Easy Pork Carnitas (made in your slow cooker)
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My easy carnitas are juicy and tender with crispy, caramelized edges. The flavor is bright with orange and lime against a savory base of tomato paste and warm spices. Everything goes into the crockpot raw, and the broiler finishes them while you warm the tortillas.
These carnitas are tender and juicy in the middle with dark, crispy edges, and the flavor leans bright and savory: orange and lime up front, then cumin, chili powder, and oregano, with the tomato paste adding a deep, caramelized note where the pork hits the broiler. I make them on weekdays, when the pork has to go into the crockpot before work and dinner has to come together fast. Everything goes in raw, with no searing first.
The tomato paste is what makes the shortcut work. It thickens the cooking liquid just enough for the sauce to cling to the shredded pork on the sheet pan. I don’t reduce the sauce the way I do in my other carnitas recipe, and that’s on purpose. The pork spends a little longer under the broiler instead, where it does a double job, cooking down the liquid and crisping the edges, so there’s one less step.
On slow weekends, I make my pork carnitas with dried Mexican chiles. This is the version for weeknights.
How to serve crockpot pork carnitas
Tacos are my go-to, but a batch goes a long way, and the leftovers are easy to work into meals through the week.
- Tacos: Warm corn tortillas, cilantro, diced white onion, and a squeeze of lime let the citrus and crispy edges do the work. For the full build, see my carnitas tacos.
- Burrito bowls: Pile the pork over rice with black beans, salsa, guacamole, and a little cheese.
- Nachos: Scatter the pork over tortilla chips with cheese and jalapeños, and bake until the cheese melts. The crispy bits stay crunchy under the cheese.
- Sandwiches: A reader, Pamela, suggested ciabatta with melted Colby Jack and crunchy lettuce, and the rich pork against the fresh lettuce is a great match.
- Quesadillas: Tuck the pork into flour tortillas with Monterey Jack and crisp them in a skillet.
Easy Pork Carnitas (made in your slow cooker)
Ingredients
- 1 large orange (juiced)
- 1 lime (juiced)
- 1 medium onion (finely minced)
- 3 cloves garlic (finely minced)
- ¼ cup tomato paste
- ¼ cup water
- 1 teaspoon EACH: cumin, chili powder, oregano, and sea salt
- 3 lb pork butt or pork shoulder
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients except the pork in your slow cooker and mix well. Lay the pork on top and set your slow cooker to low. Cook on low for 8 hours.1 large orange, 1 lime, 1 medium onion, 3 cloves garlic, ¼ cup tomato paste, ¼ cup water, 1 teaspoon EACH: cumin, chili powder, oregano, and sea salt, 3 lb pork butt or pork shoulder
- When the pork is tender, gently shred it using 2 forks. Pull the pork against the grain to get long strips of meat. Mix the shredded pork with the sauce in the crockpot.
- Place an oven rack in the top of your oven and preheat to broil. Transfer the pulled pork and sauce to a baking sheet and spread it into a thin layer. Broil for 15-20 minutes, mixing halfway through until much of the liquid has evaporated and the pork is crispy in many spots.
- Remove the carnitas from the oven and serve on sandwiches, in tacos or burritos, or as a main with some potatoes and salad.
Nutrition
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More pulled pork recipes
For more inspiration, check out all of our pork recipes!
It looks like you changed the recipe. I don’t remember the tomato paste and it did have honey and bay leaves? But I can’t find the original recipe. Can you share it?
Hi Melissa! The only changes I’ve made to this recipe are increasing the salt and the pork butt size. I also have a more in-depth recipe for carnitas, though that one uses tomato paste, too.
Had never made anything quite like this, but so glad I tried this. Quadrupled due to size of the roast that I purchased. No changes other than to add a small amount of honey and adjust the cumin down a bit. Had oranges, lemons and only 1 lime on hand, slow cooked the full 8 hours (did flip the roast about half way through). Came out delicious! Wish I had taken pictures!
I’m so glad you gave it a try! 😊 Quadrupling it for a big roast sounds like the right call, and I love the little tweak with the honey and adjusting the cumin. The mix of oranges, lemons, and lime must have been fantastic. Thanks so much for sharing how it turned out — and I wish we had a photo, too!
I’ve made this recipe numerous times and it never disappoints!! Normally I tweak recipes but I left this one as is. I always double it too because it freezes very nicely and is also great nachos.
I love hearing that — it’s so rewarding when a recipe works perfectly as written! Doubling it is such a smart idea, and using it for nachos sounds amazing. Thank you for sharing!
I am making this today, in my crockpot now. Quick question- When you broil it do you broil it on high or low?
If your oven has those two options, go with low broil.
Can you double this recipe? If so what would the recommended cooking time be? Thanks
As long as your crockpot is big enough to fit twice the amount of meat, it will be very tender cooked on low heat for 8 hours.
If I wanted to double the recipe, could I put all of the pork ribs in the pot? Would I still only cook for 8 hours?
Yep! 8 hours will do it!
I already had a go to pork carnitas recipe, but I stumbled upon yours while looking for something to make in the crock pot. I made it for dinner tonight and the whole family agreed that it was the best! We will be making your version from now on. Thanks! The tip about broiling the meat afterward was delicious.
This is one of my daughter’s favorites (she’s 26). When I think of Mexican pulled pork I go for cholorio. I did some combining of your old and new recipes. I’m sure that it will turn out great. What i would like to know is how/if you could do this in an Insta-pot? I am really new at insta-pot cooking so i need as much help as i can. Thanks. Look forward to sampling this and your Korean pulled pork as well.
I suspect it would work well in an Instant Pot but I haven’t tried it myself yet.
Everybody asked for the recipe.
Family favourite now ?
How many tacos or servings will this make??
I want to try it for taco Tuesday this week!
We use 4″ tortillas and there is enough meat to generously fill 16 tacos.
Both my husband and myself loved this recipe. Easy ingredients and directions. A hassle to broil it at the end….BUT so worth it, it is the cherry on top! Great flavor! This recipe is going into my recipe book/box. Thank you!
Thank you for letting us know you loved the recipe!
Will it be ok if I only cook it 6 hrs — running way late today!
I haven’t actually tried it at 6 hours, so I can’t say for sure. It may be just fine, but I would hate for the meat to still be tough!
I imagine these would be great between 2 slices of Ciabatta with some melted Colby Jack and fresh crunchy lettuce. Gosh, it’s past midnight over where I am now and I’m salivating.
Thanks for sharing this versatile recipe and the awesome photos, Kristen!
Oh heck ya it would! Such a great idea!
I’m obsessed with the crock pot + Mexican + carnitas so this a winner here for me!
You’re going to love this one!