Slow Cooker Carnitas

These carnitas are impossibly easy—place everything in a slow cooker, let it cook, shred the meat, and dinner is served! Serve them on mini tortillas with all your favorite toppings.

Slow Cooker Carnitas are one of my favorite recipes to feed a crowd. One pork shoulder feeds so many people! The recipe is super easy, requires hardly any hands-on time, and everyone loves the finished dish.

Have I sold you yet? Here’s how to make them!

How to make carnitas

Place a pork shoulder in a slow cooker with chicken stock, orange juice, onions, and salt.

Cook on high for 4–5 hours or on low for 6–7 hours. The pork shoulder will shrink in size, but don’t worry—there are still tons of servings of meat!

Shred the meat with a fork and place on a sheet pan. Broil for 3–4 minutes, or until the pork begins to get crispy on the edges.

That’s it! You’ve made carnitas.

How to serve carnitas

The tortilla here is key! Corn tortillas are traditional, but I don’t love them, so I use flour tortillas.

You can find mini flour tortillas (they are called “street taco tortillas”) in the international foods aisle of many grocery stores. They are dough-y and delicious.

They are even MORE delicious when you char them on the stovetop. Turn a gas burner on low and place one tortilla directly on the stovetop over the flame. Have a pair of tongs ready. Let the tortilla cook and char in spots (this takes maybe 10 seconds, but watch closely!). Flip and repeat. Now you have some great smoky flavor in the tortilla.

How to top carnitas

Carnitas are traditionally served with chopped cilantro and chopped white onion. That’s my favorite way to enjoy them.

Pico de gallo also makes a great topping. Here’s how I make mine:

Two tomatoes on the vine
Half of a white onion
A handful of fresh cilantro
The juice of half a lime
A pinch of salt

Chop everything finely and stir together.

If you make it ahead of time, leave out the salt and stir it in at the last minute. The salt draws the water out of the tomatoes and you’ll be left with a lot of liquid on the bottom if you salt it ahead of time.

What to do with leftover carnitas

These carnitas are also great for repurposing into leftovers. Here are a few ideas for using the extra meat:

– Pork Quesadillas: place a small amount of butter in a skillet over medium heat, place a mini tortilla on top, and top with cheese and pork. Top with another mini tortilla, flip, and cook until the cheese is melted. Serve with sour cream and pico de gallo.

– Burrito bowls: serve with rice, black beans, shredded cheese, corn salsa, pico de gallo, guacamole, and sour cream

– Breakfast hash: sauté a chopped onion, diced potatoes, and a diced red pepper; stir in pork. Top with a fried egg and chopped cilantro.

I make these Slow Cooker Carnitas every time that I find pork shoulder on sale at the grocery store. The meat also freezes wonderfully for an easy dinner later on!

Slow Cooker Carnitas

Kate Shungu

These slow cooker carnitas are perfect for a crowd, or for a hungry family. Transform the leftovers into quesadillas or burrito bowls, or freeze the extra meat for later use!

5 from 1 vote

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 mins

Cook Time 5 hrs

Course Entree

Cuisine Mexican

Servings 8 –10 servings

Calories 325 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 1 4–5 lb bone-in pork shoulder
• 1 cup chicken stock
• ⅓ cup orange juice
• 2 yellow onions thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon sea salt
• To serve: tortillas chopped cilantro, chopped white onion, pico de gallo

Instructions

 

• Place pork shoulder and onions in a slow cooker. Sprinkle with the salt. Pour the chicken stock and orange juice around the pork shoulder. 
• Cook on high for 4–5 hours or on low for 6–7 hours. Remove the pork shoulder and let cool for 15 minutes. Shred the meat with a fork and discard the bone. Combine the meat with the cooked onions and broil if desired (directions below), or skip to step #4. 
• (Optional) Preheat oven to broil. Place the shredded pork and onions on a sheet pan. Broil for 3–4 minutes, or until the pork begins to get crispy. 
• Serve the shredded pork and onions on tortillas with chopped cilantro, chopped white onion, and/or pico de gallo.

Notes

Here's how to make your own pico de gallo: combine two finely chopped tomatoes on the vine, half of a white onion (finely chopped), a handful of fresh chopped cilantro, the juice of half a lime, and a pinch of salt in a bowl. Serve immediately. 

Nutrition

Calories: 325kcalCarbohydrates: 3gProtein: 35gFat: 18gSaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 122mgSodium: 570mgFiber: 0.5gSugar: 2g

Keyword carnitas, taco night

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!