Slow Cooker Carnitas

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If you love going to your local Mexican restaurant for carnitas, then you will love this slow cooker carnitas recipe! It tastes just as delicious, and thanks to the slow cooker, you get tender and juicy shredded pork without having to do a lot of work. There’s no need to pre-cook anything, simply rub the pork in a spice mix and let the slow cooker do the rest!

It’s the perfect recipe for batch cooking or for feeding a crowd. Carnitas is a very versatile recipe as you can make shredded pork tacos or add the meat to enchiladas, quesadillas, burritos, burrito bowls, or nachos. Regardless of how you serve the carnitas, it’s guaranteed to be a hit.

You will love how flavorful and juicy the pork is, especially the caramelized, crispy bits from broiling the meat at the end. If you want to make these along with other latin recipes, then serve these crock pot carnitas with my churros recipe, watermelon margaritas recipe, or fried ice cream recipe.

What You Need to Make This Recipe

Ingredients needed to make slow cooker carnitas.

Seasoning — I use a generous combination of salt, chili powder, cumin, oregano, and pepper to ensure the pork comes out flavorful.

Pork — typically, you make carnitas with pork shoulder or butt, as these two pork cuts have enough fat to stay moist, juicy, and tender as it slowly cooks.

Citrus juice — the lime and orange juice help tenderize and flavor the pork. I highly recommend using freshly squeezed lime and orange juice as they are more bright and more flavorful. The orange juice also adds a little sweetness to the pulled pork.

Aromatics — the onion and garlic add extra flavor to the carnitas.

How to Make Slow Cooker Carnitas

Set of two photos showing seasoning mix stirred together and poured over a piece of pork.

1. Pat the pork dry with paper towels. Combine the salt, chili powder, cumin, oregano, and pepper in a small mixing bowl.

2. Rub the spice mixture all over the pork.

Set of two photos showing onions and citrus juice poured into the slow cooker.

3. Place the pork in a large slow cooker. Top with the onion and garlic.

4. Pour the orange juice and lime juice over the top.

Set of two photos showing meat shredded with two forks and mixed with the juices in the crock pot.

5. Cover and cook on Low for 8 hours or on High for 6 hours or until very tender, and the meat easily pulls apart. Shred with two forks.

6. Stir well to coat the pork in drippings.

Set of two photos showing meat spooned onto a sheet pan and juices drizzled on top.

7 Preheat the oven to broil. Line a large-rimmed baking sheet with foil. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the shredded pork onto the baking sheet, leaving the drippings in the slow cooker, and spread into an even layer. Broil for 4 minutes or until the edges of the pork start to brown.

8 Remove from the oven and spoon a small amount of dripping over the pork. Toss to coat, then spread back out into an even layer. Return the pork to the oven and broil for another 4 minutes or until the edges are crispy. Drizzle with more sauce before serving. Serve as tacos in tortillas, on salads, or in burrito bowls.

A plate with four tortillas filled with slow cooker carnitas.

Pro Tips for Making This Recipe

If you do not want to use the oven to crisp up the shredded pork, you can add the meat to a skillet with oil over medium heat. Cook until the meat has browned to your liking and is crispy.
Carnitas go with everything! Try serving them with chips and salsa or queso, guacamole, sweet potato fries, pineapple salsa, or pico de gallo.
If you’d like the carnitas to be on the spicier side, add some cayenne pepper to the spice rub before adding the pork to the slow cooker. Alternatively, you can serve the carnitas with jalapenos.
The fat and connective tissue in the pork butt or shoulder requires time to break down. If you try to shred the pork and it feels tough, you may need to cook it longer, especially if you use a larger cut of pork than I am.
Avoid opening the slow cooker’s lid while the pork is cooking. Opening the lid releases the built-up heat, requiring extra time to rebuild the lost heat.

A lime wedge squeezed over slow cooker carnitas on a tortilla on a plate.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use pork tenderloin or pork loin?

It’s best to make carnitas with cuts of pork that are high in fat content, such as pork shoulder or pork butt. Cuts of pork, such as pork tenderloin or pork loin, when slow-cooked, will not provide the same amount of tenderness and flavor as these fattier cuts.

How do I store leftovers?

Leftover carnitas hold up great in the fridge. Just transfer cooled leftovers to an airtight container in the fridge for 4 to 5 days.

Can I freeze the meat?

Yes! You can freeze the shredded pork along with the juices before you crisp them up. When ready to enjoy, thaw and broil the meat to get it crispy. Make sure to use an airtight, freezer-safe bag or container.

What is the difference between this recipe and pulled pork?

Carnitas and pulled pork are very similar. You can cook them the same way in the slow cooker, but you finish the carnitas in the oven before serving to help crisp them up.

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If you’ve tried this Slow Cooker Carnitas recipe, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you!