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You are here: Home / Dairy Free / Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas

August 14, 2013 By Kaitlin 2 Comments

Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas

My poor slow cooker never gets a break. Even in the summer, I use it quite a bit! Slow cooker meals are great because they don’t heat up your entire kitchen, and usually make at least 8 servings, great for a party or for leftovers. Plus, you can put the ingredients in a slow cooker, go to work, and have dinner nearly finished when you return!

Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas

My love of tacos is fairly obvious on my blog. I’ve made everything from Huevos Rancheros Tacos to Steak Tacos with Lime Mayo to even Kung Pao Chicken Tacos. But I’ve basically avoided doing a pork taco, mainly because I just don’t eat much pork.

Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas

But I need some variety every now and then, so I decided to finally try my hand at making some. This recipe for carnitas from myrecipes.com is really simple. All of the ingredients can be found in your local grocery store.

 

Ingredients:

  • 1 (3-pound) boneless pork shoulder
  • 10 whole garlic cloves, peeled
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 3/4 cup fresh orange juice
  • 2 chipotle chiles canned in adobo sauce, drained and chopped
  • 20 (6-inch) corn tortillas, warmed
  • 2/3 cup chopped onion
  • 2/3 cup fresh salsa (I have a Fresh Salsa recipe on my blog. Just omit the corn.)
  • 2/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
  • 10 lime wedges

Remove the roast from the fridge and cut 10 ½ inch deep slits into the roast. Stuff the garlic cloves into the slits.

IMG_4633

In a small bowl, mix cumin, dried oregano, salt, and pepper.

IMG_4631

Add the roast to your slow cooker and sprinkle with the spice mixture.

IMG_4634

In a separate bowl, combine the orange juice and  2 chopped chipotle chilies. Add maybe a teaspoon to a tablespoon of the adobo sauce from the can to the mixture if you’d like a little bit more flavor.

IMG_4632

Pour the juice mixture over the pork, cover, and cook on low for 8 hours.

IMG_4635 IMG_4636

Remove the pork from the slow cooker and shred with 2 forks.

IMG_4637

Skim the fat from the cooking liquid. Add ½ cup cooking liquid to the shredded pork. Toss to coat. (You can add more liquid if the pork still looks a bit dry.)

 

When ready to serve, warm the tortillas. Spoon 1 ½ oz pork mixture onto each tortilla. Top with 1 ½ teaspoons onion, 1 ½ teaspoons fresh salsa, and 1 ½ teaspoons cilantro. Serve with lime wedges.

Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas

The carnitas were so juicy. I loved the hint of orange juice in them. Fresh salsa is key for this recipe, you want to keep the flavors light and fresh. Using the jarred stuff just won’t do these justice!

Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas
Recipe Type: Dinner, Slow Cooker, Pork
Author: I Can Cook That
Prep time: 15 mins
Cook time: 8 hours
Total time: 8 hours 15 mins
Serves: 10
Ingredients
  • 1 (3-pound) boneless pork shoulder
  • 10 whole garlic cloves, peeled
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 3/4 cup fresh orange juice
  • 2 chipotle chiles canned in adobo sauce, drained and chopped
  • 20 (6-inch) corn tortillas, warmed
  • 2/3 cup chopped onion
  • 2/3 cup fresh salsa (I have a Fresh Salsa recipe on my blog. Just omit the corn.)
  • 2/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
  • 10 lime wedges
Instructions
  1. Remove the roast from the fridge and cut 10 ½ inch deep slits into the roast. Stuff the garlic cloves into the slits.
  2. In a small bowl, mix cumin, dried oregano, salt, and pepper.
  3. Add the roast to your slow cooker and sprinkle with the spice mixture.
  4. In a separate bowl, combine the orange juice and 2 chopped chipotle chilies. Add maybe a teaspoon to a tablespoon of the adobo sauce from the can to the mixture if you’d like a little bit more flavor.
  5. Pour the juice mixture over the pork, cover, and cook on low for 8 hours.
  6. Remove the pork from the slow cooker and shred with 2 forks.
  7. Skim the fat from the cooking liquid. Add ½ cup cooking liquid to the shredded pork. Toss to coat. (You can add more liquid if the pork still looks a bit dry.)
  8. When ready to serve, warm the tortillas. Spoon 1 ½ oz pork mixture onto each tortilla. Top with 1 ½ teaspoons onion, 1 ½ teaspoons fresh salsa, and 1 ½ teaspoons cilantro. Serve with lime wedges.
3.2.1230

 

Related posts:

Pressure Cooker Carnitas Slow Cooker Chicken Taco Bowls with Guacamole Slow Cooker Red Beans and Rice Pulled Pork Lettuce Wraps

Filed Under: Dairy Free, Gluten Free, Main Dish, Make Ahead, Pork, Slow Cooker, Weeknight Meal Tagged With: Carnita, Carnitas, Chipotle, Chipotle Chilies in Adobo, Cilantro, Corn Tortillas, Cumin, Fresh Salsa, Garlic, I Can Cook That, Lime, Onion, Orange Juice, Oregano, Pork, Recipe, Salsa, Slow Cooker, Taco

Comments

  1. Wendy says

    August 17, 2013 at 6:35 pm

    Love your ideas any chance you can ad a “print” option? TYVM

    Reply
    • Kaitlin says

      August 19, 2013 at 1:24 pm

      Yes Wendy! I apologize for not having it up sooner. It should be available now!

      Reply

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