Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas
Tender, juicy pork carnitas made easy in the crockpot! Packed with bold flavors, perfect for tacos, burritos, or bowls your whole family will love. Great for parties!
Servings: 8
Calories: 188kcal
Ingredients
- 1 ½ teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons Kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 3-4 pound pork shoulder trimmed slightly
- 1 small onion diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- ⅓ cup orange juice
- 2 teaspoons orange zest
- ⅓ cup lime juice
- 1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce chopped
- 1-2 tablespoons oil - vegetable or canola
Optional for Serving
- Tortillas and toppings
- Buns
- Lettuce wraps
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk together the oregano, cumin, salt and pepper.1 ½ teaspoons dried oregano, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, 2 teaspoons Kosher salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper
- Rub seasoning mixture onto all sides of the pork shoulder.3-4 pound pork shoulder
- Add onion, garlic, orange juice and zest, lime juice and chipotle pepper to slow cooker. Place pork on top.1 small onion, 3 cloves garlic, ⅓ cup orange juice, 2 teaspoons orange zest, ⅓ cup lime juice, 1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce
- Cover and cook on LOW for 7-8 hours or HIGH for 4-6 hours, until internal temperature reaches 145 degrees F.
- Move pork from slow cooker to a cutting board, allowing to cool slightly. Shred pork with meat claws or two forks.
- Heat oil in skillet on stove top. Add pork and some of the juice from the slow cooker.1-2 tablespoons oil - vegetable or canola
- Turn meat often to brown the pork. Heat until juices have evaporated and the pork is nicely browned and crispy.
- Serve immediately with preferred serving options.Tortillas and toppings, Buns, Lettuce wraps
Notes
- Meat can be crisped in the oven. Place shredded pork on a baking sheet. Cook under the broiler until crispy (about 5 minutes).
- Serving options: tacos, nachos, quesadillas, on a salad, with lettuce wraps, over cooked rice or cauliflower rice, on buns.
- Cooked meat can be frozen up to 3 months.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Nutrition
Calories: 188kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 70mg | Sodium: 686mg | Potassium: 425mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 139IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 33mg | Iron: 2mg