry. I don’t blame the recipe since most people who reviewed it had good results. I just don’t know what went wrong. I’ve never had pork come out so dry in a crock pot before. Not sure if I should have cooked it on low instead, or if I should have ignored the butcher and waited until I could find a pork shoulder in the correct amount. Does anyone know what I did wrong?
it sounds like the pork sirloin roast didn’t have enough fat in it like the shoulder or butt does.
UPDATE: I tried the recipe again tonight… since the first try (with a pork sirloin roast) turned out so dry–like leather. This time I used a 4 pound pork shoulder which is specified in the recipe and cooked it on low for 8 hours. What a difference!! The carnitas were AMAZING! I served them with an assortment of toppings including: limes, shredded Mexican cheese, homemade guacamole, chopped cilantro, thinly sliced jalapeno, diced red onion, salsa, and sour cream. My husband and son loved them, and asked that I make them again. So the cut of meat DOES make a difference. I agree with Elle’s comment. Thank you Chungah for another wonderful recipe!
I believe it’s the difference between low and high, rather than the cut of the pork. I’ve made this recipe with all different cuts (this is my go to recipe to clear pork out of my deep freeze, I often make it with extremely lean cuts to make the recipe healthier). Even with no fat (trimmed pork loin), it’s always fall apart tender because it’s cooked low and slow with liquid. The low temperature makes a huge difference. If you cook on low, you should be able to substitute cuts as you please. Enjoy!
I added about 16oz of Coke and that was the best Caritas I’ve ever ate
Then you didn’t make this recipe.
Question…excuse my ignorance but I thought in a slow cooker there has to be lots of liquid. I’m cooking this recipe now actually. My husband looked at it and put a cup of water in it telling me I gonna break the slow cooker or something. The water won’t make it less flavorful will it?
I added about 16oz of Coke and that was the best Caritas I’ve ever ate
The juice from the oranges and limes, plus the natural juices in the meat are plenty for this recipe to work. When I get to the broiling step, I cook it for a few minutes, then pour leftover juices on the meat and broil it for another few minutes. This recipe is so good!
I am so excited to eat tonight. I seared the roast before it went in the crock pot and I added 2 tsps of brown sugar to the spice mix because I love a bit of sweetness. I massaged half the spice mix onto the before the sear and half the spice mix was sprinkle over the onions and the seared roast. It already smells amazing in here. I’ve never had carnitas before, but my boys love tacos and I need to switch it up. Reading the recipe made my mouth water so I knew I had to try it. I’m giving it 5 stars ’cause I have no doubt when we eat later that’s what the kids will be saying. Thanks.
What would it be in cups for the orange juice and lime juice?
I do not have that on hand just the juices. Thanks
I googled it and it said 4 TBSP per orange, so I used prepared orange juice too. I also only had one lime, and it all worked out very well. If you are using bottled lime juice, I would cut it in half and use water for the other half.
This recipe is SO EASY and SO DELICIOUS! Topped it off with cilantro, pickled red onions, jalepenos, sour cream and cojita cheese. One of my favorite recipes to make for company 🙂
damn delicious is right. easy and delicious, you can’t go wrong with this recipe!