I find it especially challenging to prepare healthy home-cooked meals during the busy holiday season. The slow cooker frequently comes to the rescue — the meal simmers while I’m out running errands, and the house smells amazing when we walk in. I never expected to make traditional carnitas in a crock pot, since authentic carnitas are usually cooked in lard in a copper pot over an open fire. Still, the slow cooker offers a convenient, flavorful alternative for busy families.
I once tasted carnitas prepared in the traditional way at a neighbor’s backyard party. The father cooked a large batch for his daughter’s college graduation, and although some guests were uneasy watching pork cook in a wheelbarrow, the finished dish was placed on a buffet and disappeared within minutes. That smoky, crisp exterior and tender interior inspired me to recreate the flavor at home without the fuss and without frying in lard.
Recently I found a slow-cooker carnitas recipe and adapted it slightly for my family’s needs. The result was impressive: a richly seasoned, tender pork that makes enough for at least two meals and is ideal for tacos, burritos, or a buffet-style dinner during the holidays. Below is a refined, easy-to-follow version of that slow-cooker carnitas recipe.
Slow-Cooker Carnitas
Beth Lee
Pin Recipe
15 mins
8 hrs
8 hrs 15 mins
8 servings
642 kcal
Ingredients
- 8 lbs bone-in pork butt (or about 6 lbs boneless)
- 8 oz can tomato sauce (or ¾ cup tomato juice)
- Juice of 2 limes
- ¾ cup orange juice
- 6 oz beer (about half of a 12 oz bottle)
- ¼ cup salsa (any red salsa you enjoy)
- 2 tablespoons coarse salt
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or to taste)
- 8 whole garlic cloves, smashed
- 4 chipotle peppers, canned or dried, roughly chopped
Instructions
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Trim excess fat from the outside of the pork butt, then place the roast in the slow cooker.
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In a medium bowl or measuring cup, whisk together the tomato sauce (or juice), lime juice, orange juice, beer, salsa, salt, cumin, black pepper, oregano, cinnamon, cayenne, smashed garlic, and chopped chipotles. Pour the mixture over the pork. Cook on low for 8–10 hours, until the meat is fall-apart tender. If you start late, cook on high for a couple of hours, then reduce to low for 4–5 hours.
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Remove the pork to a large cutting board and let it cool until you can handle it. Shred the meat with two forks, discarding any large pieces of fat. Reserve some of the cooking liquid.
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Spread a single layer of shredded pork on a foil-lined baking sheet. Drizzle with a little of the reserved cooking liquid. Broil about 6 inches from the element until edges crisp, about 3–6 minutes, watching closely so it doesn’t burn. This step recreates the crispness of traditional fried carnitas.
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Serve on warm corn tortillas with salsa, avocado or guacamole, sour cream, chopped tomatoes, shredded lettuce, Mexican cheese, cilantro, or present the carnitas as a platter with rice, beans, and salad.
Nutrition
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