Pork Carnitas

Ingredients

Pork

• 3–4 lbs pork shoulder (butt), cut into 3-inch chunks
• 2 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• ½ tsp smoked paprika
• 2 tbsp olive oil

Braising Liquid

• 1 medium white onion, roughly chopped
• 5 cloves garlic, smashed
• 1 jalapeño, halved (seeds removed for less heat)
• Juice of 2 oranges (about ½ cup)
• Juice of 2 limes
• ½ cup chicken broth

For Serving

• Warm corn or flour tortillas
• Diced white onion, fresh cilantro, lime wedges, salsa or pico de gallo

Instructions

1. Season the pork — Combine salt, pepper, cumin, oregano, and smoked paprika. Rub the spice mixture all over the pork pieces.
2. Sear (optional but recommended) — Heat olive oil in a skillet over high heat. Sear pork pieces on all sides until browned, 2–3 minutes per side. This adds flavor but can be skipped if short on time.
3. Load the slow cooker — Place onion, garlic, and jalapeño in the bottom of the slow cooker. Add the seared pork on top. Pour in orange juice, lime juice, and chicken broth.
4. Cook low and slow — Cover and cook on LOW for 8–10 hours, or HIGH for 4–5 hours, until the pork is completely tender and falls apart easily.
5. Shred the pork — Remove pork from the slow cooker and shred with two forks, discarding any large pieces of fat.
6. Crisp in a skillet — Heat a large skillet over high heat. Add shredded pork in a single layer with some of the cooking juices. Let cook undisturbed for 3–4 minutes until the bottom crisps up. Stir once and crisp the other side.
7. Serve — Load into warm tortillas with toppings.

Notes

• Don't skip crisping — The hot skillet step is what separates good carnitas from great ones.
• Freeze for later — Freeze leftover shredded pork (before crisping) in portion bags for quick weeknight meals.
• Versatile — Excellent in burritos, burrito bowls, nachos, or over rice.
• Bone-in — Bone-in pork shoulder adds more flavor but takes longer to shred.

Nutrition (per serving)

Tags: #recipe #pork #mexican #slowcooker #carnitas #tacos