Crockpot Pork Carnitas
You all know how much I love my Crockpot. I use it for everything from baked potatoes to short ribs. But my very favorite thing to do with the Crockpot is take a really big, complicated recipe, like lasagna. and find a way to let the slow cooker do the work for me.
And now, I’ve done it again…with carnitas.
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The secret to good carnitas is a long, slow cooking over low heat. Traditionally, you do this in a big, heavy pot, and you stir the seasonings into the oil and then let the pork cook over a really low flame until it’s falling apart. Then you turn up the heat briefly to sear it, and you end up with meat that’s crisp on the outside, but tender enough to pull apart with a fork.
Well, this sort of long, slow cooking is exactly what the Crockpot is made for. So you don’t have to watch a pot for hours; you just let the meat cook on low, and once it’s falling apart, you zap it in the broiler to get those delicious browned edges.
You can enjoy this in a taco or burrito, or just serve it up by itself with all the fixings: tortillas, refried beans, guacamole, and some of my fresh Pico de Gallo salsa.
(printable recipe at bottom of post)
Crockpot Pork CarnitasÂ
INGREDIENTSÂ
1/2 tablespoon chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 Tablespoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
4 pound pork shoulder
4-5 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup orange juice
2 limes, juiced
12 oz chicken broth
1 bay leaf
DIRECTIONS:Â
1. Place the pork shoulder in the slow cooker. Mix together chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt cinnamon and black pepper. Sprinkle seasoning on each side of the roast, and rub in. Next, add in mined garlic, orange juice, lime juice, chicken broth and bay leaf.
2. Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours. It should fall apart easily.
3. Preheat broiler. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place the shredded meat on the cooking sheet and pour a few spoonfuls of sauce over the top of the meat. Broil for 5-10 minutes or until you get browned edges on the pork.
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Crockpot Pork Carnitas
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Ingredients
- 1/2 tablespoon chili powder
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 Tablespoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 4 pound pork shoulder
- 4-5 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 cup orange juice
- 2 limes juiced
- 12 oz chicken broth
- 1 bay leaf
Instructions
- Place the pork shoulder in the slow cooker. Mix together chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt cinnamon and black pepper. Sprinkle seasoning on each side of the roast, and rub in. Next, add in mined garlic, orange juice, lime juice, chicken broth and bay leaf.
- Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours. It should fall apart easily.
- Preheat broiler. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place the shredded meat on the cooking sheet and pour a few spoonfuls of sauce over the top of the meat. Broil for 5-10 minutes or until you get browned edges on the pork.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer: Family Fresh Meals is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is only an estimate. We recommend running the ingredients through an online nutritional calculator if you need to verify any information.
Did You Make This Recipe?
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When you shred/pull the meat apart after it is finished cooking in the crockpot, do you shred up the fat in with it or do you pull the fat off of it?
I think that is a personal preference. You could do it either way. I usually remove the fat before shredding.
Easy to make. We can stop buying the pre-seasoned, pre-cooked carnitas meat and make our own.
I made this yesterday and I was surprised at how good it turned out in the crockpot! Broiling them makes a huge difference and it came out just like your photo! I love your recipe instructions and photos. It’s the real deal because my food always look like/similar to yours!
I am so happy you loved the recipe JC!
Can bone-in pork shoulder be used in this recipe? I’m having a hard time finding boneless. Thanks!
That should work out just fine Toni
Hey there to anyone reading the comments. I have been making these slow cooker carnitas for family and friends for nearly a decade. They are always a hit!
So happy you love the recipe Jay!