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Slow Cooker Carnitas or Mexican Pulled Pork

This Mexican Pulled Pork is generously seasoned, slow-cooked until fall-of-the-bone tender, then seared to caramelized perfection! With a sweet and savory flavor combo, these pork strands are tender and juicy with crunchy edges.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time8 hours
Course: Appetizer, Main Course, Snack
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: Mexican Carnitas, Mexican Pork Carnitas, Mexican Shredded POrk, Pork Carnitas, Pulled Pork
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 381kcal

Ingredients

  • 4 pound pork butt
  • 2 Tablespoons brown sugar
  • 1 Tablespoon ground cumin
  • 1 Tablespoon dried oregano
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 2 teaspoons garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 3 Tablespoons olive oil divided
  • 1 medium jalapeno pepper
  • 1 medium onion
  • 1 medium orange
  • 1 medium lime

Instructions

  • Rinse the roast and dry it well.
  • In a medium size bowl, mix together brown sugar, ground cumin, oregano, salt, garlic powder, peper, and paprika. Stir in 2 Tablespoons of olive oil.
  • Rub this mixture all over the pork butt. Place the seasoned pork into the slow cooker, fat on top.
  • Remove seeds from the jalapeno pepper, slice it up and place it on and around the roast.
  • Dice the onion and place it on and around the roast.
  • Halve the orange and squeeze the juice over the roast, add the orange halves to the slow cooker.
  • Halve the lime and squeeze the juice over the roast, add the lime halves to the slow cooker.
  • Cook the roast at high power for 8 hours.
  • Remove the roast from the pot and place it onto a cutting board. Allow it to cool for 10 minutes. Then shred the meat using 2 forks.
  • Place the remaining 1 Tablespoon of olive oil into a large skillet. Heat the skillet to high heat.
  • Next, we will caramelize the pork by frying it (in batches- we don’t want to crowd it). Place about ¼ of the shredded pork and about cup ¼ of the juices from the crock pot in the skillet. Press the meat onto the bottom and allow it to sear. Continue this until all of the meat has been seared.
  • Place the seared meat into your serving container. You may serve the meat drizzled with some of the remaining juices from the crock pot if you like.

Notes

Storage Instructions

Pork carnitas may be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. If you are planning on keeping them longer, place them in a freezer-friendly bag and freeze for up to 3 months.  Make sure to indicate the date on the container to know until when it can still be reheated.

Frequently Asked Questions

  1. Does it matter if I use a bone-in or boneless roast? No, either will work fine in this recipe.
  2. Should I brown the meat before putting it into the slow cooker? You can, however, I find that if you sear the meat in a skillet after shredding it, you get a really nice crisp to the meat, and you don’t need to brown it ahead of time.
  3. Is it really necessary to sear the meat after it has been cooked in the crock pot? I find that the searing makes a huge difference to the flavor of the meat.
  4. Is this dish really spicy? No, it is not spicy. If you would like the meat to be spicier, you could add more jalapeno peppers, chili powder, and some red chili pepper flakes.  
  5. Could I use a pork loin instead of a pork butt roast? No, pulled pork requires higher fat meat. You could use a fatty boneless pork shoulder, but not a pork loin as it is too lean.
  6. Why is my slow cooker Carnitas tough? It means that it is still undercooked, and the connective tissues have not yet melted. Place it back in the slow cooker until it becomes tender.
  7. Can I use other liquids aside from citrus juice? Some ingredients use broth, apple juice, or even beer. I have not tried those, so I cannot vouch for the results.

Nutrition

Calories: 381kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 43g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 136mg | Sodium: 732mg | Potassium: 870mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 101IU | Vitamin C: 15mg | Calcium: 66mg | Iron: 4mg