As much as we love that recipe, it is a little more involved than I often have time for on a weeknight. There just isn’t always time to take all the steps it requires to enjoy delicious carnitas. That’s where the crock-pot comes to the rescue and it’s why I’m thrilled to have found a Slow Cooker Carnitas recipe that delivers all the delicious juicy pork flavor with far less effort.

Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas

On a busy day, Slow-Cooker Carnitas make a spectacular dinner that is about 10x less hands-on than the traditional recipe and my whole family loves them. My friend Sandra introduced me to this recipe for Carnitas a few years ago and I’ve made them countless times since then. The pork is always flavorful and the leftover carnitas keep nicely in the refrigerator for days.

What is Carnitas?

Carnitas are a dish made by roasting or braising or simmering a cut of seasoned pork in oil (traditionally lard). After cooking, the meat is shredded and used as a filling in tacos, burritos and similar dishes. In many parts of Mexico, Carnitas are served on top of corn tortillas with toppings of fresh cilantro, chopped onions, salsa, and lime juice. We love eating them like this (I call it Carnitas Street Tacos) and can gobble up a whole recipe easily. My family also likes Carnitas in plenty of non-traditional ways as well. A batch of Slow-Cooker Carnitas is delicious inside flour tortillas, on salads, inside enchiladas or served over Chipotle Lime Rice or even Cheesy Potatoes. In my opinion, there’s no one right way to eat Carnitas!

Slow Cooker Carnitas

Slow cooking pork in a crockpot may not be traditional but delivers the same great flavor of pork that’s been slow-roasted or braised. The longer cooking time helps make the pork extra tender and juicy. This Carnitas recipe also draws some of its delicious taste from an array of herbs and spices added to the pork as it cooks. Simmering the meat in orange juice adds a tangy, citrusy flavor that compliments the ample amounts of garlic, onion and Mexican spices covering the pork.  Slow Cooker Carnitas is one of those rare pork dishes that manages to be both perfectly tender and crispy all at once. In this recipe, the pork is cooked long enough in the slow cooker to fall apart when pierced with a fork then given a pan fry on the stovetop. This combination of cooking methods yields magical results. While you absolutely are able to skip the last step and have a perfectly acceptable seasoned pulled pork recipe, why would you want to miss out?

Crispy Pork Carnitas

Take the extra 5-10 minutes for the finishing step on the stove; it makes an enormous difference in the crisp, juicy, amazingness of this meat! Save this recipe now, make it for dinner this week and try not to eat all the pork right away. Leftovers are phenomenal in a Carnitas Salad Bowl for a tasty lunch or for breakfast in Pork Carnitas Hash. I also enjoy substituting Carnitas for pulled pork in lots of my favorite recipes that call for prepared pulled pork. Give it a try with Pulled Pork Enchiladas and Pulled Pork Tacos and let me know how you like them!

Crock Pot Carnitas Recipe

Not sure what cut of pork to use to make carnitas? Shoulder, butt, and picnic cut pork roasts work best for this recipe. Both bone-in or boneless roasts will work just fine. I use a 4-5 pound roast when I’m cooking a boneless roast and a 5 or 6-pound roast if it’s bone-in. If you’re after more slow cooker recipes that deliver amazing taste without a ton of difficulty, check out our Slow Cooker Steak Fajitas , Slow Cooker Smothered Chicken Burritos and Slow Cooker Pork Roast too! Slow cookers or crockpots are an appliance of which I have more than one. If you are an avid slow cooker user like I am, you might understand the need for more than one. So, let’s talk about my favorites: First up is this 6-quart slow cooker that has a locking lid. These crockpots are fantastic for transporting foods. Mine has gone everywhere from church potlucks to barbecues, game nights to Thanksgiving dinner. However, fair warning, these slow cookers run crazy hot. Low is closer to a boil than a simmer, the warm setting actually simmers. So trust me when I say HIGH is high. My everyday slow cooker is this 8-quart Crockpot. It’s my go-to appliance for cooking large roasts and big batches of chili. Fun fact: did you know that a full 4-quart cooker, actually cooks more slowly than a half-full 8-quart cooker? For just cooking a few pounds of chicken to shred for enchiladas or other smaller recipes, this 3-quart version is perfect. Thanksgiving has become a breeze since I have mastered how to hold all of the side dishes using these medium-sized round slow cookers. If you aren’t a fan of the idea of keeping more than one slow cooker in the house, these CrockPockets are a game-changer when it comes to preparing and holding multiple dishes at the same time. They slide into a standard 6-quart crockpot, dividing it into two sections that are perfect for serving different side dishes or keeping taco fillings warm for parties.

Slow-Cooker Pork Carnitas

FREEZER INSTRUCTIONS: If you are freezing extra pork or making the recipe in advance, skip the stove-top cooking step and simply place the shredded pork in a gallon size zip-close bag along with the crock-pot juices. When ready to use, thaw completely in the refrigerator and then use the above directions to crisp the pork in a pan on the stove. Also, if you’re lucky enough to have some carnitas leftover, I recommend making a Carnitas Breakfast Skillet the next day. {originally published 10/12/15 – recipe notes and photos updated 10/29/21}

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