Slow Cooker Carnitas (Pork Shoulder or Pork Butt)

Slow Cooker Carnitas are easy to make, feed a crowd, and perfect in tacos! The pork carnitas meat is fall apart tender but also has some crispy edges - the texture and flavor is out of this world. It's a perfect recipe to use a boneless pork shoulder or boneless pork butt for and there are endless ways to serve it.

Serve up the carnitas as tacos, quesadillas, salads, and more! Don't forget about adding some fun sides and toppings like this pineapple jalapeño salsa. For a drink pairing, you can't go wrong with a classic Margarita or this Raspberry Tequila Cooler.

Why It's Great

• Super Tender Meat - Pork shoulder carnitas are so tender that the meat practically falls apart.
• Flavorful - Between the spice rub and citrus cooking liquid, these carnitas are very flavorful.
• Easy to Make - Let the crockpot do all the work!

Ingredients You'll Need for Pork Carnitas:

Carnitas seasoning is made up of just a few simple spices that pack major flavor, along with the citrus cooking liquid.

• Boneless Pork Shoulder or Pork Butt - You can also use a bone-in, but the cook time will be longer. A Pork Shoulder is great to make this Slow Cooker Pork Ragu or Slow Cooker Pulled Pork.
• Carnitas Seasoning - Chili Powder, Cumin, Dried Oregano, Salt, Pepper
• Orange Juice
• Lime Juice
• Minced Garlic
• Chipotle Peppers in Adobo - You can find this in a can in the ethnic foods aisle.
• White or Yellow Onions
• For Serving - See lots of ideas for topping and serving below!

Serving - What do you put on Carnitas?

Pork carnitas tacos are a family favorite and great with a variety of toppings. Here are some of my favorites:

• Thinly shredded red or green cabbage
• Fresh Cilantro
• Raw chopped white or red onion
• Mexican Crema or Sour Cream
• Guacamole or Fresh Avocado
• Pico De Gallo
• Shredded Mexican Cheese or Crumbled Cotija Cheese
• Mexican Skillet Corn or Elote Dip

How to Make Pork Carnitas in the Slow Cooker

1. Season Pork - Start by drying the pork shoulder then rubbing all over with the carnitas seasoning mix.
2. Add to Crockpot - To the slow cooker liner, add the remaining ingredients (citrus juices, garlic, chipotle peppers, onion) and mix together. Place the seasoned pork on top.
3. Slow Cooker - Close the slow cooker lid and cook on Low for 8-9 hours. Give it a flip halfway through, but otherwise leave the crockpot lid closed. The pork is done when it easily shreds and falls apart.
4. Shred Pork Carnitas - Carefully transfer the pork to a sheet pan (leaving juices in the cork pot) and shred. You can discard any large pieces of fat. Spread out the shredded pork evenly onto the sheet pan.
5. Broil - Preheat the broiler to High. Drizzle the shredded pork with about ½ cup of the leftover juices. Broil for about 5 minutes until there are some crispy edges.
6. Serve - Serve immediately and enjoy!

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you overcook carnitas in the slow cooker?

As long as you cook carnitas on Low, and not High, in the slow cooker it is very hard to overcook them. On Low, they take 8-10 hours to cook. If you cooked much much longer than that, then the meat would get extremely tender and shred into too small of strands.

What is the difference between carnitas and pulled pork?

Pulled pork is usually made from a pork shoulder that has been slow-cooked so it shreds easily. Carnitas are a Mexican pulled pork that has been seasoned with Mexican spices and uses a citrus cooking liquid.

What is the best cut of pork for carnitas?

Carnitas are best made with a pork shoulder (or pork butt) due to its higher fat content that helps them get super tender and moist.

Leftovers, Freezing, and Reheating

Leftovers - Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 5 days. I prefer to store excess meat after shredding and before broiling, but you can store meat that has been broiled as well.

Freezing - Cool leftovers and then flash freeze on a baking sheet in the freezer. Once frozen, transfer to an airtight freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge before reheating.

Reheating - If you stored carnitas that haven't been broiled, then reheat by broiling under High for about 5 minutes until warmed with crisp edges. If the leftovers were already broiled, then reheat in a 400 degrees F oven for about 5 minutes until warmed.

Repurposing Leftovers

I love that this recipe makes a lot, reheats well, and the leftovers can be repurposed into different meals.

• Carnitas quesadilla
• Leftover pulled pork tacos
• Carnitas Salad - Use a base of shredded romaine, cabbage, or a combination.
• Carnitas Omelet
• Pulled Pork Nachos

Recipe Notes and Tips

• Cook Low and Slow - For best results, you really should cook a pork shoulder on Low heat and not High heat. Cooking it Low and slow results in super tender shredded pork that doesn't dry out..
• Trim Excess Fat when Shredding - The fat adds so much flavor and tenderness when cooking, but when you go to shred up the pork you can discard any large pieces of fat.
• Make Ahead Friendly - If you want to prep this in advance, you can cook up and shred the meat but then hold off on broiling. Store the shredded pork in the fridge along with a little cooking liquid. Then just broil as directed to reheat (it may take a couple minutes longer) when ready to serve and eat.

More Easy Slow Cooker Recipes

Check out some of my favorite easy recipes to make in the crockpot!

• Slow Cooker Shredded Italian Beef - Chuck Roast cooks low and slow in the crockpot and results in a tangy, slightly spicy, shredded Italian Beef that your family will love.
• Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken - Only 5 ingredients and perfect for meal prep. 
• Crockpot Chicken Noodle Soup - Hearty, comforting, and perfect for cold weather. 

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Recipe

Slow Cooker Carnitas

Print Recipe

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5 from 1 review

Slow Cooker Carnitas are easy to make, feed a crowd, and perfect in tacos! The carnitas meat is fall apart tender but also has some crispy edges - the texture and flavor is out of this world.

• Author: Kathleen
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 8 hours
• Total Time: 9 hours
• Yield: 6-8 servings
• Category: Main
• Method: Slow Cooker
• Cuisine: Mexican

Ingredients

• 4-5 lb boneless pork shoulder or pork butt, see note
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 2 teaspoons cumin
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano 
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• ¾ cup orange juice
• 2 limes, juiced
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1-2 chipotle peppers in adobo, minced
• 2 small-medium white or yellow onions, quartered

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Instructions

1. Season Pork - Start by drying the pork shoulder then rubbing all over with the carnitas seasoning mix.
2. Add to Crockpot - To the slow cooker liner, add the remaining ingredients (citrus juices, garlic, chipotle peppers, onion) and mix together. Place the seasoned pork on top.
3. Slow Cooker - Close the slow cooker lid and cook on Low for 8-9 hours. Give it a flip halfway through, but otherwise leave the crockpot lid closed. The pork is done when it easily shreds and falls apart.
4. Shred Pork Carnitas - Carefully transfer the pork to a sheet pan (leaving juices in the crock pot) and shred. You can discard any large pieces of fat. Spread out the shredded pork evenly onto the sheet pan.
5. Broil - Preheat the broiler to High. Drizzle the shredded pork with about ½ cup of the leftover juices. Broil for about 5 minutes until there are some crispy edges.
6. Serve - Serve immediately and enjoy!

Notes

Cut of Pork -  A pork shoulder or pork butter is best due to the fat content. The fat is what makes the meat super tender and flavorful. Do not swap in a lean pork loin! 

Nutrition

• Serving Size: ⅛ of recipe
• Calories: 382
• Sugar: 3 g
• Sodium: 461.5 mg
• Fat: 10 g
• Carbohydrates: 6.4 g
• Fiber: 1 g
• Protein: 63 g
• Cholesterol: 185.9 mg