Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas Recipe
This pork carnitas recipe for the slow cooker is easy to make and comes out fork tender. Coming home from work and smelling this when you walk in the door is heavenly. The prep-time is fast, it only takes 15 minutes to prep which you can do the night before. Serve this as tacos, or rice bowls and use the leftovers for the week! If you prefer using a pressure cooker, see my Instant Pot Pork Carnitas recipe, and if you prefer beef over pork, you will love this Mexican Beef.
Making carnitas in the slow cooker is so easy, and the pork comes out juicy and tender. This is always on rotation in my house because it makes enough for several meals making this great for meal prep.
What are Carnitas?
If you go to any Mexican restaurant you’ll be sure to find carnitas on the menu. All throughout Mexico you’ll find lots of hole-in-the-wall restaurants that make the best authentic carnitas. They slow cook the pork in lard, like a confit which makes the pork fork tender. Luckily you can easily make them from scratch without all the lard and excess calories with delicious results in the slow cooker!
Tips for Perfect Pork Carnitas in the Slow Cooker
Always brown the meat! Browning the pork first is essential so don’t skip this step. Pork shoulder is very inexpensive and you can make a few meals out of this. Easy Prep! To make mornings easier, prep this in the evening, it only takes about 15 minutes the night before. Get it ready and refrigerate it so you simply take it out and plug it in when you get up.
Ingredients:
Pork: Use a boneless or bone-in pork shoulder blade roast, or pork butt, trimmed of excess fat. Carnitas Seasoning: kosher salt, black pepper, ground cumin, sazon seasoning, dry adobo seasoning, dried oregano and bay leaves. Aromatics and flavor: fresh garlic cloves and chipotle peppers in adobo sauce. Chicken broth, for liquid. You can also add orange juice or lime juice.
How To Make Carnitas
What to Serve with Carnitas
My family loves this so many ways, and since this recipe makes a lot, leftovers are great! Here’s a few suggestions:
How To Store
This recipe makes a lot! A whole pork roast will make enough for more that one meal. Leftover carnitas can be stored in the refrigerator 4 to 5 days, and reheated to be used in sandwiches, tacos, enchiladas, etc. It will last in the freezer, in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
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