Home » Recipes » Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas
Jump to Recipe
by Mary July 2, 2017
This Post May Contain Affiliate Links.
These Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas are one of my all-time favorite foods. They are paleo, Whole30, and Keto! I love this recipe because you can throw all of the ingredients into a large zip-lock bag the night before, and empty it into the crock pot in the morning and go about your day! I like using a leaner cut of meat like a pork loin, but feel free to use a 4-5 lb pork shoulder or butt if that’s what you have. Just try to trim some of the fat first. This is a great Whole30 option and very versatile – I like to make a big batch on Sunday and use throughout the week on salads and bowls.
I always use heritage breed pork from Butcher Box – They deliver quality meat straight to your doorstep (monthly or bi-monthly) and you can create a custom box based on your preferences! Use this link to get free bacon and $10 off your first order!
Here I served the carnitas in Siete Foods Cashew flour tortillas with pickled onions, cilantro cream sauce, fresh cilantro, lime juice, and salsa! You can get creative and serve these in rice bowls, taco salads, etc.
You can also make these easily using the Instant Pot. Just cut the meat into chunks first.
The broiling at the end is optional, but I definitely think it makes a huge difference. It gives the pork a nice crispy texture.
Looking for some other yummy slow cooker meals? Check out my Slow Cooker Tortilla Chicken Chili or Slow Cooker Sweet Potato Chili!
Enjoy!
*This recipe contains affiliate links. This means if you use one of my links to make a purchase, I will receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting Mary’s Whole Life!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Slow-Cooker Pork Carnitas
Yield: 6 people
Prep Time: 5 minutes mins
Cook Time: 8 hours hrs
Total Time: 8 hours hrs 5 minutes mins
These pork carnitas are bursting with flavor and are super easy to make. They are also Whole30 friendly! Feel free to switch up the spices or add more/less heat per your preference!
4.79 from 19 votes
Leave a Review »
Ingredients
- 2.5-3 lb pork loin roast, or 4-5 lb pork shoulder with fat trimmed
- 1 tbsp cumin
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1.5 tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 limes, juiced
- 1 orange, juiced
- 2 tbsp Frank's Red Hot, or other compliant hot sauce of choice
- 1 cup chicken broth, make sure to check labels for no sugar/additives if doing Whole30
Instructions
Add pork to Crock Pot. Mix all spices in a bowl until well-combined and rub all over the pork.
Add the lime juice, orange juice, and chicken broth to cover/surround the pork.
Cook on low for 8-10 hours, or high for 4-5 hours.
When there is 1 hour remaining, shred the pork using 2 forks to give it time to absorb all of the juices.
Remove shredded pork and move to a foil-lined baking sheet. Broil for 8-10 minutes, keeping a close eye on it to ensure it doesn't burn. Enjoy!
Instant Pot Instructions
Cut meat into large chunks (about 3-4 inches wide). Add all ingredients to Instant Pot and cook on manual high pressure for 30 mins, slow release for 15, then shred using two forks. Follow same instructions above for broiling!
Nutrition
Calories: 278kcal, Carbohydrates: 7g, Protein: 43g, Fat: 8g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 3g, Cholesterol: 119mg, Sodium: 979mg, Potassium: 845mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 3g, Vitamin A: 313IU, Vitamin C: 22mg, Calcium: 45mg, Iron: 2mg
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Mexican
Calories: 278
Author: Mary Smith
posted in: Crock Pot, Instant Pot, Keto, Pork, Recipes, Whole30 43 comments
Get new recipes via email:
« Previous PostChinese Turkey Stir-Fry
Next Post »Overnight Matcha Chia Pudding
Leave a Reply
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
-
Anna — Reply
I absolutely LOVE this recipe and was planning on making it for family this weekend. Unfortunately I just learned someone does not eat pork. Is there any way I can adjust to make this with chicken instead? TIA!
-
Mary — Reply
Yes, any meat works!
-
-
Sherry — Reply
Help! We LOVE this recipe and make it all the time, so thank you so much. But, I want to make it for my friend who has to follow a strict autoimmune paleo diet due to health reasons. She cannot consume cumin, cayenne pepper, chili powder, pepper or hot sauce. Without those ingredients, do you think the recipe would still be okay? And, if I remove those ingredients, do you think I should increase the quantity for the onion powder, salt, garlic, limes and orange juice? Any recommendations you can share would be greatly appreciated, as I am a novice cook. Thank you so much!
-
Mary — Reply
Hi! It may not have quite the same taste, but you can try it! I would add a little more onion powder, garlic and lime juice.
-
-
Sherry — Reply
Help! We LOVE this recipe and make it all the time, so thank you so much. But, I want to make it for my friend who has to follow a strict autoimmune paleo diet due to health reasons. She cannot consume cumin, cayenne pepper, chili powder, pepper or hot sauce. Without those ingredients, do you think the recipe would still be okay? Thank you so much!
-
Ellen — Reply
I love this recipe and a sure crowd pleaser. I have made carnitas other ways but this is the best
-
Mary — Reply
Thanks Ellen!
-
-
Bree L. — Reply
This is so good! Especially after the pork sits in the juices. A great “set it and forget it” meal. Yum!
-
Mary — Reply
Thank you Bree!
-
-
Doreen — Reply
Making this for the 2nd time. We are bringing it to a superbowl party.
Thank you for another amazing recipe!!
