Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas are Tender, Flavorful, and Easy!
Growing up, if we had tacos or burritos it was made of ground beef and taco seasonings, which is delicious… but completely eclipsed by this recipe for easy crock pot pork carnitas. Carnitas means “little meats” in Spanish and can be pork or chicken. Today we’re going to make carnitas de puerco, or pork carnitas in a slow cooker!
I truly have an affection for a wide variety of foods. If I was stuck on a deserted island, there are three categories of food I could eat morning, Noon, and night: Italian, pizza (yes, that is a standalone category), and Mexican. This is an easy to make crock pot pork carnitas recipe, set it and forget it type of meal prep, and makes great slow cooked pulled pork sandwiches the next day (or honestly, just more tacos or burritos… like I said, deserted island menu).
When I make this, I go all out with the toppings. I love all the glorious colors! Especially during the summer when there are fresh cherry tomatoes and cilantro available, layer it on with lots of sour cream! Conversely, my favorite way to serve is simple – diced onions, fresh cilantro, and a squeeze of lime.
What You Need To Make Easy Crock Pot Pork Carnitas
- Pork Shoulder – A huge chunk of meat with a thick layer of fat, with lots of marbling and a shoulder bone in the middle. You can also use pork butt as well. The fat in the pork is what makes the carnitas taste so amazing!
- Orange and Onions – Both add delicious flavor. While onions are savory, orange juice brings a sweet flavor. Navel oranges are best, but I have used mandarin oranges in a pinch.
- Spices and Seasonings – There are quite a few: citrus salt, cumin, paprika, oregano, onion powder, and ancho powder. This group brings the salt, smoke, and a little bit of heat.
- Chicken Broth – You’ll need a little liquid to get this started. The fat will create quite a lot of drippings which provide moisture. I like to use broth over water because it adds flavor.
- Garlic – Use fresh cloves if you have it, jarred diced would work as well.
Spice Up Your Slow Cooker Carnitas de Puerco!
Don’t be stingy with your spices or salt. This is something I notice when I write down the recipes and pay more attention to the measurements of my ingredients, rather than going by an ‘add little of this, a bit more of that’ approach. It can be surprising once I understand how much salt I really need to get a good flavor by measuring. These spices are smoky and, used in the right combination, will unlock the best flavor in your slow cooker carnitas.
How to Make Easy Pork Carnitas
To make this carnitas crock pot recipe just follow the mantra, set it and…forget it! Anyone? Ok, it’s from “back in the day” and it totally applies here. So easy, this all-in-one dish. This recipe makes quite a lot, you can see the crock pot is completely full. It will serve several people, or your family for a few days!
First, add the orange juice and chicken broth to the crock pot so that all those delicious liquids don’t wash off the spices. Next, trim and cut down the pork shoulder to fit in the crock pot. Mix the spices and seasonings and rub the shoulder. Place the shoulder, cut onions, orange, and garlic cloves in the crock pot. Then, turn on the crock pot and let it work its magic!
Toppings for Pork Carnitas
Dress up those pork carnitas! Now that you have delicious and easy crock pot pork carnitas, what’s next? Add your favorite toppings. As I mentioned earlier, I love cherry tomatoes, lime, cilantro, sour cream, sliced red onions and shredded cheddar. Make guacamole, find the recipe here!
Tips, Tricks, & FAQs
- Make It Your Own. Play with the spices and make it your own – increase the ancho or cumin, reduce the oregano.
- Prep. You can also do all the prep work the night before, put everything in the crock and store it in the fridge (just the crock to save space). Then, place the crock back in the base and turn it on to cook for the day.
- How to use leftover carnitas? I have used any leftovers to make pulled pork, just reheat in a pot with a bit of water and add your favorite bbq sauce and serve on Hawaiian bread buns.
- Burritos with Carnitas. Make carnitas burritos with your easy crock pot pork carnitas. Pile the shredded pork into flour tortillas, add your favorite toppings, and wrap it up!
- Tacos with Carnitas. Carnitas tacos can be deliciously simple. Fill taco shells or small flour tortillas with meat, topped with diced white onions, cilantro, and a squeeze of lime. Perfection!
- Great for Large Groups. Slow cooker pork carnitas is really easy to prepare for a large group. I serve this frequently for large groups because the meat goes a long way and the whole family loves it.
- Broil the Carnitas a Bit. Place the tray of cooked pulled pork under the broiler for 2-5 minutes or so to make crispy pork carnitas. Keep an eye on them, and mix it up a bit if needed to get more edges crisp.
Easy Crock Pot Pork Carnitas
Equipment
- baking sheet with sides
- chef's knife
- crock pot
- cutting board
- measuring cups
- measuring spoons
- oven optional
- small mixing bowl
- zester tool
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon zest of medium orange
- 1/4 cup juice from medium orange
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 2 teaspoons citrus salt (or sea salt) Badia is the brand of citrus salt in my store
- 3 teaspoons onion powder
- 3 teaspoons cumin
- 2 teaspoon paprika for color and smoky flavor
- 1 1/2 Tablespoons dried oregano
- 2 teaspoon ground ancho chili powder
- 7 lbs pork shoulder fat trimmed and cut into quarters
- 1 medium onion, quartered
- 8 garlic cloves, pressed
Instructions
Just A Few Simple Steps…
- Orange Zest. Zest orange, add to small mixing bowl.1 Tablespoon zest of medium orange
- Orange Juice. Juice orange and add to crockpot. I find the best way to get the most juice is to first give the orange a roll against the counter or cutting board, pressing gently as you roll it under your hands. Then, cut open the orange. Palm the orange in your hand and run a fork along the walls of the orange to mash up the inside pulp and release the juice.1/4 cup juice from medium orange
- Broth. Pour chicken broth into the crockpot (do this before you put the shoulder in so the liquid doesn’t wash off the rub).1 cup chicken broth
- Spices and Seasonings. Add the spices, salt and oregano to the zest and mix to create a rub.2 teaspoons citrus salt (or sea salt), 3 teaspoons onion powder, 3 teaspoons cumin, 2 teaspoon paprika, 1 1/2 Tablespoons dried oregano, 2 teaspoon ground ancho chili powder
- Pork Shoulder. Cut the shoulder into smaller pieces, at least 4 chunks, unless it fits comfortably into your crockpot. Be careful as you cut the meat. There should be a bone in the middle which you will be able to see from at least one end. Cut around the bone. The pieces don't have to be pretty. After cutting, pat the pieces dry. Rub each piece on all sides with the rub.7 lbs pork shoulder
- Onion and Garlic. Peel and quarter the onion. Peel the garlic and press it with a garlic press.1 medium onion, quartered, 8 garlic cloves, pressed
- Into the Pot. Place the meat, onions and pressed garlic cloves in the crockpot. Cook on high, 7-8 hours until the meat easily breaks apart.7 lbs pork shoulder
- Shred. Remove meat from the crockpot, separating it into ‘shredded’ pork, removing fat and any bones.
- Broil. After separating the meat, you can place it on a baking sheet, pouring some of the juice over top (1-1/2 cups) and place it under a broiler for 5 to 10 minutes. Keep an eye on this so it doesn’t burn. The goal is to get a little toast, but not dry out the meat. I usually don’t bother with this extra step.
How To Serve…
- Tortillas. I like to grill flour tortillas over the stove top (gas flame) just until both sides have a light char.
- Tasty Toppers. Top with all your favorites – tomatoes, cheese, sour cream, onions or keep it really simple with diced white onion, torn cilantro leaves and fresh squeezed lime juice.
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