Slow Cooker Carnitas

A large pot of shredded slow cooker pork carnitas.

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Make these slow cooker carnitas with tender pork, citrus, and warm spices, then broil for crispy edges. Perfect for tacos, burrito bowls, meal prep, and more.

Prep Time20

Cook Time8 20

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Mexican, Mexican-Inspired

Servings:

Calories: 344kcal

Author: Olivia & Annie

Ingredients

For the pork

3 pounds pork butt, boneless & trimmed of any excess fat
1 small yellow onion
½ cup orange juice
2 limes, juiced
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon garlic powder
2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon oregano
2 teaspoons kosher salt
½ teaspoon black pepper

For serving:

Serve as desired: Tortillas (tacos), tortilla chips (nachos), rice and beans (bowls)
Any toppings of choice: cilantro, pico de Gallo or salsa, cotija cheese, guacamole, etc.

Instructions

Slice the yellow onion and place it in the bottom of the crockpot. Pat the pork butt dry with a paper towel and place it on top of the onions in the crockpot.
In a small bowl, combine the garlic powder, chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt, and pepper. Press the seasonings firmly onto all sides of the pork, making sure it's evenly coated.
Pour the orange juice and lime juice around the pork (not over the top, to keep the seasonings on the pork).
Cover and cook on low for 8 hours, or until the pork is fork-tender and shreds easily.
Once cooked, remove the pork from the crockpot and place it on a large cutting board or in a bowl. Shred with two forks, discarding any large pieces of fat. Return the shredded pork to the crockpot and toss with the remaining juices. Let the shredded meat sit in the juices for 5-10 minutes to soak in more flavor.
For crispy edges, spread the shredded pork in an even layer on a sheet pan or baking dish and broil for 3-5 minutes, watching closely, until the edges are golden and slightly crisped.
If making tacos, warm the tortillas and fill with pork and top with any toppings of choice, like diced onion, cilantro, lime wedges, or salsa. Alternatively serve in a bowl with rice and beans or over nachos.

Notes

Save time/prep ahead:
- Mix the spice mixture the night before to make morning prep even quicker.
- Season the pork and refrigerate it overnight so it's ready to go into the slow cooker.
- Shred the pork up to 3 days ahead and store it in the cooking liquid until you're ready to serve.
- Make a double batch and freeze half for an easy future dinner.
This slow cooker pork carnitas recipe is gluten-free and dairy-free. Make sure you serve with gluten and dairy-free items as needed.
The recipe can be found on My Fitness Pal by searching "BWB Slow Cooker Carnitas." The nutrition content provided for each recipe is an estimate created through the My Fitness Pal database. Please be aware that the nutritional content of each recipe may vary based on the products you use, the precision of your measurements, and the source you use to obtain nutrition data. While we try to provide accurate information, we give no guarantee regarding the accuracy of the nutritional information provided.

Nutrition