Best Crock Pot Carnitas Recipe Recipe Cards

SLOW-COOKER PORK CARNITAS

Steps:

• Add the chicken broth, orange juice, lime juice, cumin, chili powder, oregano, red pepper flakes, cloves, and 2 teaspoons kosher salt to a large slow cooker and whisk to combine. Add the onion, garlic and bay leaves and stir to combine. Add the pork and toss to coat. Cover and cook on high until the meat is tender, about 5 hours.
• Transfer the pork to a large bowl with a slotted spoon and discard the bay leaves, onion, and garlic. Shred the pork into bite-size pieces with 2 forks, leaving some larger chunks, and season with salt and pepper.
• Heat 2 tablespoons of the lard in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add half the shredded pork and press down into an even layer with a spatula. Cook, pressing occasionally with a spatula, until crisped and browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a serving platter and cover with foil to keep warm. Repeat with the remaining 2 tablespoons lard and shredded pork.
• Serve with tortillas, cilantro, jalapenos and pickled red onions.
• Put the sliced onions in a medium heatproof, nonreactive bowl. Put the vinegar, orange juice, lime juice, bay leaves, sugar, coriander and 1 tablespoon kosher salt in a small saucepan and whisk to combine. Bring to a boil over high heat and cook, whisking occasionally, until the sugar dissolves, about 1 minute. Pour the mixture over the red onions and set aside until cooled to room temperature. Serve at room temperature or cover and refrigerate up to 4 days.

THE BEST EVER SLOW COOKER CARNITAS

Steps:

• Mix cumin, garlic powder, oregano, coriander, kosher salt and ground black pepper together in a small bowl to make a dry rub. Pat the pork shoulder roast or boston butt dry with paper towels, and then cover roast with dry rub.
• Place the pieces of onion and the bay leaf in the bottom of your slower cooker, lay the roast on top. Carefully pour the chicken stock or the water around the roast, taking care not to wash away the dry rub. Cook on low for 6 hours or until the pork easily falls apart.
• Once the pork is easily falling apart, remove from slow cooker to cool. Reserve 1 cup of the cooking liquid. Remove and discard the excess fat, shred the remaining pork.
• Place the reserved cooking liquid in a large non-stick skillet with shredded pork. Cook over medium high heat until the liquid is absorbed, tossing the pork occasional to coat.
• Once the cooking liquid is absorbed, add the oil and crisp up the carnitas to your desired doneness. We like our extra crispy, usually about 14-18 minutes.
• Serve with your favorite taco fixings, like corn or flour tortillas, cilantro, lime, shredded cabbage, pico de gallo, sour cream and cheese.

SLOW COOKER CARNITAS

Steps:

• Mix together salt, garlic powder, cumin, oregano, coriander, and cinnamon in a bowl. Coat pork with the spice mixture. Place the bay leaves in the bottom of a slow cooker and place the pork on top. Pour the chicken broth around the sides of the pork, being careful not to rinse off the spice mixture.
• Cover and cook on Low until the pork shreds easily with a fork, about 10 hours. Turn the meat after it has cooked for 5 hours. When the pork is tender, remove from slow cooker, and shred with two forks. Use cooking liquid as needed to moisten the meat.

SLOW COOKER PORK CARNITAS

Steps:

• 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 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 and broil until crisp and crusted, about 3-4 minutes. Serve immediately.

CARNITAS (MEXICAN SLOW COOKER PULLED PORK)

Steps:

• Rinse and dry the pork shoulder, rub all over with salt and pepper.
• Combine the Rub ingredients then rub all over the pork.
• Place the pork in a slow cooker (fat cap up), top with the onion, jalapeño, minced garlic (don't worry about spreading it) and squeeze over the juice of the oranges.
• Slow Cook on low for 10 hours or on high for 7 hours. (Note 2 for other cook methods)
• Pork should be tender enough to shred. Remove from slow cooker and let cool slightly. Then shred using two forks.
• Optional: Skim off the fat from the juices remaining in the slow cooker and discard.
• If you have a lot more than 2 cups of juice, then reduce it down to about 2 cups. The liquid will be salty, it is the seasoning for the pork. Set liquid aside - don't bother straining onion etc, it's super soft.

CARNITAS (OVEN OR SLOW COOKER)

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 300 F degrees.
• Cut the pork shoulder into 3- to 4-inch chunks, trimming and discarding as much of the excess fat as possible. This cut is extremely well marbled so don't attempt to remove all of the fat, just trim the excess around the edges of each chunk the best you can. Transfer the pieces of pork to a large Dutch oven. (You'll end up tossing some pieces that are mostly fat. This is why you want to start with a 4+ pound roast).
• Combine the Carnitas Seasoning Mix ingredients in a small bowl and sprinkle over the pork. Toss lightly to distribute the seasoning. Add the quartered onion, garlic, the juice from the oranges and limes, the spent orange halves only (discard the spent lime halves), and the bay leaves.
• Cover the pot, transfer to the oven, and cook for 2 ½ to 3 hours or until the meat is very tender and easy to shred. Remove the pot from the oven.
• Coat a large rimmed baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the chunks of pork to the baking sheet and using two forks, shred the meat into small pieces. Measure out ½ cup of the juices from the Dutch oven and pour it over the shredded pork, tossing to combine. Spread the pork out in an even layer.
• Set your oven to BROIL. Transfer the baking sheet to the oven and broil for about 3 minutes, until browned and crisped. Remove from oven and use a spatula or tongs to toss the carnitas, then spread back out in an even layer. Return the baking sheet to the oven for an additional 2 to 3 minutes, or until crisped to your liking. Watch closely so it doesn't burn.
• Follow as directed above, adding the ingredients to a 6-quart slow cooker.
• Cover and cook on LOW for 6 to 7 hours or on HIGH for 4 to 5 hours.
• Follow directions above to finish and brown the cooked pork in the oven.
• Toast tortillas in a dry skillet over MEDIUM heat for about 30 seconds per side, or until well toasted.
• Serve on toasted tortillas with toppings of choice.

PORK CROCK POT CARNITAS RECIPE

Steps:

• Clean and wipe dry the pork shoulder before rubbing with salt and pepper.
• Gather the rub ingredients, mix all together and rub them over the pork.
• Now, using a slow cooker, put the pork with fat cap up and top with minced garlic, onions, jalapeno, and squeeze the orange juice.
• Set the slow cooker on low for 8 to 10 hours or set it to high for around 6 hours.
• Once it's done, remove it from the slow cooker and let it cool before shredding the meat (the meat should be falling off the bone and be tender).
• If you have 2 cups of leftover juice, you can reduce the juice in a saucepan (set aside as we'll be using it for reheating.)
• Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a large non-stick pan over high heat. Place shredded pork into the pan, drizzle over some juices.
• Wait until the juices evaporate and the bottom side is golden brown and crusty. Turn and just briefly sear the other side - you don't want to make it brown all over because then it's too crispy, need tender juicy bits.
• Repeat in batches don't crowd the pan.
• Remove pork from skillet. Drizzle over more juices and serve immediately.
• If you are using defrosted carnitas, this is not applicable as the juices are already on the meat.
• If you are reheating the carnitas, then flip and cook the other side briefly just to warm through. Only make one side crusty and leaving the other side juicy and moist.

THE VERY BEST SLOW COOKER CARNITAS

Steps:

• Place the onion evenly on the bottom of the slow cooker.
• Place the pork roast on top of the onion.
• Add 1/2 cup liquid to the slow cooker.
• In a small bowl or a mug, combine all the spices. Sprinkle liberally over the pork shoulder.
• Cook the pork on low for 10 hours.
• When the meat is done, shred the meat with two forks. Add the remaining 1/2 cup liquid if the pork has not released many juices. Stir to combine and serve.

SLOW COOKER CARNITAS

Steps:

• In a small bowl, whisk together the dried oregano, cumin, salt and pepper
• Rub seasoning mixture onto pork shoulder on all sides
• Add onion, garlic, orange juice and peel, lime juice and chipotle pepper to slow cooker
• Place pork on top
• Cover and cook on low for 4-6 hours or until internal temperature is 145 degrees F
• Remove pork from slow cooker onto cutting board, let cool slightly
• Shred pork with forks
• Heat oil in skillet on stove ** see notes
• Add pork and some of the juice from the slow cooker
• Turn often to brown the pork until juices have evaporated and pork is nicely browned
• Repeat with more pork if your skillet doesn't hold all of it
• Serve immediately with tortillas and toppings
• Store leftovers in refrigerator

PORK CARNITAS- SLOW COOKER

Steps:

• Place pork in crock pot. Sprinkle with garlic, oil, salt, pepper and cumin. Top with cilantro, salsa, broth, tequila, green chilies, and juice from one orange. Cover and cook on low for about 6-8 hours.
• Shred pork with two forks and continue to cook until heated through.
• Serve on a tortilla with all the fixings, or make a rice bowl with black beans and all the fixings. Enjoy!

SLOW COOKER CARNITAS

Steps:

• Spray slow cooker with cooking spray and add chicken broth (or other cooking liquid of choice).
• Place pork in slow cooker and sprinkle with taco seasoning, rubbing it into the meat.
• Pour diced tomatoes (undrained) over the pork.
• Cover and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours or on HIGH for 3-4 hours.
• Remove pork from slow cooker and place on a cutting board. Shred the pork with two forks and chop into small pieces.
• For a crispy finish on the carnitas: Heat 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a large skillet over high heat. Press shredded pork into oil and fry until crispy on one side (about 3 minutes).