Crockpot Carnitas
Slow cooker Carnitas are cooked low and slow in the Crockpot until they fall apart, but remain tender and juicy at the same time. They’re so versatile as you can use Carnitas as a topping for nachos, stuffed in tacos, in quesadillas, burritos, or to make a Mexican inspired salad bowl! With very easy prep that you can do in just 5-10 minutes, you’ll leave the meat in your slow cooker for 7-10 hours and then come to enjoy the best ever homemade carnitas that taste very close to the authentic stuff! Add homemade guacamole, cilantro lime rice, my favorite lime crema, and Instant Pot pinto beans, and you have a perfect Mexican meal that your whole family will love!
What Are Carnitas?
Carnitas literally means little meats, as the pork is braised in lard until tender. It’s a traditional Mexican recipe where the pork is braised for 3-4 hours until it falls apart, and then it’s crisped up over high heat. While the traditional recipe is not slow cooked, we can achieve similar results in the slow cooker or in the Instant Pot for homemade Carnitas that taste similar to the authentic stuff. And then crisp up the pulled pork under the broiler or in a skillet.
The Ingredients
Pork Shoulder: Also known as pork butt – makes the perfect meat for Carnitas due to the fat content. Do not use pork tenderloin as it’s too lean and when shredded it does not shred into nice strands like pulled pork should be.Spices: I always use cumin and oregano in Mexican recipes (use Mexican or Italian oregano), I also added smoked paprika for extra flavor which is optional, and seasoned with salt and pepper. If you like extra heat, you can add chili powder.Onions, garlic and chiles: You can use fresh or canned jalapeños depending on what you have available. I use what I have on hand, for example, in my Instant Pot Carnitas recipe I used fresh jalapeños but they can be substituted with canned.Acids: The acidity from the limes and oranges help break down the meat and makes it super tender. Use fresh orange juice and lime juice if possible.
Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
How to Make Instant Pot Carnitas
What Cut Of Meat Do I Need For Carnitas?
The best cut of meat for Carnitas is pork shoulder (also known as pork butt), boston butt, or picnic ham. The reason behind this is that the fat content in pork shoulder will keep the meat juicy and flavorful. You can either cook a boneless or a bone-in pork, but make sure that it is skinless and that the fat cap is intact for the meat to stay tender as it cooks.
How Do I Get Carnitas Crispy?
The best part about carnitas is their crisp! After you cooked the meat, and shred it, you want to make it crispy. This can achieve under the broiler or in a hot skillet over the stovetop. This is the cast iron skillet that I use and love! Oven method: Place the shredded pork on a baking sheet, and ladle some of the cooking liquid over the pork. Place under the broiler at 500°F/260°C degree oven, broil for 5 minutes, toss, and then cook for a few more minutes until you get crispy brown edges. To crisp your carnitas over the stove top, place olive oil in a hot skillet. Working in batches, add the meat and cook for 5-7 minutes until the edges start to brown.
How Do I Make Carnitas in The Instant Pot?
You can totally do this in the Instant Pot if you prefer! It will also save you a lot of time. My Instant Pot Carnitas recipe is very similar to this, but it requires more liquid so I added Mexican beer to it (you can also add Coca Cola or chicken or vegetable stock/broth).
Carnitas For Tacos
Stuffing tacos with carnitas is probably my favorite way to enjoy carnitas! To make the tacos, use street sized corn or flour tortillas that are heated up over the stove top or microwave. Then stuff with pulled pork carnitas, diced yellow onion, some fresh cilantro leaves, and freshly squeezed lime juice for extra flavor! As for the toppings, make some homemade guacamole, lime crema (this is way better than just plain sour cream!), and this pineapple salsa is perfect with carnitas. © Little Sunny Kitchen
