A healthier, easier way to make tender, juicy, and crispy carnitas starts with your slow cooker!Save

A healthier, easier way to make tender, juicy, crispy carnitas starts with your slow cooker – and there are so many ways to enjoy the leftovers!

 

Slow cookers are valued for their hands-off convenience, and an extended stint over low heat can coax out flavor and tenderize tough, less expensive cuts of meat.

Slow cookers are not, however, typically associated with crispy edges and a good sear. Is it too much to want it all?

By combining this user-friendly method of cooking with one additional step we can, in fact, have the best of both worlds. This approach also offers a healthier way to enjoy pork carnitas, a favorite in Mexican restaurants far and wide.

A healthier, easier way to make tender, juicy, and crispy carnitas starts with your slow cooker!Save

Directly translated, carnitas means “little meats.” The traditional method of preparing this south-of-the-border dish calls for simmering a large cut of pork in lard over very low heat until fork tender and then increasing the heat to crisp it. The meat is then shredded or chopped and served with tortillas, refried beans, salsa, guacamole, diced onion, and cilantro.

A slow cooker provides another way to transform the tough cut of meat typically used in this dish, gradually melting the fat and breaking down the fibrous connective tissues. In this updated carnitas recipe, citrus juice and a variety of spices—not lard or oil—serve as the braising liquid, imparting great flavor in the process. A quick broil of the resulting fork tender meat yields delightfully crispy edges with no need for frying.

This pork is one of my personal favorites. It’s delicious straight off the baking sheet and can be reinvented in a myriad of ways for welcome leftovers throughout the week.

Why use pork shoulder?

  • Low and slow cooking melts the fat and connective tissue in this tough cut of meat while allowing time for the flavorings to permeate.
  • Pork shoulder shreds beautifully once cooked and soaks up tasty cooking liquids and sauces.
  • Pork shoulder is one of the least expensive cuts of meat.

A healthier, easier way to make tender, juicy, and crispy carnitas starts with your slow cooker!Save

Serving suggestions:

My family enjoys the flavorful carnitas served family-style with tortillas, Cumin Lime Slaw, Pickled Red Onions, and chopped avocado or guacamole. The crispy bits of meat will add filling protein to a variety of salads and burrito-type bowls too.

Whether wrapping the mixture in a tortilla or serving as a salad, you could also incorporate toppings such as diced tomatoes, shredded cheese, sour cream, hot sauce, and salsa. Cooked rice, shredded lettuce, and beans are worthy choices when making DIY burrito bowls.

As for the leftovers, consider the many ways you might use shredded rotisserie chicken and simply substitute the flavorful morsels of pork. Use them to bolster salads, pastas, or soups.

Or tuck them in a quick quesadilla, baked chimichanga, or the easy chifrijo bowl recipe from several weeks ago. You can even use the pork as an alternative to your favorite breakfast meat, folding it into an omelet or a hash of potatoes, onions, and peppers.

A healthier, easier way to make tender, juicy, and crispy carnitas starts with your slow cooker!Save
Pickled Red Onions and Cumin Lime Coleslaw complement the carnitas beautifully, offering easy side dishes that will  elevate the meal. Cilantro Lime Rice is another great menu addition. 

Some time ago, I shared this recipe with a friend, who has made and enjoyed it many times since. She likes to make patties out of the leftover pork, searing them on both sides in a little olive oil until lightly crisp. (They don’t stick together perfectly, but you can help them along with your spatula.) 

Once cooked, she removes them to a plate and fries one egg per patty. She then places a cooked egg on each pork patty and tops with a few avocado slices. The yolk provides a built-in sauce, plus the easy meal is protein-rich, Paleo, and Whole30 approved. Hot sauce is optional!

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One of the many ways to reinvent the leftover carnitas includes Chifrijo, a traditional Costa Rican burrito bowl, which is incredibly easy and flavorful. Additional serving suggestions and leftovers inspiration is included in the post above. 

I’d love to know if you try this recipe. Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo @fountainavenuekitchen on Instagram and Facebook. Your feedback is always appreciated.

A healthier, easier way to make tender, juicy, and crispy carnitas starts with your slow cooker!Save

Slow Cooker Crispy Pork Carnitas

5 from 1 vote
A healthier, easier way to make tender, juicy, and crispy carnitas starts with your slow cooker!
Servings: 6-8 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 (4- to 4-1/2 pound) lean boneless pork shoulder, excess fat trimmed, cut into 3-inch chunks*
  • 3/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice (from about 2 oranges) plus the squeezed rinds of 1 orange
  • 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice (from about 2 limes)
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced (you may leave seeds for added heat if desired)
  • 1 tablespoon chili powder
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 2 teaspoons dried oregano
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

  1. Add all of the ingredients to a large (6-quart) slow cooker and stir to combine.  (Don’t forget to add two of the squeezed orange halves—I do not add the lime rinds.) Cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 4-5 hours or until the pork is quite tender and shreds easily with a fork.
  2. When the pork is cooked, discard the oranges.  Then preheat your broiler to high heat and line two large, rimmed baking sheets with foil. Use a fork to shred the meat into bite-sized pieces (this can be done right in your slow cooker if desired), and then use a slotted spoon to transfer the meat to the prepared baking sheets. (NOTE: If I expect leftovers, I proceed with one baking sheet.  Also, you may certainly omit the following broiling step if you’re in a hurry or simply want to forego the crispness for a softer end result.) Spread the pork in an even layer and leave the juices in the slow cooker. Be sure to save the juices—we’ll use them later.
  3. Place one baking sheet under the broiler for about 2-3 minutes, watching closely, or until the edges of the pork begin to brown and get crispy. Remove the sheet from the oven, and then drizzle about 1/4 cup of the juices from the slow cooker evenly over the pork.  Toss the pork well, redistribute over the baking sheet and, and broil for an additional 2-3 minutes to add a little extra crispiness.  Again, watch closely when broiling.  Remove from the oven and drizzle an additional 1/4 cup of broth over the crisped pork.
  4. Repeat with the other baking sheet of pork.
  5. Serve immediately in tacos, burritos, and salads—or straight off the pan!  The pork may be refrigerated in a sealed container for 3-4 days, or frozen in an airtight container for approximately 3 months.

Notes

*I’ve made this recipe with a 6+ pound pork shoulder.  In this case, I used 1-1/2 times the spice mix but kept the amounts of orange and lime juice unchanged.  The key to success is the right amount of seasoning for the meat, so feel free to adjust based on the weight of your pork shoulder.
If you wish to crisp the leftovers, simply follow the broiling step as you did the first night.  It’s not necessary but works nearly as well on day two, three, or four.
To clarify when grocery shopping: Somewhat confusingly, pork shoulder is sometimes called and is the same thing as pork butt, even though it all comes from the shoulder of the pig.  The name is a holdover from Colonial days, when butchers in the Boston area would pack the pork shoulders into barrels—called butts—for storage and transport.
Advance prep tips: The spices can be mixed several days in advance and stored in a small jar or covered bowl.  The oranges and limes may be juiced and stored, covered, in the refrigerator up to a day in advance. The pork, onion, and jalapeño may be cut the day before, wrapped well, and stored in the fridge.  If desired, you may toss the pork with the spice mixture the night before—the spices create a dry rub that will act much like a marinade.
 

The flavor of this lusciously Creamy Avocado Lime Sauce is matched only by its versatility...plus it's dairy-free and vegan and will maintain its beautiful green color for days!Save
This Super Creamy Avocado Lime Sauce offers one more complementary layer of flavor for all things Tex-Mex and beyond.

This versatile Spanish Rice recipe is bursting with flavor and can be prepped ahead for added ease at dinnertime!Save
…and Spanish Rice makes a rather tasty side dish. As does Cilantro Lime Rice!
Cumin Lime Coleslaw's crisp texture, vibrant flavor and impressive versatility might just make this super simple side dish a new favorite!Save
Of course, the bright lime and smoky cumin infused into this easy coleslaw make it a natural fit too!
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Looking for the perfect cocktail to serve with this meal and all things Tex-Mex? This clever Margarita recipe will rival the classic Margarita served at your favorite restaurant. And this crowd-pleasing Big Batch Frozen Margarita recipe is ideal for warm weather entertaining and offers make-ahead convenience. Cheers!
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8 responses to “Slow Cooker Crispy Pork Carnitas”

  1. Allison Avatar
    Allison

    Super delicious recipe..here’s my circa 2023 hack
    Cooked it in my electric pressure cooker ( instapot) for thirty minutes used all the ingredients listed. Meat was perfect. Broiled it as directed. Delicious.
    Served with store bought quac, sour cream, pico de gallo, pre made slaw and tortillas.
    I think this would be something to make on a slow day and have in your back pocket (freezer;) for a busy day! Agree that bowls made with this would be wonderful with rice (reg, Spanish or cauliflower as a base)
    I think quinoa base would also be good too.
    I packed up the left overs into the freezer.
    Thanks!

    1. Thank you for your wonderful feedback, Allison. I’m delighted the carnitas were a hit and appreciate the pressure cooker details. And yes, having a stash of this in your freezer is a gift on a busy day!

  2. Served this last night and it was a complete and total hit! Can’t wait for leftovers!

    1. Wonderful…and the leftovers are so good! : )

  3. Kevin Avatar
    Kevin

    These were a big hit with the family last weekend!

    1. I’m delighted that everyone enjoyed them!

  4. My husband literally told me that he would be sad when his plate was empty last night. This recipe is INCREDIBLE!!! Served with your cumin lime coleslaw and those amazing pickled red onions. All recipes to return to again and again!

    1. Great news, Denise! Thanks so much for the wonderful feedback.