Crockpot Dinner Ideas
Crockpot Pork Carnitas (15-Minute Prep)
Pork shoulder slow-cooked with orange, lime, garlic and cumin until it shreds, then broiled in its own juices for crisp, caramelized edges.
These carnitas give you juicy pork with crisp, caramelized edges, ready to pile into tacos. They take 15 minutes of morning prep and one 10-minute trip under the broiler at dinnertime.
This version works because it splits the job in two. The slow cooker handles the long braise in orange juice, lime and spices, and that turns a fatty pork shoulder fork-tender. The broiler then fries the shredded meat in its own rendered fat and reduced juices. Cook it 8 to 10 hours on LOW or 5 to 6 hours on HIGH.
Why this recipe works
Traditional carnitas are simmered for hours in lard. That's not practical on a weekday, but pork shoulder carries enough of its own fat to do the same job. Over a long cook the fat renders into the juices, and the connective tissue breaks down into gelatin. You end up with meat that stays moist after you shred it.
The detail that matters is the finish. Slow-cooked pork is tender but pale and soft. When you spread it on a sheet pan, pour some of the cooking liquid over it and broil it, the sugars from the orange juice caramelize and the fat crisps the thin strands. Most people skip this step, and that's why their carnitas taste like pulled pork.
Ingredient notes
Pork shoulder: buy boneless pork shoulder, sold as pork butt or Boston butt. It's the right cut because of its fat and collagen. Pork loin and tenderloin are too lean and turn dry and stringy after this many hours. Trim off the thick outer fat cap, but leave the marbling inside. If you bought it ahead and stored it in the freezer, move it to the fridge to thaw completely before cooking (about 24 hours for every 4 to 5 lb).
Citrus: fresh orange juice gives you sugar for browning plus a gentle acidity. Bottled 100% orange juice works too. Lime juice adds sharpness, so use fresh limes here.
Oregano: Mexican oregano tastes earthier and slightly citrusy. Mediterranean oregano works if that's what you have, but use a little less because it's stronger.
Salt: the amounts here are for kosher salt. With table salt, use about half as much.
How to make crockpot pork carnitas
Start with fully thawed pork and cut the shoulder into roughly 3-inch chunks. Smaller pieces cook more evenly than one big roast and pick up more of the seasoning. Toss them with the salt and spices right on the cutting board, then set them over sliced onion and smashed garlic in the crock. The onion keeps the meat off the bottom and melts into the juices.
Pour the orange and lime juice over the pork. Don't add more liquid. The pork releases plenty, and extra liquid only dilutes the flavor and slows the crisping later. Cover and cook on LOW 8 to 10 hours or HIGH 5 to 6 hours. It's ready when a fork twists through a chunk with no resistance and a thermometer reads 195 to 205°F.
Lift the pork out and shred it with two forks. Skim the fat off the top of the liquid and keep 2 to 3 tablespoons of it. Spread the meat on a sheet pan, spoon over the reserved fat and about 1/2 cup of the juices, and broil 6 inches from the heat until the tips turn deep brown and crisp, 4 to 5 minutes. Toss, spoon over a little more juice and broil 2 to 3 minutes more.
Common mistakes (and how to fix them)
Carnitas taste dry: you probably used a lean cut, or skipped the juices before broiling. Toss the shredded meat with a few spoonfuls of the cooking liquid before you serve it and on every reheat. Shoulder is close to impossible to dry out in the crock. Loin is not.
Meat won't shred: it isn't done yet. Tough cuts get tougher before they get tender. Put the lid back on and give it another 45 to 60 minutes on HIGH.
No crisp edges: the pan was crowded or too wet. Use a large rimmed sheet pan so the meat sits in a thin layer, and add juice gradually. With more than one pan, broil them one at a time.
Burnt bits under the broiler: orange juice sugars go from brown to black fast. Stay at the oven and check at 3 minutes. Spoon off any juice that pools and starts to smoke.
Greasy carnitas: you poured over too much fat. Chill the leftover liquid next time, and the fat will lift off in one piece.
What to serve with crockpot pork carnitas
Serve the pork in warm corn tortillas with diced white onion, chopped cilantro, lime wedges and salsa verde. Mexican rice or cilantro-lime rice soaks up the extra juices. A pot of pinto or refried beans makes it a full meal. For something fresh, add a quick cabbage slaw with lime and salt, or sliced radishes and cucumber.
Tips for success
- Broil in batches if the pork won't fit in a single thin layer. Piled-up meat steams instead of crisping.
- Save all the leftover cooking liquid. It keeps stored carnitas moist and makes a good base for rice or beans.
- For crispier tacos, fry the shredded pork in a hot cast-iron skillet with a spoonful of the fat. Press it flat and leave it alone for 2 to 3 minutes per side.
- The WARM setting is only for holding cooked pork, for up to 2 hours. Never start the cooking on WARM.
- Lift the lid as little as possible. Each peek adds roughly 15 to 20 minutes to the cooking time.
Substitutions
- Bone-in pork shoulder: use 5 lb and add about an hour on LOW. The bone slides out clean once the meat is done.
- No fresh oranges: use 1/2 cup bottled 100% orange juice. The flavor is a little flatter but it still browns well.
- Lower fat: trim the shoulder more aggressively and skip the reserved fat when broiling. The edges brown less, so you'll get less crunch.
- Pork loin or tenderloin: not recommended. They don't have the fat or collagen for a long braise and come out dry.
- Gluten-free: the recipe is naturally gluten-free. Check that your chili powder and tortillas are labeled gluten-free.
- Dairy-free: already dairy-free. Skip cotija or sour cream at the table, or use a dairy-free crema.
Storage and reheating
Refrigerate leftover carnitas within 2 hours of cooking, in an airtight container with a few spoonfuls of the cooking liquid. Eat them within 3 to 4 days. For longer storage, pack the cooled pork and some liquid in freezer bags, press out the air and keep for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge. Reheat in a skillet over medium-high heat with a splash of the liquid until steaming hot and 165°F, letting the bottom crisp for a minute or two. Don't reheat in the slow cooker, because it warms food too slowly to be safe.
Make ahead
The night before, trim and cube the pork, toss it with the salt and spices, and refrigerate it covered. Slice the onion and smash the garlic, and store them in a separate container. In the morning, put everything into the crock and add the juices. You can also cook the pork a day ahead, refrigerate it shredded with its liquid, and broil it just before serving. Add 2 to 3 minutes to the broil time because the meat starts cold.
Crockpot Pork Carnitas
Pork shoulder slow-cooked with orange, lime, garlic and cumin until it shreds, then broiled in its own juices for crisp, caramelized edges.
- Prep
- 15 mins
- Cook
- 8 hrs 10 mins
- Total
- 8 hrs 25 mins
- On LOW
- 8 hrs
- On HIGH
- 5 hrs
- Servings
- 8 servings
Ingredients
Instructions
- Make sure the pork is fully thawed in the fridge before it goes into the slow cooker. Trim off the thick outer fat cap and cut the meat into 3-inch chunks.
- In a large bowl, toss the pork with the salt, cumin, oregano, chili powder and pepper until every piece is coated.
- Spread the sliced onion, garlic, jalapeño and bay leaves in the bottom of a 6-quart slow cooker. Set the pork on top. The crock should be between 1/2 and 2/3 full.
- Pour the orange and lime juice over the pork and tuck the squeezed orange halves between the chunks.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 8 to 10 hours or on HIGH for 5 to 6 hours, until the pork falls apart when pressed with a fork and reads 195 to 205°F inside.
- Lift the pork onto a cutting board. Throw away the orange halves and bay leaves. Shred the meat with two forks, discarding any large pieces of fat.
- Skim the fat from the top of the cooking liquid and keep 2 to 3 tablespoons of it. Keep the liquid too.
- Set an oven rack 6 inches below the broiler and heat the broiler to high. Spread the pork in a thin layer on a large rimmed sheet pan. Drizzle with the reserved fat and about 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid.
- Broil until the edges are deep golden brown and crisp, 4 to 5 minutes. Toss with tongs, drizzle with 1/4 cup more liquid and broil 2 to 3 minutes more.
- Serve right away in warm tortillas with onion, cilantro, lime and salsa verde. Spoon a little more cooking liquid over any pork you're keeping.
Equipment
- 6-quart slow cooker
- large rimmed sheet pan
Nutrition (per serving)
- Calories
- 390 kcal
- Protein
- 35 g
- Carbs
- 6 g
- Fat
- 24 g
- Fiber
- 1 g
- Sodium
- 520 mg
Nutrition values are estimates per serving and change with brands and portion sizes.
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Frequently asked questions
Do I need to thaw the pork shoulder before slow cooking?
Yes. Meat that goes into the crock still solid spends too long in the 40 to 140°F range where bacteria grow, which is why the USDA says to thaw it first. Thaw the shoulder in the fridge, which takes about 24 hours for every 4 to 5 lb.
How long do carnitas take on HIGH in the slow cooker?
5 to 6 hours on HIGH for 4 lb of shoulder in 3-inch chunks. It's done when the meat falls apart with a fork and reaches 195 to 205°F. Then broil it for about 8 minutes.
Can you freeze leftover carnitas?
Yes. Store the cooked, shredded pork with some of its cooking liquid in freezer bags for up to 3 months. Thaw it in the fridge and crisp it in a skillet until it reaches 165°F.
Do I have to sear the pork first?
No. The broiler at the end does the browning, and browning after shredding gives you far more crisp surface than searing whole chunks would. It also keeps morning prep to 15 minutes.
What's the difference between carnitas and pulled pork?
Pulled pork is usually seasoned with a sweet, smoky barbecue rub and served soft with sauce. Carnitas are seasoned with citrus, cumin and oregano, then fried or broiled until the edges are crisp.