Slow Cooker Carnitas

Tacos on a wood board and white table with carnitas and toppings.

This slow cooker carnitas recipe is super easy to prepare and yields wildly delicious, succulent results everytime. Serve the carnitas warm as a filling for tacos, burritos or in bowls for an easy weeknight dinner win!

Course Main Course

Cuisine Mexican

Diet Gluten Free

Keyword Carnitas, Crockpot, Pork, Slow Cooker

Prep Time 10 mins

Cook Time 5 hrs

Broiling Time 15 mins

Total Time 5 hrs 25 mins

Servings

Calories 209

Author Robyn Conley Downs

Equipment

Ingredients

1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon mild chili powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon kosher salt
2 pounds pork loin roast or pork shoulder
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
¼ cup fresh orange juice

Optional Toppings

Fresh Tomato Salsa
Easy Guacamole
Tortillas, avocado, queso fresco, pickled jalapeno, lime wedges, thinly sliced cabbage

Instructions

In a small bowl, stir together the cumin, chili powder, garlic powder and salt.
Rub the spice mixture on all sides of the pork. Place the pork in a 6-quart slow cooker, then pour in the lime and orange juice, turning the pork to coat.
Cover and cook on high for 5-6 hours, or low for 8-9 hours, or until the pork shreds very easily with a fork.
Remove the pork from the slow cooker. Shred with two forks, then add back to the slow cooker, stirring to combine with any remaining juices.
Place the shredded pork on a foil lined, rimmed baking sheet. Broil on high for 10-15 minutes, stirring once, or until the edges of the pork begin to crisp and brown. Keep a close eye to avoid burning.
Serve warm as a filling for tacos, burritos or in bowls.

Notes

The sodium content will be lower if you discard the cooking liquid.

All slow cookers are different, so you may need to adjust the time up or down depending on your particular model.

Use pork loin roast if you prefer a leaner option, or pork shoulder for a more traditional version.

Nutrition information calculated using pork loin roast and without any additional toppings.

For more ingredients and modifications, see blog post above.

Nutrition