Slow cooker carnitas will quickly become your new favorite weeknight meal. Simple pantry ingredients combine with pork shoulder in the crockpot and then are crisped at the end for the best, most flavorful carnitas recipe. It is the perfect dinner recipe to come home to.
Our family loves taco night so much, and these crispy restaurant-style carnitas are a favorite. Often, carnitas turn out soggy and bland, and you are left with something that just tastes like lightly seasoned pulled pork. This recipe stands apart from the crowd in some major ways.
They are easy to make, letting the slow cooker do the bulk of the work. More importantly, they have the perfect flavor made from a combination of simple-to-find ingredients. You are left with tender, juicy, and flavorful pork. The final step is what really makes this recipe a winner and turns it into your go-to carnitas recipe. When the meat goes under the broiler, you get a crisp yet incredibly moist taco filling.
Why This Recipe Works
- Cooks in low liquid: This keeps the flavor from becoming diluted and the carnitas from ending up soggy.
- Slow cooking: Low heat over a long time leads to the most tender pork.
- Broiling at the end: This crisps up the edges without taking away from the juiciness of the meat.
- Citrus and spice combo: You get an authentic and amazing flavor.
How to Make Carnitas
- Season the pork with kosher salt and then sear it in hot oil. The searing will create a deeper layer of flavor in the final dish.
- In the bottom of the crockpot, combine the chicken stock, onion, garlic, lime juice, and spices. Add the pork to the slow cooker and cook on low for six to eight hours. I do not recommend cooking this recipe on high. The low and slow cooking is part of what makes the meat so tender.
- At the end of the cooking time, remove the chunks of meat and shred it with two forks.
- Put the shredded pork under the broiler for three to ten minutes, or until crispy.
The Most Important Step
Getting crispy carnitas meat is the key to this delicious recipe. Without this step, you just have another pulled pork recipe. Doing this under the broiler is the easiest. Ensure that you spread the meat in a thin layer on the baking sheet.
Alternatively, you can heat a few tablespoons of oil in a skillet over medium-high heat and add the meat in a single layer. Then let the meat crisp up without stirring. Flip the meat and let the other side crisp for a few minutes before removing from the pan.
Common Mistakes
- Cooking the pork in too much liquid. You will notice that a lot of slow cooker recipes (such as my Italian Beef) call for significantly more broth to cook the meat in. Using just two cups in this recipe is purposeful so the flavor isn’t diluted and the meat doesn’t get soggy.
- Overcrowding the baking pan (or skillet) during broiling. Doing this while trying to crisp the meat will result in the meat getting steamed rather than seared.
- Skipping the crisping altogether. Since this is the hallmark of carnitas, it shouldn’t be skipped or overlooked.
Serving Carnitas
- Tacos
- Bowls
- Nachos
- Burritos
- Quesadillas
Storing and Reheating Leftovers
Put the leftover meat in an airtight container with a small amount of the cooking liquid. Store in the refrigerator for up to five days. Leftovers should be reheated in a skillet with a little bit of oil. Storing with just a small amount of liquid and reheating in a skillet with oil will keep the meat as close to the original (flavorful yet crispy) as possible.
What to Serve With Carnitas
- Easy Guacamole Recipe
- Easy Spanish Rice
- The Best Margarita Recipe
- Cilantro Lime Rice
- Flavor-Packed Instant Pot Pinto Beans
If you make this delicious Slow Cooker Carnitas recipe or any of my other recipes, please leave me a comment and let me know! I love hearing about you making Simple Joy recipes.
Recipe Video
Pork Carnitas
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 4 pounds pork shoulder cut into 4 large pieces
- 3 tablespoons kosher salt
- 2 cups low sodium chicken broth (see note)
- 1 small yellow onion diced
- 6 garlic cloves minced
- 3 tablespoons lime juice
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a heavy bottomed pot or skillet.2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- Season the pork with the salt and brown it in the hot oil, making sure to get each side of the pork and working in batches as necessary.4 pounds pork shoulder, 3 tablespoons kosher salt
- In the bottom of a slow cooker, combine chicken broth, onion, garlic, lime juice, chili powder, cumin, and oregano.2 cups low sodium chicken broth, 1 small yellow onion, 6 garlic cloves, 3 tablespoons lime juice, 2 tablespoons chili powder, 2 teaspoons cumin
- Add the pork to the bottom of the slow cooker and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or until the pork falls apart easily with a fork. Remove from the slow cooker and shred with two forks.
- Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. Add the shredded meat. Place it under the broiler for 3 to 10 minutes or until the edges begin to crisp up.
- Use as a taco filling, topped with onions and cilantro or pico de gallo.
Notes
Maria says
Thank you so much for all your knowledge in culinary experience! And for being such a nice sharing person. Thank you for all your amazing recipes . Thank you for all your stories behind, I love each on of them!!! As a mom too I been making a lot of your recipes: salads, breads, deserts, drinks etc.. especially in family reunions we love everything and everything comes right 👩🍳 Hope someday you write a book with all your recipes and stories!!! Thank you again I love this carnitas! I been passing your recipes to my children and family 😋🤩