Description
This Crock Pot Carnitas recipe offers tender, flavorful slow-cooked pork shoulder infused with a rich blend of spices and citrus, finished with a perfect crispy broil for authentic Mexican-style shredded pork ideal for tacos, burritos, salads, and more.
Ingredients
Scale
Pork and Marinade
- 4-5 lbs boneless pork butt (Boston butt), trimmed of excess fat
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1/4 cup orange juice
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 1 teaspoon liquid smoke
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 1 jalapeno, deveined, deseeded, chopped
Wet Spice Rub
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon reduced sodium soy sauce
- 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/2-1 teaspoon ground chipotle chili pepper (optional, for heat)
Instructions
- Sear the pork: Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a large skillet over high heat. Using tongs or forks, sear the pork butt on all sides until lightly browned, then transfer to a cutting board to cool enough to handle.
- Prepare the spice rub and coat pork: Whisk together all Wet Spice Rub ingredients in a medium bowl. Once pork is cool, massage the spice rub evenly all over the meat, then place it into the slow cooker.
- Add liquids and aromatics: Pour the orange juice, lime juice, liquid smoke, and bay leaves into the slow cooker. Top the pork with chopped onion and jalapeno.
- Slow cook the pork: Cook on LOW for 8 to 10 hours or on HIGH for 5 to 6 hours, until the pork is fall-apart tender and easily shredded with a fork.
- Shred and reheat: Remove the pork to a cutting board, shred it thoroughly, then return the shredded pork to the slow cooker and toss with the cooking juices. Cook on LOW for an additional 20 minutes.
- Preheat and prepare for broiling: While the pork reheats, preheat your oven to 450°F (232°C) and line two baking sheets with foil.
- Crisp the pork: Spread the shredded pork evenly across the lined baking sheets. Drizzle about 1/4 cup of the reserved juices over the pork. Bake for 15 minutes, then broil for 5-10 minutes, watching carefully to avoid burning, until desired crispiness is reached.
- Serve: Drizzle additional juices over the crisped pork and toss gently. Serve warm in tortillas, with rice, salads, or favorite toppings.
Notes
- Liquid Smoke is sold near barbecue sauces in grocery stores and adds a smoky flavor.
- Variation: For a saucier carnitas, drain excess juices after slow cooking, then add to the pork: 1/2 cup enchilada sauce, 1/4 cup salsa, 4 oz green chilies, brown sugar, and hot sauce to taste instead of broiling.
- Instant Pot adaptation: Cut pork into large chunks, add extra liquid to total 1 cup (pineapple juice recommended), cook on high pressure for 50 minutes with a 15-minute natural release.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/8 of recipe (approx. 6 oz shredded pork)
- Calories: 380
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 520mg
- Fat: 23g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 9g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 35g
- Cholesterol: 110mg
