This slow cooker pork carnitas recipe is so easy to make (as slow cooker recipes are), and the results are just superb! Perfectly seasoned pork is slow-cooked until tender before being shredded and pan-fried! It is a simple and delicious way to upgrade your taco night!
Serve with Mexican rice, refried black beans, and pineapple salsa!
Jump to:
Pork Carnitas In The Crockpot
Our family loves taco night, but when the same old ground beef gets old, we like to spice it up with different meats. This is a great dish to make a lot of as it stores and freezes so well, too!
🥘 Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas Ingredients, Notes, & Substitutions
- Pork Shoulder - One 6-8 pound pork shoulder or pork butt.
- Taco Seasoning - 3 tablespoons of taco seasoning mix. Try my easy homemade blend, or use your own.
- Chipotle Peppers - 2 tablespoons of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce.
- Oil - 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil.
- Oranges - 2 freshly squeezed oranges. Or, you can use ½ cup of orange juice.
*Be sure to see the free printable recipe card below for ingredients, exact amounts & instructions with tips!*
🔪 How To Make Crockpot Pork Carnitas
Like most crockpot recipes, these pork carnitas are practically effortless to make! You will need your slow cooker, your measuring utensils, and a large skillet.
This recipe will make a whopping 10 servings, so go ahead and freeze some for later!
Step 1: Season the pork. Combine 3 tablespoons of taco seasoning mix, 2 tablespoons of chipotle peppers (diced) and the adobo sauce they are packed, and 2 tablespoons (30 milliliters) of olive oil in a small bowl. Coat all sides of your pork shoulder with the seasoning mixture.
Step 2: Add oranges. Place the seasoned 6-8 pound (2.72 - 3.62 kilograms) pork shoulder portion into your slow cooker and set it to low temperature (to cook for 8 hours) or high temperature (to cook for 6 hours). Squeeze 2 fresh oranges or add ½ cup (118 milliliters) of orange juice directly onto the pork in the slow cooker.
Step 3: Cook. Cover and cook for 6-8 hours, then remove the pork to a large serving plate or platter and shred. Skim fat from the liquid left in the crock pot and ladle about 1 cup portion (if using about half of your shredded pork) into a bowl for pan-frying your cooked pork carnitas meat.
Step 4: Brown the pork. Heat a large skillet or frying pan to medium-high heat and brown the pulled pork, adding the liquid in gradually while cooking. When the liquid has steamed off, add more about a ladle full at a time, until the pork carnitas meat is browned and slightly crispy on the ends.
Step 5: Serve. Serve immediately while hot.
🍽️ What To Serve With Pork Carnitas
We usually pair our crock pot Mexican pulled pork with our soft, fresh flour tortillas and flavorful pico de gallo or salsa verde, as well as some more cilantro, avocado or homemade guacamole, and pineapple chunks.
Check out my list of what to serve with pork tacos for more ideas! Enjoy!
💭 Angela's Pro Tips & Recipe Notes
- Be sure to skim any fat from the liquids remaining in the crock pot, then use the liquids when frying up your pork carnitas for serving.
- The acidity in the orange juice helps to break down the meat so that it is perfectly tender. Don't skip it!
- Don't be worried that there isn't enough liquid. As the meat cooks, the fat will render and will provide a perfect amount of flavorful liquid.
🥄 Make Ahead Options
If needed, you can prepare your pork carnitas a day ahead of time so you don't have to worry about the cooking times. To do this, cook the pork as directed in the crockpot.
Allow the ceramic crockpot insert to cool entirely, and then cover it and place it in the fridge until the next day.
When ready, skim the hardened fat off of the top of the liquid and then continue with the recipe as written in order to pan-sear the meat.
🥡 Storing & Reheating
To store leftovers, refrigerate in an airtight container with enough of the liquid remaining in the crock pot to cover about an inch of the bottom of the container.
Freezing
If freezing, also include an adequate amount of the slow cooker liquid when packaging, as it contains the majority of your seasoning and flavor.
It can be frozen for up to 3 months. Allow it to thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Reheating
Reheat your pork carnitas in a skillet over medium-low heat. Make sure you use enough of the liquid so that the meat remains flavorful!
>>>>See all of my recipes here<<<<
❓ Recipe FAQs
Pulled pork and carnitas both consist of slow-cooking pork until tender. However, the main difference is that carnitas is then shredded and pan-fried until crispy, while pulled pork is not.
Absolutely! You can follow the recipe exactly as directed, only swapping out the pork for boneless, skinless chicken breasts.
In my experience, both pork should and pork butt will be a perfect choice for making carnitas. These are both fatty cuts that have a lot of connective tissue that breaks down during the cooking process. Just use whichever one you can find at the store!
Do you love a recipe you tried? Please leave a 5-star 🌟rating in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page.
Stay in touch with me through social media @ Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter! Subscribe to the newsletter today (no spam, I promise)! Don't forget to tag me when you try one of my recipes!
📖 Recipe Card
Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas Crock Pot Recipe (Mexican Pulled Pork)
Ingredients
- 6-8 lbs pork shoulder (or pork butt)
- 3 tablespoon taco seasoning mix
- 2 tablespoon chipotle peppers (in adobo sauce)
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 oranges (fresh squeezed, or ½ cup orange juice)
(Note: 2x or 3x only changes the ingredient list)
Instructions
- Combine taco seasoning mix, chipotle peppers (diced) and the adobo sauce they are packed, and olive oil in a small bowl. Coat all sides of your pork shoulder with the seasoning mixture.
- Place seasoned pork shoulder portion into your slow cooker and set to low temperature (to cook for 8 hours) or high temperature (to cook for 6 hours). Squeeze fresh oranges or add orange juice directly onto the pork in the slow cooker.
- Cover and cook for 6-8 hours, then remove the pork to a large serving plate or platter and shred. Skim fat from the liquid left in the crock pot and ladle about 1 cup portion (if using about half of your shredded pork) into a bowl for pan frying your cooked pork carnitas meat.
- Heat a large skillet or frying pan to medium high heat and brown the pulled pork, adding the liquid in gradually while cooking. When the liquid has steamed off, add more about a ladle full at a time until the pork carnitas meat is browned and slightly crispy on the ends. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Storing Your Pork Carnitas Pulled Pork
- To store leftover pork carnitas meat, refrigerate in an airtight container with enough of the liquid remaining in the crock pot to cover about an inch of the bottom of the container.
- If freezing, also include an adequate amount of the slow cooker liquid when packaging as it contains the majority of your seasoning and flavor.
Comments
No Comments