Slow Cooker Carnitas
Flavorful Slow Cooker Carnitas made with a pork shoulder or pork butt roast in the crockpot with fresh citrus and seasonings are delicious!
Servings: 8 servings
Ingredients
- 4 pound pork roast pork shoulder or butt, excess fat trimmed and removed
- 1 head garlic cloves removed and minced
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons green chile minced; may substitute with chipotle in adobo or fresh jalapeno
- 1 large sliced onion
- 2 oranges washed clean
- 1 lime washed clean
Instructions
- Prepare roast: Combine 1 head garlic (cloves removed and minced), 2 teaspoons ground cumin, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 3/4 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, and 2 tablespoons green chile (or jalapenos) in small bowl. Coat pork roast with spice rub and place in slow cooker.
- Add citrus: Top prepared roast with 1 large sliced onion. Slice 2 oranges and 1 lime in half and squeeze all of the juices onto the pork. When you're done, add the remaining orange and lime halves to the slow cooker.
- Cook: Cover and cook on low for 8 hours.
- Shred and strain: Remove the pork roast from the slow cooker and set aside. Once the meat is cool enough to handle, shred the meat and discard any large chunks of fat. Strain and reserve the liquid from the slow cooker and discard any remaining solids.
- Crisp the carnitas: To serve, set the oven to a low broil and spread the shredded meat in a thin layer on a large foil-covered or parchment-covered baking sheet. Measure 1/2 cup of the reserved liquid and pour over the meat. Broil until the meat starts to crisp and brown, stirring every few minutes. Add additional reserved liquid and/or additional seasonings prior to serving, if desired.
Notes
Nutritional information is based on a single serving where 4-pound pork roast is used with a total of 8 servings of carnitas.
Make-ahead directions: Cook as directed up until the point where pork is shredded. Store the shredded meat in 1/2 cup of the reserved liquid and also save the remaining liquid just in case you want to add it later. To serve, add the shredded pork to a baking sheet and broil until crispy.
Nutrition
Calories: 327kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 51g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 142mg | Sodium: 343mg | Potassium: 945mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 80IU | Vitamin C: 21.5mg | Calcium: 39mg | Iron: 1.8mg