Crockpot Pork Carnitas Recipe

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 8 hours
Total Time: 8 hours 15 minutes

This Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas Recipe is a simple and flavorful dish that allows you to enjoy tender, shredded pork with minimal effort. Using a Crockpot, the pork is slow-cooked until it reaches the perfect level of tenderness, making it ideal for tacos, burritos, or bowls.

This Crockpot recipe is perfect for meal prep or feeding a crowd, as it yields a generous amount of delicious carnitas that can be customized with your favorite toppings.

Easy Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas Recipe

This recipe features pork shoulder seasoned with spices and citrus, slow-cooked until it is fork-tender and easily shredded. The cooking process takes about 8 hours on low heat and serves approximately 6 people.

Ingredients

3-4 pounds pork shoulder (also known as pork butt), trimmed of excess fat
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon chili powder
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 onion, quartered
1 orange, juiced and zested
1 lime, juiced
1 bay leaf

Instructions

Prepare the Pork: Rub the pork shoulder with olive oil, salt, pepper, cumin, oregano, and chili powder. Ensure the pork is evenly coated.
Add Ingredients to Crockpot: Place the seasoned pork in the Crockpot. Add the minced garlic, quartered onion, orange juice and zest, lime juice, and bay leaf.

Cook: Cover and cook on low for 8 hours or until the pork is tender and easily shreds with a fork.
Shred the Pork: Remove the pork from the Crockpot and shred it using two forks. Discard any large pieces of fat and the bay leaf.
Crisp the Carnitas (Optional): For added texture, spread the shredded pork on a baking sheet and broil in the oven for 5-7 minutes until crispy.