Slow Cooker Carnitas
These slow cooker carnitas are juicy, tender, and full of flavor. An easy set-it-and-forget-it recipe that’s even better the next day—perfect for tacos, bowls, and more!
Servings: 5
Ingredients
- 3-4 pounds pork shoulder also known as pork butt
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 2 teaspoons salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 5 cloves garlic minced
- 1 fresh jalapeño can substitute can diced green chiles
- 2 oranges juiced
- 2 limes juiced
- ⅓ cup chicken broth
Instructions
- Mix herbs and seasoning together in small bowl. Juice fruits into a bowl. Add juice, jalapeño, garlic and broth to bottom of slow cooker.Pat dry pork butt. With a sharp knife pierce holes all over the pork. Rub entire pork butt with dry rub, making sure to get into all the holes and leaving no meat uncovered. The entire pork butt should be covered. Place into slow cooker. Cook on low for 8-10 hours. If you are able I personally like to cook on high for 1-2 hours then turn down to low for 8. It gets the cooking process going quicker and then has the benefit of cooking slow. Yielding a tender and juicy meat every time.
- Once finished cooking remove from slow cooker. Trim fat and shred meat. Place on baking sheet and slide under broiler for just a couple minutes. This will give some pieces a crisp that carnitas are known for. Serve in tacos! So good!
Notes
This recipe is for a 3-4 pound pork butt. If larger than 6 pounds be sure and double the ingredients.
