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close up of carnitas tacos on a plate.
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Slow Cooker Carnitas Recipe

Slow Cooked pork with plenty of seasonings and citrus. Shredded and crisped in the oven for THE BEST carinitas you will ever have!
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time10 hours
Total Time10 hours 15 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Servings: 12
Author: Sarah Olson

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 4 lbs. picnic pork roast
  • 2 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1 tsp. black Pepper
  • 1 Tbsp. cumin
  • 1 Tbsp. chili powder
  • 1/2 Tbsp. dried oregano
  • 1 yellow onion diced
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 4 oz. can fire-roasted green chiles Drained
  • 3 Tbsp. fresh chopped cilantro
  • ½ cup orange juice
  • 1 lime juiced

Instructions

  • Rinse and pat dry the pork roast with paper towels. In a small bowl mix together the salt, pepper, cumin, chili powder and oregano. Drizzle the pork roast with the olive oil and rub on the spice mixture.
  • In the slow cooker pot, add the pork roast, diced onion, minced garlic, green chilies, fresh cilantro, orange juice and lime juice.
  • Cook on low for 10 hours or on high for 7 hours. When done, remove from the slow cooker pot, reserving the cooking liquid and shred with forks and place on a baking sheet.
  • Turn the oven broiler to high and crisp the shredded pork for about 3 minutes, mix and broil again.
  • Serve hot with the reserved cooking liquid for dipping.

Video

Notes

  • Toppings for tacos, shredded lettuce, avocado, tomato, pico de gallo, jalapeno, diced onion, cilantro, sour cream, shredded red cabbage. Perfect for burritos or quesadillas as well.
  • Refrigerate for up to 3 days in in an airtight container or 3 months in a freezer safe container.
Variations
  • Pineapple juice can be added for sweetness.
  • Sliced jalapenos are a great addition if you want your carnitas meat spicy.
  • If you want to make chicken carnitas, use boneless skinless chicken thighs.

Nutrition

Calories: 175kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 62mg | Sodium: 314mg | Potassium: 395mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 250IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 34mg | Iron: 2mg

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