Crispy, juicy, Slow Cooker Carnitas are one of my family’s favorite meals. For about 7 years now I’ve been making carnitas using this recipe for oven-roasted Pulled Pork Carnitas, and they are truly phenomenal that way.
As much as we love that recipe, it is a little more involved than I often have time for on a weeknight. There just isn’t always time to take all the steps it requires to enjoy delicious carnitas.
That’s where the crock-pot comes to the rescue and it’s why I’m thrilled to have found a Slow Cooker Carnitas recipe that delivers all the delicious juicy pork flavor with far less effort.
Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas
On a busy day, Slow-Cooker Carnitas make a spectacular dinner that is about 10x less hands-on than the traditional recipe and my whole family loves them.
My friend Sandra introduced me to this recipe for Carnitas a few years ago and I’ve made them countless times since then. The pork is always flavorful and the leftover carnitas keep nicely in the refrigerator for days.
What is Carnitas?
Carnitas are a dish made by roasting or braising or simmering a cut of seasoned pork in oil (traditionally lard). After cooking, the meat is shredded and used as a filling in tacos, burritos and similar dishes.
In many parts of Mexico, Carnitas are served on top of corn tortillas with toppings of fresh cilantro, chopped onions, salsa, and lime juice. We love eating them like this (I call it Carnitas Street Tacos) and can gobble up a whole recipe easily.
My family also likes Carnitas in plenty of non-traditional ways as well. A batch of Slow-Cooker Carnitas is delicious inside flour tortillas, on salads, inside enchiladas or served over Chipotle Lime Rice or even Cheesy Potatoes.
In my opinion, there’s no one right way to eat Carnitas!
Slow Cooker Carnitas
Slow cooking pork in a crockpot may not be traditional but delivers the same great flavor of pork that’s been slow-roasted or braised. The longer cooking time helps make the pork extra tender and juicy.
This Carnitas recipe also draws some of its delicious taste from an array of herbs and spices added to the pork as it cooks. Simmering the meat in orange juice adds a tangy, citrusy flavor that compliments the ample amounts of garlic, onion and Mexican spices covering the pork.
Slow Cooker Carnitas is one of those rare pork dishes that manages to be both perfectly tender and crispy all at once.
In this recipe, the pork is cooked long enough in the slow cooker to fall apart when pierced with a fork then given a pan fry on the stovetop. This combination of cooking methods yields magical results.
While you absolutely are able to skip the last step and have a perfectly acceptable seasoned pulled pork recipe, why would you want to miss out?
Crispy Pork Carnitas
Take the extra 5-10 minutes for the finishing step on the stove; it makes an enormous difference in the crisp, juicy, amazingness of this meat!
Save this recipe now, make it for dinner this week and try not to eat all the pork right away. Leftovers are phenomenal in a Carnitas Salad Bowl for a tasty lunch or for breakfast in Pork Carnitas Hash.
I also enjoy substituting Carnitas for pulled pork in lots of my favorite recipes that call for prepared pulled pork. Give it a try with Pulled Pork Enchiladas and Pulled Pork Tacos and let me know how you like them!
Crock Pot Carnitas Recipe
Not sure what cut of pork to use to make carnitas? Shoulder, butt, and picnic cut pork roasts work best for this recipe.
Both bone-in or boneless roasts will work just fine. I use a 4-5 pound roast when I’m cooking a boneless roast and a 5 or 6-pound roast if it’s bone-in.
If you’re after more slow cooker recipes that deliver amazing taste without a ton of difficulty, check out our Slow Cooker Steak Fajitas , Slow Cooker Smothered Chicken Burritos and Slow Cooker Pork Roast too!
Slow cookers or crockpots are an appliance of which I have more than one. If you are an avid slow cooker user like I am, you might understand the need for more than one. So, let’s talk about my favorites:
First up is this 6-quart slow cooker that has a locking lid. These crockpots are fantastic for transporting foods. Mine has gone everywhere from church potlucks to barbecues, game nights to Thanksgiving dinner. However, fair warning, these slow cookers run crazy hot. Low is closer to a boil than a simmer, the warm setting actually simmers. So trust me when I say HIGH is high.
My everyday slow cooker is this 8-quart Crockpot. It’s my go-to appliance for cooking large roasts and big batches of chili. Fun fact: did you know that a full 4-quart cooker, actually cooks more slowly than a half-full 8-quart cooker?
For just cooking a few pounds of chicken to shred for enchiladas or other smaller recipes, this 3-quart version is perfect.
Thanksgiving has become a breeze since I have mastered how to hold all of the side dishes using these medium-sized round slow cookers.
If you aren’t a fan of the idea of keeping more than one slow cooker in the house, these CrockPockets are a game-changer when it comes to preparing and holding multiple dishes at the same time. They slide into a standard 6-quart crockpot, dividing it into two sections that are perfect for serving different side dishes or keeping taco fillings warm for parties.
Slow-Cooker Pork Carnitas
- Rinse and pat dry the pork roast. Stir together the olive oil, salt, pepper, oregano, and cumin. Rub the spice mixture all over the pork roast. Place the roast in the slow cooker with the fat cap facing up. Place the onions and the garlic over the roast. Pour the orange juice over the roast.
- Cover with lid and cook on LOW for 9-11 hours, until tender and falling apart. (If the fat cap is still intact over the roast, pull the biggest pieces of it off and discard.) Carefully pull apart the roast, leaving plenty of bite-size chunks of meat. (Try not to shred it to tiny pieces.) Use a slotted spoon, spatula, or tongs to lift the meat out of the slow-cooker.
- Heat a large non-stick skillet over high heat. Place about 2 cups worth of shredded pork into the hot pan and press down with a spatula. Cook until the bottom side of the pork is crispy and browned about 2 minutes. Transfer to a platter or serving dish and drizzle with some of the juices from the slow-cooker. Repeat with the remaining pork. Enjoy!
FREEZER INSTRUCTIONS: If you are freezing extra pork or making the recipe in advance, skip the stove-top cooking step and simply place the shredded pork in a gallon size zip-close bag along with the crock-pot juices. When ready to use, thaw completely in the refrigerator and then use the above directions to crisp the pork in a pan on the stove.
Also, if you’re lucky enough to have some carnitas leftover, I recommend making a Carnitas Breakfast Skillet the next day.
Ingredients
- 5-6 pound pork roast
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 yellow onion, sliced thin
- 4 large cloves garlic, minced
- 2/3 cup orange juice
Instructions
- Rinse and pat dry the pork roast. Stir together the olive oil, salt, pepper, oregano, and cumin. Rub the spice mixture all over the pork roast. Place the roast in the slow-cooker with the fat cap facing up. Place the onions and the garlic over the roast. Pour the orange juice over the roast.
- Cover with lid and cook on LOW for 9-11 hours, until tender and falling apart. (If the fat cap is still intact over the roast, pull the biggest pieces of it off and discard.) Carefully pull apart the roast, leaving plenty of bite-size chunks of meat. (Try not to shred it to tiny pieces.) Use a slotted spoon, spatula, or tongs to lift the meat out of the slow-cooker.
- Heat a large non-stick skillet over high heat. Place about 2 cups worth of shredded pork into the hot pan and press down with a spatula. Cook until the bottom side of the pork is crispy and browned, about 2 minutes.
- Transfer to a platter or serving dish and drizzle with some of the juices from the slow-cooker. Repeat with the remaining pork. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
{originally published 10/12/15 – recipe notes and photos updated 10/29/21}
Kris Marie says
We are in the middle of a heat wave, lasting for several more days…I cannot think of an easier meal to make in my crockpot, this will carry us over for days! Perfect and delicious every single time! We love having this over loaded tostadas!![5 stars](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODdhAQABAPAAAP///wAAACwAAAAAAQABAEACAkQBADs=)
Mary Younkin says
Krist, tostadas are some of our favorites too. This heat is definitely a doozy! Stay comfortable.
Suzan says
I have always made a pork roast for tacos etc..my own recipe..But I made this recipe and am so happy that I made it. Frying the meat at the end , made a big difference as well. Very nice!![5 stars](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODdhAQABAPAAAP///wAAACwAAAAAAQABAEACAkQBADs=)
daniel says
Quick Question– if I don’t have a crockpot/slow cooker, how long in oven and at what temperature? Thanks!
Mary Younkin says
If you prefer to make the carnitas in the oven, this is an awesome recipe written specifically for the oven: https://barefeetinthekitchen.com/pulled-pork-carnitas/
Kimberly says
I’ve made this a few times and it’s always amazing! Can I put it on high in the crockpot and cook it for less time?
Mary Younkin says
Yes, you can do that. Just watch carefully to avoid overcooking it, Kimberly.
Cathy Sosa says
How long on high?
Kammy says
This was delicious!![5 stars](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODdhAQABAPAAAP///wAAACwAAAAAAQABAEACAkQBADs=)
Mary Younkin says
Thank you, Kammy.
Alecia B Johnson says
Can I substitute the orange juice for lemon or lime juice?![5 stars](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODdhAQABAPAAAP///wAAACwAAAAAAQABAEACAkQBADs=)
Mary Younkin says
Yes, you could do that, Alecia.
Cathy Sosa says
I have made your recipe several times and it’s always a hit! Is there a way to convert it to an Instapot recipe?![4 stars](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODdhAQABAPAAAP///wAAACwAAAAAAQABAEACAkQBADs=)
Denise says
WHat causes this to be so high in sodium
Mary Younkin says
The rub calls for 2 tablespoons of salt. If you eliminate the salt completely (which I don’t recommend) it drops it to 94. One thing to note when reading recipe nutritional calculations. They are based on the fact everything you put into the recipe gets consumed. The reality is there is a lot of liquid after cooking. A good portion of the salt ends up in that and gets discarded. Several factors to consider, but I completely understand if you are watching your sodium intact you will need to adjust.
Kris Marie says
Just got this in my slow cooker. This is the only recipe for me. First time I squeezed fresh oranges to get the orange juice! Such an awesome recipe! Thank you.![5 stars](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODdhAQABAPAAAP///wAAACwAAAAAAQABAEACAkQBADs=)
Mary Younkin says
You are welcome, Kris. I’m so happy to hear that you loved the carnitas; using fresh oranges for the orange juice makes a big difference, doesn’t it? Enjoy!
Barry says
When you say pork roast is that pork loin, shoulder roast or ???
Mary Younkin says
I use a pork shoulder or pork butt roast, Barry. The loin will work but it’s a much leaner cut and the results won’t be the same.