Carnitas are one of my favorite things to cook. I love the versatility of carnitas. You can make tacos, enchiladas, burritos, quesadillas, tostadas. There is so much that you can do. When I make carnitas, I usually plan out 3 or 4 different meals that I can make with them. It actually makes me giddy to start planning all of the things that I’m going to do with them. Sometimes I get so excited about all of the meals that I plan with this delicious, Slow Cooker Carnitas that I actually get irritated with my husband if he eats too much!! Haha! I mean, I don’t reeeeeeallllly get mad, but sometimes I have to axe one or two things that I had planned because there isn’t enough leftovers. I suppose that’s the price you pay for cooking tasty food.

Let’s talk about Authentic Carnitas…

So a little history about carnitas… Carnitas literally means “little meats”. I would call this recipe an American-Style version because these are not traditional carnitas. Traditional carnitas are made by braising pork in lard until tender and then crisping at the end. I don’t usually have lard on hand. So this is my compromise.

Now let me show you how I made this Slow Cooker Carnitas 👇🏻

For this recipe, the pork is first seared in oil and then cooks in a slow cooker with spices (and such) until tender. And finally, the pork is crisped under an oven broiler. Because this version leaves out the lard, you really need to add the spices and other seasonings so that the pork won’t lack flavor.

If you’ve never tried authentic Mexican carnitas, I would really recommend it. I will definitely post a more authentic carnitas recipe at some point later on. For now, this healthier version is a yummy substitute that my family absolutely loves.

Enjoy!!

These are the recommended products that I used to make this delicious recipe! These are not only products that I use, but products that I love.

What can I do with these Slow Cooker Carnitas?

You can make a simple taco with them, adding a little diced onion and cilantro. You could also make burritos or enchiladas. Or think out of the box. Make an omelette or eggs benedict. One of my favorite things to do with carnitas is this 👇🏻

Slow Cooker Carnitas

A delicious version of American-ized carnitas. This Slow Cooker Carnitas features tender, juicy pork with perfectly crisp edges. So versatile!

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 8

Total Time 8 10

Servings 12 Servings

Author Maggie @ Cupcakes and Sarcasm

Ingredients

4 Lbs Pork Butt (or Shoulder), trimed of excess fat
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
1/2 Cup Beer (whatever you like)
1/2 Cup Fresh Orange Juice
1/4 Cup Fresh Lime Juice
1 Tsp Liquid Smoke
1 Medium Onion, diced
1 Jalapeño, diced
3 Large Garlic Cloves, minced
1 Dried Bay Leaf

Spice Rub

3 Tbsp Brown Sugar
1 Tbsp Chili Powder
2 Tsp Ground Cumin
2 Tsp Dried Mexican Oregano (or regular)
2 Tsp Kosher Salt Salt + more for seasoning pork
1 Tsp Garlic Powder
1 Tsp Onion Powder
1 Tsp Paprika
1 Tsp Black Pepper + more for seasoning pork

Instructions

To a slow cooker, add the diced onion, minced garlic, and diced jalapeño and spread along the bottom. In a small bowl, combine the beer, fresh orange juice, fresh lime juice, and liquid smoke. In another small bowl, mix together all of the spice rub ingredients and set aside.
In a large skillet or Dutch Oven, heat the olive oil over high heat. Remove the excess fat from the pork and season well with salt and pepper. Add the pork to the hot oil and sear the pork on all sides until there is a nice, golden crust.
Remove the pork from the skillet and add to the slow cooker, on top of the onions. Pour the juice-beer mix over top of the pork. Then pour the spice rub over the pork and pat some of the seasoning onto the pork.
Cover and cook on low for 8 hour until the pork is tender and falling apart. You can also cook on high for 4-6 hours, but if you have the option- I’d recommend low.
Remove the pork from the slow cooker and shred, discarding any bones or excess fat. Turn your oven broiler on low. Place the shredded pork onto a baking sheet and spoon some of the juices from the slow cooker over the pork (make sure to get some of the onion and jalapeño pieces as well).
Broil the carnitas on low until it starts crisping up, about 2-4 minutes. Remove from oven and stir. Add more cooking juices if necessary. Broil again until it starts crisping up, about 2-4 minutes. Remove from oven and stir again. Keep repeating these steps until the carnits have some good crispy bits. (Do not let them get dry). Enjoy!