Crockpot Pork Carnitas
As fall approaches, I begin to look forward to using my slow cooker. I love the way my house gets filled with the aroma of whatever it is that is simmering away inside that giant pot. While we are just a couple of weeks away from the first official day of fall…I couldn’t wait any longer. Today I pulled out my trusty crock pot and filled it with with fresh pork, peppers, onions and plenty of spices to create Crockpot Pork Carnitas.
When all the ingredients can fit on one cutting board…you know it’ll be easy and quick.
Growing up in Missouri I’ve had my fair share of barbecued pulled pork. I consider pork carnitas to be the Mexican equivalent of barbecued pulled pork. It’s loaded with amazing Mexican spices. Tenderized not only through the slow cooker process but by the acid you add in the form of orange and lime juice.
Pork, Veg, Fruit and Spices tossed into the slow cooker…8 hours later…Yum!
I began making different versions of the dish when both of my sons were teenagers. They both love Mexican food and where athletes with huge appetites and a fondness for protein focused meals! Carnitas can be used in a variety of ways. Most traditional as the star of tacos. But I’ve used it in enchiladas, taco salads, burritos and as a topping to omelets and scrambled eggs.
It keeps well in the refrigerator for about 3 days. Just pop it in the microwave for a quick re-heat. It also freezes well. Place it in a gallon size baggie. Press it flat into a square and then freeze. This makes defrosting it later quick and simple.
It’s a wonderful dish for a build your own taco party. Add some other proteins for the guest to choose from like grilled chicken and shrimp. But in my experience, most of the guests go back to the bowl of tender, juicy and full of flavor pulled pork – Mexican style!
Pork Carnitas with all the fixings for a tasty buffet.
Crockpot Pork Carnitas
Ingredients
- 3-5 pounds boneless pork butt or shoulder
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- 1 teaspoon southwest seasoning Emeril's
- 1/2 teaspoon hot chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
- 1 orange cut in 2 and juiced
- 1 lime juiced
- 1 large yellow onion quartered
- 1 pablano chili pepper quartered
- 1-2 banana peppers seeded
- 1 cup water
Instructions
- Turn slow cooker on high.
- Cut pork roast into large chunks. Add to slow cooker.
- Sprinkle all the seasoning from salt through oregano over pork.
- Slice orange down the middle. Squeeze juice over pork. Toss in orange halves.
- Slice lime down the middle and add juice to pork.
- Add yellow onion, chili pepper, banana pepper and water to slow cooker.
- Cover and cook on high for first 3 hours.
- Remove lid and stir pork mixture. Turn down to low and cook for additional 5 hours.
- Once you can tell the pork is tender. Remove everything from slow cooker except the liquid by placing the pork and vegetables into a large bowl.
- Place liquid from cooking juices into a medium saucepan. Bring to boil and reduce by cooking for 15-30 minutes. You will notice it thicken slightly.
- Heat oven to high broil.
- Discard orange halves from bowl. Using 2 forks, shred pork pieces. Keeping the onions and peppers in the bowl as you shred the meat.
- In a large jelly roll pan lined with aluminum foil, place shredded pork in pan.
- Top shredded pork with reduced cooking liquid (only about 1/2 cup - 3/4 cups of liquid for entire pan of shredded pork).
- Place pan of pork in oven below broiler and cook for about 5 minutes until browned nicely.
- Remove from oven when browned to your liking. Serve pork carnitas however you like (in corn tortilla shells, in a mexican style salad, or inside a burrito).
Notes
- If you want to kick up the heat, add canned chipotle chili peppers, additional hot chili peppers like jalapeno or serrano.
- The pork freezes well. So make a big batch so you'll have carnitas available for a quick taco dinner.
- Make sure to buy pork that is fatty. So pork butt is really the way to go. The fat melts slowly and helps to create the wonderful flavor and succulent texture.
