Hands down, one of my favorite Slow Cooker meals is these Slow Cooker Carnitas. For decades, I’ve made Mexican Shredded Beef or Pork in the slow cooker (link & photo below), but carnitas? They’re just something special.
Crisp in a skillet in a bit of oil – drizzle with some of the juices!
This is a recipe that both friends and family (everyone from the adults to the littles ones) have clamored for! And so, over the years, it’s become one of my standbys.
About Slow Cooker Carnitas:
And I don’t mind a bit! With a handful of everyday ingredients and minutes of prep, you’ll be rewarded with a veritable mountain of luscious pork shoulder, kissed with citrus and braised to perfection in your trusty slow cooker.
What emerges is tender, juicy pork that just falls off the bone. It’s practically begging to be shredded and crisped and used to your liking.
But wait, there’s more! While some of the flavorful juices left behind in the slow cooker are used for crisping the carnitas in a skillet, the rest are reduced into a rich, velvety sauce that’s simply divine when drizzled over your serving.
Reduce some of the juices from the slow cooker for a sauce!
Tips for Making Slow Cooker Carnitas:
Pork Roast:
- Use Pork Shouldler, aka Boston butt, which boasts a higher fat content; it results in juicy, succulent shreds. Bone-in or boneless works; bone-in offers richer flavor, boneless yields slightly more servings.
- Pork shoulder comes with a fat cap on top. While some melts during cooking, an excessive amount is not necessary. Trim any fat cap to 1/4″.
- Create cross-hatches 1 to 1 1/2″ deep before seasoning for effective penetration. (If shoulder has a minimal fat cap, rub lightly with oil after cutting and before seasoning.)
Cooking:
- This size shoulder will cook 5 to 6 hours on high or 8 to 10 hours on low. It’s done when it reaches about 190 to 205 degrees F. and easily shreds with a fork.
- Low is better for tougher cuts like pork shoulder. It gives the collagen time to melt into flavorful goodness. I like to cook overnight and finish up to serve the next day.
Crisping:
- My preferred way to get the prized crispy bits that carnitas are famed for is to use a skillet (either in batches or multiple skillets). You’ll end up with something similar to a restaurant’s.
- An alternative method (learned from America’s Test Kitchen back in 2008) is to spread the pork out on a sheet tray and broil until the top has crisped.
The Sauce:
- Hands down, my favorite part of this meal! I never want to waste the excessive juices that come from slow cooking!
- While I’m crisping the pork, I pour everything left in the slow cooker (after reserving a cup to crisp with) into a saucepan and reduce it into a flavorful sauce.
Preparing the Roast for Slow Cooker Carnitas
The roast is done when a fork easily turns in the meat.
That beautiful golden brown crispiness!
Favorite Ways to Serve:
If you’re on a budget, be mindful of how you serve and what you serve with Slow Cooker Carnitas. We love serving these as tacos using either corn or flour tortillas that are warmed in a skillet. This makes marvelous tostadas, burritios, quesadillas, or enchiladas, too.
You’ll want plenty of lime for serving, but consider Pickled Red Onion, Pickled Jalapenos, or Escabeche. The acidic component helps cut through the richness. And of course, you can’t go wrong with Pico de Gallo. Thinly sliced radish and cilantro are traditional accompaniments.
Leftover Slow Cooker Carnitas:
- Store in the refrigerator, tightly covered, for three to four days. Reheat in a skillet for best results.
- Carnitas freeze beautifully, but won’t keep their crispness. Thaw first and reheat in a skillet.
Slow Cooker Carnitas – reduce some of the juices for a sauce!
Other Mexican/Southwestern Slow Cooker Recipes You Might Like:
Mexican Shredded Pork or Beef – this is the Pork version
Slow Cooker Mexican Style Honey Lime Chicken
Slow Cooker Barbacoa
Chicken Tortilla Soup
Saving Money on Groceries:
What you pay for groceries depends on not just WHERE you shop, but WHEN. Be strategic and stock up at rock-bottom prices.
- The best sales are before holidays; check out Win at the Grocers. Use these sales not just for your holiday, but to stock up at a low for the coming weeks to months.
- Take advantage of discount stores like Aldi or Lidl. The pricing at Buyer’s clubs is not always the lowest, but can trump in quality; beBe selective.
Pork Shoulder:
Know what rock bottom pricing is and stock up. Consider breaking down larger roasts before freezing – see my post on Large Pork Roasts.
- Sporadic sales will be found throughout the summer.
- The lowest prices are in the fall (the animals go to market then) and a few weeks before any holiday when Ham is traditionally served.
Limes:
Limes do go on sale, usually in late winter to early spring. Use more generously when the price is right.
- When choosing, weigh several in your hand and pick the heaviest. Ignore minor color variations, but avoid any that are browning. Inspect bags of limes closely.
- To get the most out of your lime: Roll on the counter, pressing heavily and/or microwave for about 30 seconds. Before juicing, grate and dry the rind if not using. See Drying or Freezing Citrus Zest.
- Store loosely covered in the fridge in a container with a layer of paper towels on the bottom.
Oranges:
Oranges are always less when bought by the bag, but check carefully for any signs of mold/mildew.
- Best pricing is usually late winter/early spring, but varieties of “orange” citrus come into season at different times; there is usually a bargain to be had no matter the time of year.
- Store as limes, above.
As I’m posting this, I realized Father’s Day is coming up. If a grill isn’t being manned at your house, you cannot go wrong with Carnitas! And Pork Shoulder will likely be on sale this coming week…just sayin’!
Happy Cooking!
Mollie
Slow Cooker Carnitas
Slow Cooker Carnitas
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: varies
- Total Time: 6 to 11 hours
- Yield: 10 to 12 servings 1x
- Category: main dish pork
- Method: slow cooker
- Cuisine: Mexican or Southwestern
Carnitas Rub:
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 2 teaspoons pepper
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 1 teaspoon oregano (preferably Mexican)
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- scant 1/8 teaspoon ground clove
Pork:
- 4 to 4 1/2 pound pork roast, fat cap trimmed to 1/4 inch
- 1 1/2 tablespoons oil (only if minimal fat cap on roast)
- carnitas rub (above)
- 1 large onion, cut in half horizontally, then vertically sliced 1/2″
- 6 cloves garlic, smashed
- 2 jalapenos, finely diced
- 2 large oranges, juiced
- 2 limes, juiced
- 1 cup broth or water
- about 3 to 4 tablespoons additional oil (or lard) to crisp pork
For the rub, mix together salt, pepper, cumin, oregano, red pepper flakes, and ground cloves. Set aside.
Prepare roast as directed. Cut into the top of the roast, about 2 inches apart and 1 to 1 1/2″ deep, to form a cross-hatch pattern. If roast does not have a fat cap, rub with oil. Sprinkle the roast on all sides with the rub and press it in. Add to slow cooker.
Toss the onions and garlic on the sides of the slow cooker. Sprinkle about half of diced jalapeno over the roast and the rest on the side. Juice the oranges and limes over the roast, slowly, so as not to displace the rub. Add the juiced halves to the side of the slow cooker. Pour the broth in the side of the slow cooker. Nudge roast if needed to allow the broth to flow over the bottom.
Cover and cook 5 to 6 hours on high or 8 to 10 hours on low, or until it reaches about 190 to 205 degrees F. and easily shreds with a fork.
When finished, remove the roast. Shred into small chunks. Set aside. Remove about a cup of the juices to crisp the pork and set aside. Remove the orange and lime halves and discard. Add the remainder of the juices and any solids in the slow cooker to a saucepan, bring to a simmer. Reduce to desired consistency for a sauce.
Working in batches, heat a large skillet with a tablespoon of oil over high heat. Add the pork and drizzle with about 1/4 cup of the reserved juices. Allow to crisp as the juices evaporate, then remove, repeating with the remainder of the pork.
Note: If planning on only using part of the pork at this meal, consider only crisping the amount desired and saving the rest along with the reserved juices for the leftovers.
Serve as desired, passing the sauce at the table.
