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A serving platter of slow cooker pork carnitas with parsley.
4.17 from 6 votes

Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas

Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 4 hrs 8 mins
Total Time: 4 hrs 18 mins
Servings: 12 servings
Author: Bailey
Slow cooker pork carnitas are fall apart tender, perfectly seasoned, and as easy as turning on the slow cooker.
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Ingredients

  • 1 onion peeled and quartered
  • 4 cloves garlic peeled
  • 8 pounds pork shoulder roast
  • ½ cup orange juice fresh, about 1 orange
  • ¼ cup lime juice fresh, about 2 limes
  • 2 teaspoons cumin
  • 2 teaspoons oregano
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 2 teaspoons pepper
  • 2 teaspoons chili powder
  • ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper

For Serving

  • corn tortillas
  • red onions
  • sour cream
  • salsa
  • shredded cheese
  • lettuce

Instructions

  • Place sliced onions and garlic into a slow cooker. Trim excess fat off of pork shoulder. Place pork shoulder over onions.
  • Add fresh orange and lime juice to slow cooker. Sprinkle pork shoulder with cumin, oregano, salt, pepper, chili powder, and cayenne pepper. Cover, and cook on low for 8-10 hours or high for 5-6 hours. Pork shoulder should be tender enough to shred. Reserve 1 cup of slow cooker juices.
  • Place pork shoulder on working surface. Shred with forks or shredders.
  • Place shredded pork in a single layer on a baking sheet. Pour reserved liquid over carnitas. Broil for 8-10 minutes or until edges are golden and crisp.
  • Serve with favorite carnitas toppings.

Notes

Instead of broiling carnitas to crisp them, you can pan fry them over medium-high heat for 5-7 minutes.
Calories: 288kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 36g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 124mg | Sodium: 535mg | Potassium: 694mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 175IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 42mg | Iron: 3mg