This Slow Cooker Carnitas recipe makes fabulous, flavorful shredded pork that is perfect for street tacos, burritos, and nachos!
These slow cooker carnitas are so easy to make! Put all of the ingredients in your crockpot in the morning, and you can check dinner off your to-do list.
Tonia’s Notes
When we eat at our favorite Mexican restaurants, Brian always chooses carnitas for his meat, and I switch between chicken and pork. While creating our Slow Cooker Favorites cookbook, we realized that we had to include our recipe for crockpot carnitas!
We make this recipe at least once a month, and our whole family loves it. We’ve also prepared it for friends, family, and dinner guests, and even the “picky-eaters” went back for seconds!
How To Make Slow Cooker Carnitas
Seasoning
Combine the chili powder, dried oregano, ground cumin, salt, and black pepper in a small bowl. Rub the carnitas seasoning over both sides of the pork shoulder.
Assemble In A Crockpot
Place the pork in the slow cooker and add the orange juice, lime juice, diced onion, diced green chiles, diced jalapenos, and minced garlic. Cover and cook on low for 7-8 hours or on high for 6-7 hours.
Shred The Pork
Remove the pork and shred it with two forks. Return it to the juices in slow cooker until close to serving time.
Brown Under Broiler
Spread the shredded pork carnitas on a rimmed baking sheet and place under the broiler for 2-3 minutes to brown. Watch carefully so that it doesn’t burn. Return it to the juices in the slow cooker if desired.
Recipe Tips
- Pork: My local grocery store doesn’t always have boneless pork shoulder available, so I’ve made this recipe with other cuts of pork, and they are all delicious! You can even use chicken if you prefer. The main thing to watch is the cooking time. A different cut of meat may take less time to cook.
- Make Ahead: Carnitas reheat well, so you can prepare this recipe ahead of time and then reheat it when needed.
- Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
- Freezer: Or you can store it in a freezer-safe airtight container for up to a month.
- Reheat: You can reheat carnitas in the microwave, skillet, or in a crockpot. Add a little water if needed.
More Mexican-Inspired Recipes
Slow Cooker Carnitas
Video
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 pounds boneless pork shoulder or use another cut of pork
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
- 1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
- ¼ cup lime juice
- 1 medium white onion diced
- 4 ounce can diced green chilies
- 4 tablespoons canned diced jalapenos
- 4 cloves garlic minced
Instructions
- Combine the chili powder, dried oregano, ground cumin, salt, and black pepper. Rub over the pork shoulder on both sides and place it in the slow cooker.
- Add the remaining ingredients to the slow cooker.
- Cover and cook on low for 7-8 hours or high for 6-7 hours.
- Remove the pork and shred it with two forks. Return it to the slow cooker until close to serving time.
- Spread the shredded carnitas on a rimmed baking sheet and place under the broiler for 2-3 minutes to brown. Watch carefully so that it doesn't burn. Return to the juices in the slow cooker if desired.
Heather says
My family absolutely loved these carnitas!! So delicious and easy to make in the crockpot. Definitely will be making again!!!