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Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas

Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas

Tender, juicy pork with crispy edges—perfect for tacos, bowls, or nachos, all made easy in the slow cooker.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 8 hours
Total Time 8 hours 10 minutes
Servings: 8
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Inspired, Mexican
Calories: 310
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 4 lb pork shoulder Boston butt
  • 1 large onion sliced
  • 4 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 cup orange juice
  • ¼ cup lime juice
  • 1 tbsp chili powder
  • 2 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp oregano
  • 1 bay leaf
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Tortillas and toppings of choice

Method
 

  1. Rub pork shoulder with spices, salt, and pepper.
    Raw pork shoulder coated with spices for slow cooker pork carnitas
  2. Place pork in slow cooker with onion, garlic, orange juice, lime juice, and bay leaf.
    Pork shoulder with onion, garlic, and citrus in slow cooker
  3. Cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4–5 hours, until fork-tender.
    Pork cooking in slow cooker with citrus and spices
  4. Remove pork, shred with forks, and reserve cooking liquid.
    Tender pork shoulder shredded with forks for carnitas
  5. Spread shredded pork on baking sheet, drizzle with some liquid, and broil 5–8 minutes until crispy.
    Shredded pork carnitas on baking sheet before broiling
  6. Serve on tortillas with toppings.
    Pork carnitas taco with toppings on corn tortilla

Notes

Broiling makes all the difference—don’t skip it.
Leftovers freeze beautifully.