This Pork Carnitas Recipe is incredibly easy to make with tender chunks of pork slow-cooked in citrus, spices, and garlic until juicy. A quick broil at the end adds those irresistible crispy edges, making it perfect for serving in tortillas with your favorite toppings like homemade guacamole or pineapple salsa.
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Holly’s Recipe Highlights: Pork Carnitas Recipe
Flavor: These tacos have a bright, zesty citrus flavor balanced with warm spices and savory garlic, and finished with rich, crispy edges.
Why Make It: Pork shoulder turns irresistibly juicy and tender in the slow cooker. The broiler gives it that restaurant-style crispy finish without any extra frying.
Serving Suggestions: Serve it piled into warm tortillas, spooned over burrito bowls, or added to taco salads or cheesy nachos.
Ingredient Notes
- Pork Shoulder: Pork shoulder is the best cut for carnitas because its marbling keeps the meat juicy and tender during the long cook. Pork butt works just as well.
- Oranges: Fresh orange juice adds natural sweetness while the peel brings a bright citrus aroma. So skip the bottled juice and use fresh oranges for the best flavor.
- Seasoning: A simple blend of chili powder, cumin, and dried oregano pairs perfectly with the citrus. A bay leaf is optional, but it adds an extra layer of flavor to the cooking liquid.
- Variations:
- Add a jalapeño to the slow cooker for a little heat.
- Swap in a splash of beer for some of the orange juice
- Sprinkle in a pinch of smoked paprika.
How To Make Carnitas
- Season and brown the pork.
- Add it to the slow cooker with the remaining ingredients.
- Slow cook, then pull it into large pieces (full recipe below).
- Spread it on a pan, spoon over a little cooking liquid, and broil.
Top with this homemade pico de gallo, pickled red onions, cotija, avocado, or coleslaw.
Leftovers Done Right
Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator with a little cooking liquid to keep the meat moist. It will keep for up to 4 days in the refrigerator and up to 3 months in the freezer. Reheat in a skillet, air fryer, or under the broiler.
Fresh Sides For Carnitas
Did you enjoy this Pork Carnitas Recipe? Leave a comment and rating below.
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 to 4 pounds boneless pork shoulder roast
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 large navel oranges
- 1 lime
- 1 large onion quartered
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 cup chicken broth
Instructions
- Cut the pork shoulder into large chunks (about 3"). Season with salt and pepper. Heat a large pan and add olive oil. Brown the pork in small batches.
- Using a vegetable peeler, peel 4-5 strips of rind off the oranges and 3 strips off the lime. Juice the oranges and lime.
- Place pork, citrus juices, peels, onion quarters, garlic, chili powder, cumin, dried oregano, and bay leaf in the slow cooker. Pour chicken broth over.
- Cook on high for 4 to 5 hours or low for 8 hours until the pork is fork tender. Discard bay leaf.
- Turn the oven on to broil. Pull the pork into large chunks and place in a single layer in a large pan. Spoon a little bit of juice on top. Broil 4 to 5 minutes or until crisp. Stir, then ladle in a little bit more broth. Broil for an additional 5 minutes.
- Spoon juices from the slow cooker over the pork.
- Serve in tortillas with your favorite toppings.
Video
Notes
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Main Course
Cuisine Mexican© SpendWithPennies.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited. Please view my photo use policy here.
This recipe is phenomenal! I’ve made it multiple times, always just as written, and it never disappoints.
Delicious and a crowd pleaser. None leftover Thank you for this great recipe!!
Delicious!
I have made this recipe a number of times and every time it’s received with rave reviews. Today I made it when we had people staying with us from out of town and I’ve been asked now several times for the recipe.
Wondering if this could be made the day before and then reheated?
Yes, carnitas reheat well!
I have made this so many times and it always comes out delicious!!! I have one question, can I use a bone in pork butt instead of shoulder? I would still follow the directions and cut it off the bone and sear in a pan first. Thanks!!
I have never tried so I can’t say for sure, but I think that should work well! I would love to hear how it turns out.
Made it tonight. We topped ours with sour cream, lime, banana peppers, and cilantro.
My husband told me to be sure to keep this recipe.
Will make this frequently.
so I have a question it says to put three garlic cloves but in the instructions it doesn’t say when to put them and do we cut them up or put them in hole thank you.
You can add them peeled and whole with the onions. Enjoy!
I just made this today family loved it. I also used kinder’s Cuban blend and was so yummy
Made this yesterday. My boyfriend and I love tacos but the regular use off ground beef, chicken, or carne asada gets boring. This turned out amazing and is now a must have on the menu.
I didn’t pull the meat out to thaw out. Would I be able to just throw the meat in the crockpot without cutting it up and browning it on a pan? Thanks!
It is not recommended to cook a frozen roast in the slow cooker as it can remain at an unsafe temperature for too long.
This was fabulous! Absolutely one of our new favorites!!❤️❤️
I made this for a Mexican potluck and it was amazing. Easy and delicious!
Wow!!!!!!! Tastes great!!!! I changed a few things, like using mineola’s instead of oranges, forgot to add the chili (chich is ok with me though) and instead of the chicken broth I only used the dried stuff, no water added. There’s enough fluids as it is IMHO.
I’m surely going to make this again (and again and again……..LOL)
Hello… Currently making this in my crockpot. I have a question about the lime and orange rind… Can you eat those or do they need to be taken out before I shred the meat? Thanks so much!
The rinds should be discarded.
These pork carnitas were so good I had to make them again!
My all time favourite recipe of yours. So delicious!
Thank you so much Sara, so glad you love them as much as we do!
Made this for my family and it was delicious. The only thing I did different was coat the roast with olive oil before applying the rub. I served it with lettuce, tomatoes, sour cream, fresh guacamole and a sweet salsa. It is definitely a keeper & extremely easy to make.
So delicious! This turned out perfectly with the browned tips from the broiled. Do not skip that step! My only issue was not using a bigger piece of meat.
This recipe has great flavors!! The only thing to keep in mind is it’s time consuming. Other then that it was a great recipe!!