Although it takes a few hours to make, this is a truly easy, hands-off recipe, where the slow cooker does (almost) all the work. There’s nothing quite like slow-cooked meat. Whether pot roast, goulash, or oxtails, the experience of eating tender, savory, well-cooked meat is pure comfort. I love steak just as much as anyone, but slow-cooked meat is my true love.
Ingredients
You’ll only need a few simple ingredients to make slow cooker carnitas. The exact measurements are listed in the recipe card below. Here’s an overview of what you’ll need: For working people, the ability to toss a few ingredients in the slow cooker in the morning, then come back home to a home-cooked meal, is priceless. Boneless pork shoulder: I usually get a 3-lb. roast. It’s the perfect size for a family meal plus some yummy leftovers! To season: I like to use kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, cumin, cinnamon, and cayenne pepper. Fresh orange juice: Definitely use fresh-squeezed orange juice here, not juice from a carton. Oil spray: Avocado oil is a neutral-tasting oil. It has a high smoke point, making it ideal for high-heat cooking methods such as broiling.
Instructions
It’s so easy to cook carnitas in the slow cooker! You simply place the pork shoulder in the slow cooker with some seasonings and allow the slow cooker to do all the work. Scroll down to the recipe card for detailed instructions. Here are the basic steps:
Expert tip
The best thing about pork carnitas is the wonderful combination of soft, juicy pieces of shredded meat and crispy, caramelized pieces. Cook. Place the seasoned pork in your slow cooker. Squeeze the fresh orange juice on top. Cover and cook on LOW for 8 hours. Shred the meat. When the meat is fully cooked, it is so wonderfully tender, that it’s the easiest thing to shred it with two forks right inside your slow cooker. As you shred, mix the shredded meat with the cooking liquids. Broil to crisp it up. Spread the meat on a greased, rimmed, broiler-safe baking sheet. Spray it with oil and broil until crisp. Drizzle the meat with the remaining cooking juices and serve. To achieve this, traditionally you would fry the cooked, shredded meat in several batches. But to make life easier, I simply spread the meat on a rimmed pan, spray it with oil, and broil until about half of the meat is browned and crispy.
Frequently asked questions
Serving suggestions
Traditionally, you would serve carnitas inside tortillas, as tacos. But they’re just as good in lettuce wraps - the soft round leaves of Boston lettuce work well. You could also layer the meat on a bed of shredded lettuce (or baby spinach leaves) and top it with your favorite condiments. Tasty options include sour cream, guacamole, salsa, and shredded cheese. Sometimes I serve this dish on a bed of cauliflower rice. It works well to soak up the yummy juices.
Storing leftovers
You can keep the leftovers in the fridge, in an airtight container, for 3-4 days. Reheat them gently, in the microwave, covered, on 50% power. This is one of those dishes where the leftovers are just as good as the freshly made dish.
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