Slow Cooker Mexican Shredded Pork
Tender, juicy pieces of shredded slow cooked pork crisped in the oven and served in warmed tortillas, this Pork Carnitas Recipe is so easy to make right in the crockpot, with minimal hands-on time!
Servings: 10 servings
Calories: 280kcal
Ingredients
- 3.5 lbs. pork shoulder roast
- 2 oranges
- ½ onion, chopped
- 2 tbsp. cumin
- 1 Jalapeño, seeded, de-veined and chopped
- ½ can of beer
- 2 chipotle peppers
- ½ cup apple cider vinegar
- 2 limes
- 1 tsp. pepper
- 2 tbsp. salt
- Corn tortillas
Instructions
- Place pork shoulder in slow cooker and add cumin, onion, jalapeno, beer, apple cider vinegar, chipotle peppers, salt and pepper. Cut one orange and one lime in half and squeeze the juice into the slow cooker. Throw in the squeezed orange halves. Cook on low heat for 9-10 hours OR high heat for about 6-8 hours, or until meat is tender and falling off the bone
- Remove the pork from the slow cooker and place on a large baking sheet. Use a fork to shred it. Spread it out in an even layer and drizzle it with orange juice from the second orange. Season with additional salt if required.
- Place it under the broiler for about 5 minutes. Remove and stir. Broil for another 5 minutes and stir. Repeat the process 4-5 times until the pork carnitas is crisp around the edges. Broil more or less depending on preference.
- Serve meat with tortillas, orange and lime juice, diced onions, avocado and cilantro. If you would like some spice, add your favorite salsa or some diced peppers.
- For a soft, pliable corn tortilla, heat 1 tbsp. of oil with 1 tablespoon of the cooking liquid in a skillet. Fry the tortilla until soft and lightly browned, about 1 minutes per side. Continue with remaining tortillas.
Notes
Cook's Tips:
- Use a slow cooker with a timer so you can set it and forget it while you're at work.
- I highly recommend using a fatty cut of pork like the shoulder - this keeps the carnitas moist while cooking.
- Broil for as little or as much as you need to depending on the desired crispness. I like a carnitas with crispy caramelized pieces so I usually broil it longer.
- Corn or flour tortillas can be used.
- Fry the tortillas in a mixture of the cooking liquid and oil to make them more pliable.
Nutrition
Serving: 6oz | Calories: 280kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 32g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 106mg | Sodium: 1274mg | Potassium: 683mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 130IU | Vitamin C: 21.4mg | Calcium: 68mg | Iron: 4.1mg