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–+ servings
Shredded, seasoned, and cooked easy pork carnitas garnished with cilantro and a lime wedge in a white dish.

Easy Pork Carnitas (made in your slow cooker)

Yield: 4 generous servings
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 8 hours 20 minutes
Total Time: 8 hours 40 minutes
A few minutes of chopping in the morning, and the crockpot does the rest. Toss the shredded pork with its sauce, spread it thin, and broil on low until the edges turn dark and crispy.

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
    A pork roast sits in a slow cooker, surrounded by chopped onions and a reddish-brown sauce, creating the perfect base for easy pork carnitas.
  • 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.
    Shredded pork and juices in a black slow cooker with two forks for serving, placed on a white surface—perfect for making easy pork carnitas at home.
  • 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.
    Shredded, cooked meat—classic easy pork carnitas—spread evenly across a metal baking tray, showing a mixture of browned and crispy pieces.
  • Remove the carnitas from the oven and serve on sandwiches, in tacos or burritos, or as a main with some potatoes and salad.
    A tortilla topped with easy pork carnitas and fresh cilantro, served with lime wedges on a white plate.
Serving: 1 serving = ¼ of the recipe, Calories: 284kcal, Carbohydrates: 14g, Protein: 34g, Fat: 10g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 4g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 102mg, Sodium: 542mg, Potassium: 917mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 8g, Vitamin A: 525IU, Vitamin C: 36mg, Calcium: 79mg, Iron: 3mg