This delicious Mexican slow cooker carnitas is the best! It's so easy to make this well-seasoned pulled pork recipe - it takes just a few minutes to pull together and is the perfect set it and forget it crockpot recipe. Cooked till tender and juicy, these pork carnitas will be a hit with the whole family.

Add them to tacos, quesadillas, or nachos, or serve in a rice bowl! They're a great recipe for Taco Tuesday or Cinco de Mayo.

Slow cooker carnitas with a fork in a large pan.

Why You'll Love Crockpot Carnitas

Tasty carnitas are easy to prep in just a few minutes!
They save well in the refrigerator or freezer, making them excellent for meal prep.
This recipe makes a big batch of carnitas - perfect for a crowd!

Carnitas Ingredients

Pork Shoulder or Butt - pork shoulder or butt are best when braised - making them perfect cuts for the slow cooker.
White Onion - white onion is best for this recipe as it has a sweeter, milder flavor but you can substitute for a yellow onion as well.
Orange - adds wonderful sweet flavor and helps to tenderize the meat.
Lime - fresh lime adds a zesty citrus flavor.
Broth - you can use chicken broth, vegetable broth, or even beer for this recipe.
Seaosonings - use bay leaves, salt, cumin, smoked paprika, sweet paprika, chili powder, and black pepper to season the carnitas.
To serve - serve the carnitas with some fresh cilantro and extra lime. I serve mine over rice and in small tortillas.

See the recipe card for quantities.

How to Make Easy Carnitas

Sliced onions and chopped garlics in a slow cooker.

Step 1: Add the quartered onion and sliced garlic cloves to the slow cooker and spread out to cover the whole bottom of the pot.

Pork shoulder with a spice rub on a black cutting board.

Step 2: Add 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon cumin, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, ½ teaspoon chili powder, ½ teaspoon sweet paprika, and ½ teaspoon black pepper to a small bowl and stir to combine. Rub the seasoning blend on all sides of the pork.

Step 3: Add the pork to the slow cooker and pour in the orange juice, lime juice, and 1 cup broth. Add the two bay leaves.

Step 4: Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours or on high for 4 to 6 hours.

Shredded slow cooker carnitas in a large pan.

Step 5: Remove the pork from the slow cooker and shred it with two forks or tongs. If you want the carnitas extra crispy, add the shredded meat to a rimmed baking sheet and broil on high for 3 to 5 minutes (watch closely to make sure it doesn’t burn) to crisp the edges.

Storage

Storage - Leftover carnitas will save in the refrigerator for up to 4 days in an airtight container.
To Freeze - Save carnitas in the freezer for up to 3 months in a freezer-bag
Reheat - in the microwave or in the oven at 350 F till the desired temperature is reached.

Slow cooker carnitas in a pan with cilantro and sliced lime.

easy dinners!

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A fork picking up shredded carnitas from a pan.

Slow Cooker Carnitas

These tender slow cooker carnitas are so easy to make! They are so flavorful and will be a family favorite.

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Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 8

Total Time: 8 15

Servings: servings

Author: Emily Wilson

Ingredients

1 white onion quartered
3 cloves garlic peeled and roughly chopped
4 pounds pork shoulder (or pork butt)
1 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
½ teaspoon chili powder
½ teaspoon sweet paprika
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
1 orange juiced
1 lime juiced
1 cup chicken or vegetable broth
2 bay leaves
To serve – fresh cilantro lime wedges

Instructions

Add the onion and garlic to the slow cooker and spread out to cover the whole bottom of the pot.
Trim excess fat off the pork. Cut the meat into 2 or 3 pieces if it’s too large to fit in your slow cooker. Add 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon cumin, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, ½ teaspoon chili powder, ½ teaspoon sweet paprika, and ½ teaspoon black pepper to a small bowl and stir to combine. Rub the seasoning blend on all sides of the pork.
Add the pork to the slow cooker and pour in the orange juice, lime juice, and 1 cup broth. Add the two bay leaves.
Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours or on high for 4 to 6 hours.
Remove the pork from the slow cooker and shred it with two forks or tongs.
If you want the carnitas extra crispy, add the shredded meat to a rimmed baking sheet and broil on high for 3 to 5 minutes (watch closely to make sure it doesn’t burn) to crisp the edges.