Do you want to create delicious, fall-apart-tender pork Carnitas without hours of tending over a stove? Fortunately, you can use your trusty slow cooker to make an incredible pork Carnitas meal with minimal effort.
Make them in your slow cooker and it takes most of the work out of the slow cooking process on the stove.
Crock Pot Carnitas recipe can then be used to make your favorite Mexican recipes like these Pulled Pork Tacos I made.
Ingredients
- 5 lb. boneless pork shoulder roast, trimmed of fat and cut into large chunks
- salt and pepper
- 4 tablespoons of butter or lard
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 3 cloves of garlic, minced
- ⅓ cup of lime juice
- 4 or 5 sprigs of fresh thyme or 2 teaspoons of dry thyme
- 4 small bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano, crushed
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 2 cups of water
Directions
- Trim the pork shoulder of the excess fat from the outside, cut into large chunks and season with salt and pepper.
- Heat a large skillet and melt the butter or lard in it.
- Brown the chunks of pork in the melted butter turning to brown all sides. As the pork chunks turn golden brown move them to a 6 or 7-quart crock pot slow cooker.
- Once all of the pork is cooked add the diced onion and garlic to the pan. Lower the heat and sauté the onion and garlic until the onion is translucent making sure not to burn the garlic.
- Scrape the onion, garlic and pan drippings into the slow cooker.
- Add the remaining ingredients to the crock pot and mix well. Cover and cook for 8 to 10 hours on low.
- Once the pork has cooked remove the meat from the crock pot to a bowl or serving platter.
- To serve shred the meat and serve on warm tortillas with your favorite pork taco toppings.
How to make crispy edges on crock pot pork carnitas
- Browning pork meat In the slow cooker: One way to get the pork carnitas meat to brown on the edges is to make sure you don't completely cover the meat in the liquid in the crock pot.
- Browning pork carnitas in the oven: Shred the cooked pork meat apart with a fork after it is done slow cooking in the crock pot, spread the meat out on a cookie sheet and broil it in the oven for a few minutes, occasionally tossing to brown all the edges evenly.
These pork Carnitas turned out juicy and tender. I just couldn't help myself.
I topped them with a homemade Pineapple Mango Salsa I canned last week.
I just couldn't stop eating them because they were so good.
How To Make Sauce for Carnitas
Once the pork Carnitas are done slow cooking you can turn all those lovely juices from the crock pot into a carnitas sauce that can be spooned over the cooked pork.
- Strain the liquid from the crock pot into a saucepan and bring to a boil.
- Lower the heat and simmer the sauce until it reduces by half.
- Or mix 2 tablespoons of cornstarch with about 4 tablespoons of cool water. Add the cornstarch thickener to the boiling pot of carnitas juices. Stir well and bring it to a boil until thickened. Spoon over you pulled pork carnitas tacos.
Recipe FAQS
You won't get the same crispy edges when you make carnitas in a crock pot but it is easy to brown the meat in the oven before serving.
Expert Recipe Tips
- Freeze the leftovers: Leftover carnitas meat can be frozen and reheated and eaten later.
- Pork Freezer Meals: Or you can slow cook the pork and freeze dinner size portions for meals during the month. Slow cooked carnitas make a perfect pork freezer meal where you can cook it once and have the the pork on hand for a couple of other Mexican recipes later in the month.
- Browning pork carnitas in the oven: If you like crispy edges you can brown the cooked meat in the oven. Spread the meat out on a cookie sheet and broil it in the oven on 400 F. degrees for a few minutes, occasionally tossing to brown all the edges evenly.
Making pork Carnitas in a Crock Pot is a delicious and straightforward meal that requires minimal effort to make succulent, fall-apart-tender meat that’s perfectly seasoned for tacos, burritos, salads, and more.
From prepping the meat, to layering the ingredients, to slow-cooking the dish, this Crock Pot Pork Carnitas recipe is one you’ll want to keep handy for when your craving authentic Mexican food.
With its savory taste, beautiful tender texture and endless meal options, this Carnitas recipe is sure to be a hit.
More Mexican Crock Pot Recipes
Print the Crock Pot Carnitas Recipe below
Email questions or recipe requests to flouronmyface@gmail.com. Follow me on Pinterest, YouTube, Instagram and Facebook.
Crock Pot Pork Carnitas
Ingredients
- 5 lb boneless pork shoulder (trimmed of fat and cut into large chunks)
- salt and pepper
- 4 tablespoons of butter or lard
- 1 medium onion (diced)
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- ⅓ cup lime juice
- 4 sprigs or 5 sprigs of fresh thyme or 2 teaspoons of dry thyme
- 4 small bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano (crushed)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 2 cups of water
Instructions
- Trim the pork shoulder of the excess fat from the outside, cut into large chunks and season with salt and pepper.
- Heat a large skillet and melt the butter or lard in it.
- Brown the chunks of pork in the melted butter turning to brown all sides. As the pork chunks turn golden brown move them to a 6 or 7 quart crock pot slow cooker.
- Once all of the pork is browned add the diced onion and garlic to the pan. Lower the heat and sauté the onion and garlic until the onion is translucent making sure not to burn the garlic.
- Scrape the onion, garlic and pan drippings into the slow cooker.
- Add the remaining ingredients to the crock pot and mix well.
- Cover and cook for 8 to 10 hours on low.
- Once the pork has cooked remove the meat from the crock pot to a bowl or serving platter.
- To serve shred the meat and serve on warm tortillas with your favorite pork taco toppings.
Recipe Expert Tips
- Freeze the leftovers: Leftover carnitas meat can be frozen and reheated and eaten later.
- Pork Freezer Meals: Or you can slow cook the pork and freeze dinner size portions for meals during the month. Slow cooked carnitas make a perfect pork freezer meal where you can cook it once and have the the pork on hand for a couple of other Mexican recipes later in the month.
- Browning pork carnitas in the oven: If you like crispy edges you can brown the cooked meat in the oven. Spread the meat out on a cookie sheet and broil it in the oven on 400 F. degrees for a few minutes, occasionally tossing to brown all the edges evenly.
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