CrockPot Pork Carnitas Slow-Cooked To Perfection!
Crockpot Pork Carnitas – I love using my cooked, shredded pork for carnitas tacos but the recipe has many other uses and ways to serve your cooked shredded pork, we listed a few ideas later in the post. This is a dinner idea that you can quickly prep, then put into the crockpot shut the lid and go about your day.
I call it, prep and forget. Because once it’s in the crockpot slow cooking you can do everything else that you want during the day and still have a nice dinner. (craft, play with the kids, set up a party, go down to the pool…) You can use this crockpot recipe any time of year. If you need the recipe cooked faster we share additional ways you can cook this dish.
Crockpot Pork Carnitas
Things are heating up here and it’s time for meal planning more easy crockpot recipes, slow cooker recipes, and instant pot recipes. You will love this pork that is slow-cooked to perfection. It has so many uses! Pork Carnitas is a Mexican pork carnitas recipe that cooks the meat slowly creating a tender and flavorful shredded pork.
Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas Tacos
What I love about making this pulled pork is that you can use it for dinner for carnitas tacos. Just make sure you grab corn tortillas, cilantro, white onion and lime for slicing in wedges to top your tacos with. Spice it up with jalapenos. Serve them like street tacos. Oh, so delicious! If you prefer chicken tacos we listed a recipe later in this post.
For the shredded pork leftovers make burritos, sandwiches, enchiladas, nachos (nachos are soo good)… Right now for us, it’s summer and things are heating up! The last thing you want to do is cook inside when it’s 105+ outside. And standing outside to watch over a BBQ well nix that in the heat too. Before the recipe is a few tips for choosing your cooking times.
Crockpot Pork Carnitas
- We used our instant pot
on a crockpot setting. You can cook this in the instant pot or your standard crockpot. Or use a slow cooker. - Serves 8
- Prep time: 5 minutes
- Cook time: 8-10 hours on low OR 5-6 hours on high (time will need to be adjusted depending on which cooking method you choose) OR if you are in a hurry use our recipe with the notes, and by using the video directions to make the shredded pork in the instant pot. The meat will be done, the instant pot pressure cooks the meat in 1 hour on meat/stew setting.
on a crockpot setting. You can cook this in the instant pot or your standard 
. Or use a 
. Examples:
- If you cut your meat into chunks you can cook it on slow cooking for 4 hours like in this recipe for slow-cooker pork carnitas tacos.
- Or see this recipe in the recipe notes for other cooking times, including oven cooking.
- Yes, you can cook the recipe in the oven too. (But, since it’s summer that’s a no go for us)
- Of course, if you are in a big hurry we shared a resource in the recipe card and notes, so you can set the instant pot on pressure cook (Meat/Stew setting) and get this dinner made fast. Just, use our recipe and the settings in the video. Then dinner will be done in an hour. (Make sure to increase liquid)
Let’s get cooking carnitas in the crockpot!
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons oregano
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- ½ teaspoon chipotle powder
- 4 pounds pork butt
- The juice of one to two limes
- A ½ cup of orange juice
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 2 jalapenos, deseeded and chopped
If making carnitas tacos with your cooked, shredded pork you will need these additional ingredients
- 1 white onion (diced finely)
- cilantro (wash and chop)
- 2 limes (cut into wedges)
- optional seeded sliced jalapenos
- 1-2 packages corn tortillas (which you just soften and warm in the microwave by putting a damp paper towel over them while cooking and heating up right before serving or use a tortilla warmer)
How to make pork carnitas
Instructions:
- In a small bowl, combine olive oil, tomato paste, brown sugar, cumin, oregano, salt, chili
powder, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, pepper, and chipotle. Stir to mix.
- Place the pork butt in the bowl of the slow cooker.
Rub the spice mixture all over the outside of the pork butt.
Add the lime juice and orange juice to the slow cooker.
Top the pork but with chopped onion and jalapenos. - Cook on low for 8 to 10 hours or high for 5 to 6 hours
- When pork is cooked through, remove from slow cooker and shred with a fork.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place the shredded pork on a baking sheet and top with a ½ cup
of juices remaining in the slow cooker. - Bake for 15 minutes to crisp the edges of the meat.
- Serve in flour tortillas, over rice, or garnished with chopped cilantro or cheese. Or make carnitas tacos.
Add the lime juice and orange juice to the slow cooker.
.
and top with a ½ cup
Crockpot Pork Carnitas
You can make this easy carnitas recipe any time of year. What I love about making this slow-cooked pulled pork (or pressure cooked) is that you can use it for dinner for carnitas tacos. Just make sure you grab corn tortillas, cilantro, white onion and lime for slicing in wedges to top your tacos with. Spice it up with jalapenos. Serve them like street tacos. Oh, so delicious! Or use the shredded pork meat for enchiladas, burritos, nachos, and even sandwiches.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons oregano
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- ½ teaspoon chipotle powder
- 4 pounds pork butt
- The juice of one to two limes
- A ½ cup of orange juice
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 2 jalapenos, deseeded and chopped
Carnitas Tacos
- Corn Tortillas
- 1 white onion
- Cilantro
- 2-3 limes
- Jalapenos
Instructions
1. In a small bowl, combine olive oil, tomato paste, brown sugar, cumin, oregano, salt, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, pepper, and chipotle. Stir to mix.
2. Place the pork butt in the bowl of the slow cooker. Rub the spice mixture all over the outside of the pork butt.
3. Add the lime juice and orange juice to the slow cooker.
4. Top the pork but with chopped onion and jalapenos.
5. Cook on low for 8 to 10 hours or high for 5 to 6 hours.
6. When pork is cooked through, remove from slow cooker and shred with a fork.
7. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place the shredded pork on a baking sheet and top with a ½ cup of juices remaining in the slow cooker.
8. Bake for 15 minutes to crisp the edges of the meat.
9. Serve in flour tortillas, over rice, or garnished with chopped cilantro or cheese. Or make carnitas tacos with the meat using corn tortillas garnished with chopped cilantro, white onion, lime, and optional jalapenos.
Notes
- If you want to speed up cook time because you are in a hurry or forgot to prep and get your dinner in the crockpot early. Use our recipe but, follow the settings in the video for Instant Pot 1 hour tacos.
- For this quicker method using our recipe but, you will need to cut up the pork into cubes (ensure you have boneless pork butt or loin)
- Lightly brown the cut-up pork butt in olive oil, then increase liquid or juice to1 cup from the ½ cup our recipe calls for.
- Set instant pot on Meat/Stew setting for 35 minutes on High pressure. Natural release for 15 min. Transfer the meat into a pan, shred it up, season with salt, broil 10 min to get crispy. See video in recipe card for details, and to see a demonstration of how to make it quicker.
- Here is another helpful video if you need to see how to make pork carnitas.
Nutrition Information
Yield
8Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 717Total Fat 48gSaturated Fat 17gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 27gCholesterol 195mgSodium 809mgCarbohydrates 15gFiber 2gSugar 8gProtein 54g
Nuttrition information isn't always 100% accurate.
- New here? Be sure to subscribe.
- Instant Pot Recipes Pinterest
- Crockpot Recipes Pinterest
Looking for more crockpot or instant pot recipes to try?
- Crockpot Chicken Tacos (a favorite) So easy to make! Add a boxed or homemade Mexican rice, and salad to complete your meal.
Girl, you know when it gets too hot to cook you need instant pot recipes like this Instant Pot BBQ Chicken. Too hot in the kitchen, too hot outside to barbecue or you want to give dad a night off from grilling.
Want more dinner recipes like these? Or other Mexican dinner ideas? Remember to check our recipe index and use the search bar!
- New here? Be sure to subscribe (you get a bonus free printable recipe binder and cooking/baking resources)
- Pin it for Later
- Follow us on Pinterest
- Instant pot recipes Pinterst
- Crockpot recipes Pinterest
