Pork shoulder slow-cooked with Mexican-style herbs & spices until fall-off-the-bone tender, then shredded and pan-fried to a crispy, golden perfection with notes of citrus and garlic, resulting in the best Slow-Cooker Crispy Pork Carnitas every time.
Why You'll Love it:
- Quick Preparation- the only hands-on time this recipe needs is 5 minutes of preparation and 10 minutes of shredding & pan-frying right before serving.
- Easy to Find, Simple Ingredients
- Set-It & Forget-it- set the slow-cooker up in the morning and by dinner time you will have a juicy, flavorful pork roast.
- Versatile- this Mexican-style pulled pork can be used in so many ways, anything from tacos to salad topping.
- Great for Gatherings- a whole pork shoulder yields quite a bit of meat, making this recipe perfect for when you need to feed a crowd. Set up a make-your-own taco bar for easy serving!
So, what are Carnitas?
Carnitas, meaning "little meats" in Spanish, is the Mexican version of pulled pork- traditionally made by braising or simmering a marbled cut of pork for several hours in seasoning and lard until rich & tender. The meat is then shredded and roasted creating the crispy, juicy taco filling we know and love.
Although most home cooks don't have a cauldron of lard available to them, it's easy to recreate a version that's similar in taste and texture to authentic Pork Carnitas with a slow-cooker and a few simple ingredients.
Ingredient Notes:
- Pork- look for a cut of meat that's labeled Boston Butt or Pork Shoulder with the bone in and fat cap still on. The fat on this kind of marbled roast will melt into the meat ensuring it stays moist and creating a deeper, richer flavor. A bone-in cut helps transfer the heat from the slow-cooker evenly throughout the roast as well as enrich the flavor.
- Seasoning Rub-a mix of olive oil with course salt, earthy oregano, smoky ground cumin, and ground black pepper.
- Orange Juice- the acidity of oranges help tenderize the meat and add a nice subtle sweet citrus flavor and brighten the overall dish.
- Good Quality Wheat Beer- cooking meat in beer (especially wheat beer) helps tenderize the meat and also adds a nice robust flavor.
- Jalapenos- if using fresh jalapenos and would like less heat, remove the seeds.
- Garlic & Red Onion
Substitutions & Variations:
- Beer can be replaced with a can of Coca-Cola or chicken broth.
- For a bit more heat, try adding Chipotle, cayenne, or chili powder to the spice rub.
- Carnitas Serving Ideas: tacos, enchiladas, burrito (or burrito bowl with rice & beans), quesadillas, in a taco salad, on a slider bun, or as a Mexican pizza topping.
- Great Additions & Toppings: avocado or guacamole, fresh cilantro, queso fresco, sour cream or Greek yogurt.
Tips & Recipe Notes:
- When adding roast to the slow-cooker, face the fat cap upwards. The fat will melt as it cooks and drip downwards keeping the meat moist.
- Leaner cuts (such as Pork Tenderloin) come out dry and don't work well for this recipe.
- Cook Time Per Size of Roast:
- 2-3 lbs: 8 hours on low
- 3-6 lbs: 10 hours on low
- 6-8lbs: 12 hours on low
- About half of the liquid will evaporate and/or absorb into the meat as it cooks.
- Once cooked, remove the meat from the slow-cooker and let rest for a few minutes before shredding. This helps lock in moisture.
- If making ahead, wait to pan-fry until right before serving.
- Leftover meat and juice can be stored separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days and can be reheated in the microwave or skillet.
- To reheat in the microwave, add carnitas to a microwave safe plate with a splash of cooking liquid and heat on high for 1 minute. Add time in 30 second intervals if needed.
- To reheat in a skillet, add carnitas and a splash of cooking liquid to pan over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally until warmed through.
- Slow-Cooker Carnitas freeze really well and will last up to 3 months if properly stored. Before reheating, let thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
- For quicker carnitas, check out this helpful article from Gimme Some Oven on how to cook Pork Carnitas in an Instant Pot.
- Nutritional Information is an estimate only and will vary based on specific ingredients and amounts used.
More Mexican-Style Recipes You Will Love:
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Recipe
(The Best) Slow-Cooker Crispy Pork Carnitas
Pork shoulder slow-cooked with Mexican-style herbs & spices until fall-off-the-bone tender, then shredded and pan-fried to a crispy, golden perfection with notes of citrus and garlic, resulting in the best Crispy Pork Carnitas every time.
Ingredients
- 4 lb pork butt roast bone-in & fat cap on
- 1 cup red onion diced
- ¼ cup jalapenos sliced
- 2 tablespoon minced garlic 4-6 cloves
- 12 oz wheat beer such as Blue Moon
- 1 cup orange juice
For Rub:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon coarse kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 2 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Season Pork: pat pork roast dry with a few paper towels. In a small mixing bowl mix olive oil, course salt, ground pepper, dried oregano, and ground cumin. Rub mixture into all side of pork roast.
- Set Slow-Cooker: place roast into slow-cooker with the fat cap facing up. Add diced onions, sliced jalapenos, minced garlic, wheat beer, and orange juice. Set slow-cooker to low for 8-12 hours according to size of roast (see notes below).
- Rest & Shred: once roast is done, use tongs to gently remove it from slow-cooker and onto a clean cutting board. Let it rest undisturbed for 5 minutes. (Do not discard juices, you’ll need them for the next step!) Pull the bone from roast, then using two forks, shred the roast.
- Crisp Meat: now for what really makes these special, the crisping! Heat a large frying pan on high. Once hot, spread some of shredded roast in a single layer in the pan. You’ll need to do this in batches. Pour ½ cup of slow-cooker liquid over shredded meat in pan and fry for about 4 minutes undisturbed. The juice should evaporate and the bottoms of the meat brown and crisp. Turn shreds and lightly sear other side for 1 minute. Repeat with remaining shreds.
Notes
- Pork- look for a cut of meat that's labeled Boston Butt or Pork Shoulder with the bone in and fat cap still on.
- The fat on this kind of marbled roast will melt into the meat ensuring it stays moist and creating a deeper, richer flavor.
- A bone-in cut helps transfer the heat from the slow-cooker evenly throughout the roast as well as enrich the flavor.
- When adding roast to the slow-cooker, face the fat cap upwards. The fat will melt as it cooks and drip downwards keeping the meat moist.
- Leaner cuts (such as Pork Tenderloin) come out dry and don't work well for this recipe.
- Cook Time Per Size of Roast:
- 2-3 lbs: 8 hours on low
- 3-6 lbs: 10 hours on low
- 6-8 lbs: 12 hours on low
- Orange Juice- the acidity of oranges help tenderize the meat and add a nice subtle sweet citrus flavor and brighten the overall dish.
- Good Quality Wheat Beer- cooking meat in beer (especially wheat beer) helps tenderize the meat and also adds a nice robust flavor.
- Beer can be replaced with a can of Coca-Cola or chicken broth.
- Some of the liquid will evaporate and/or absorb into the meat as it cooks.
- Other Great Additions & Toppings: avocado or guacamole, fresh cilantro, Queso fresco, sour cream or Greek yogurt.
- For a bit more heat, try adding Chipotle, cayenne, or chili powder to the spice rub.
- Leftover meat and juice can be stored separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days and can be reheated in the microwave or skillet.
- To reheat in the microwave, add carnitas to a microwave safe bowl with a splash of cooking liquid and heat on high for 1 minute. Add time in 30 second intervals if needed.
- To reheat in a skillet, add carnitas and a splash of cooking liquid to pan over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally until warmed through.
- Carnitas freeze really well and will last up to 3 months if properly stored.
- If making ahead, wait to pan-fry until right before serving.
- Before reheating frozen carnitas, let thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
- Nutritional Information is an estimate only and will vary based on specific ingredients and amounts used.
Nutrition
Calories: 320kcalCarbohydrates: 14gProtein: 26.3gFat: 15gSaturated Fat: 6.7gCholesterol: 89.6mgSodium: 194.7mgFiber: 0.1gSugar: 12.6g
Tried this recipe?Let me know how it was!
Cheyenne says
What can you substitute for the beer in the carnitas?
Must Love Garlic says
Hi, Cheyenne! The beer in this recipe is there really just to help tenderize the meat a bit more, but it can be substituted with any other liquid volume for volume. If you're looking for something non-alcoholic, beef broth is a great option!