Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas is my go-to recipe when I want to cook for a crowd or when I want to have a few days of delicious leftovers. It takes about 5 minutes of prep and then 8 hours of low and slow cooking to create deeply flavorful, melt-in-your mouth pork carnitas. (Watch the video to see the buttery texture you can expect.) Serve it straight or on burger buns with coleslaw and BBQ sauce, or on tostadas, or (my favorite!) in Pork Carnitas Tacos!
I’ve intended to post a slow cooker carnitas recipe on this blog for at least a year. After three failed attempts, using recipes that looked great but tasted **meh**, I had nearly given up. But I’m thrilled to report that I’ve found it, the one! As a bonus, it takes no more than 10 minutes to put together in the slow cooker and then it’s just a waiting game. (A tormented wait, I’ll admit, because it smells incredible.)
But before I get to the recipe, I want to tell you a story.
Keith and I had already scheduled a business trip to Portland when we discovered that if we headed up a day early, we could attend a demonstration and book signing for TheKitchn’s new cookbook, The Kitchn Cookbook: Recipes, Kitchens & Tips to Inspire Your Cooking. (The book is co-written by Faith Durand and Sara Kate Gillingham.) It sounded like fun, so we booked it. We left in plenty of time to arrive early.
Or so we thought.
It was a dark and stormy night. No really, it was.
We had just 5 miles to go. But then: pouring rain, crawling wheels, stalled cars blocking lanes. It took us 2 hours.
We arrived at The Cakery 1/2 hour late and were greeted by the lovely lady pictured below. Her name is Kelly. She didn’t seem to notice my frazzled expression nor my frizzed, wet hair; she greeted us with a warm smile and assured us that we were not the only stragglers. (Perhaps, but we were the last to arrive.)
If you hadn’t heard of The Cakery, you’d probably drive right by as it’s not very impressive from the outside. But inside, it’s warm, welcoming and full of carefully curated treasures for the cooking and baking obsessed. I wanted to buy everything. They also make stunning cakes and host what they call Pages to Plate, “… a pop-up culinary event series providing guests with access to intimate book signings, cooking demonstrations and discussions.” It’s a perfect venue and hosts many wonderful chefs and cookbook authors, among them: Marisa McClellan, Alice Medrich, and, of course, Faith Durand.
Despite the embarrassment of our tardiness, we had a wonderful time. Our efforts were rewarded by Sriracha-Honey Popcorn Clusters, Cinnamon Toast Bread Pudding Cupcakes (both recipes from the new book), and a lively cooking demonstration where Faith made cupcakes and conversation, answering our questions and asking her own. It was just what we’d hoped for.
“There is no question that the kitchen is the most important room of the home,” say Sara Kate Gillingham and Faith Durand of the beloved cooking site and blog, The Kitchn.
From the moment you open this cookbook, you get the sense that Sara and Faith believe this deeply and that the book is a labor of love. The book is part handbook: cooking how-tos, lists of kitchen essentials, solutions to common kitchen problems, cleaning and entertaining advice, and even kitchen case studies. But it’s also a cookbook: 150 recipes from the everyday to the festive. It’s the kind of book that is just right for someone who is learning to cook and setting up their first kitchen, but that also inspires those of us who have been cooking for a while and could use some inspiration!
When I decided to write a post about the book, I started by making a list of recipes that I’d like to try – the list was getting long. But then I got to ‘S’ and there it was: Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas. My friends, if you like carnitas, you must try this. Just must! We made a marathon of it, first having carnitas on it’s own with a salad on the side, then tacos, and finally tostadas and even served it alongside Carne Asada for a huge feast with friends.
And the cooking liquid that comes from this recipe should not be thrown away. We not only used it to reheat the carnitas, but also to season homemade refried beans which tasted better than any I’d ever made and certainly better than anything from a can.
Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas Recipe Video
Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas
Ingredients
- 1 boneless pork butt (6 to 8 pounds; also called pork shoulder)
- 2 tablespoons coarse kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper or to taste
- 8 cloves garlic smashed
- 4 chipotle peppers canned or dried
- 1 cup tomato juice
- 1 cup orange juice
For serving
- Corn tortillas warmed
- Sour cream
- Cilantro
- Chopped red onion
- Lime wedges
Instructions
- Trim excess fat from the meat and discard. In a small bowl, combine the salt, cumin, pepper, oregano, cinnamon, and cayenne. Rub the mixture all over the meat. Place the pork butt in a large slow cooker. In a medium bowl, mix together the garlic, chipotle peppers, tomato juice, and orange juice. Pour the liquid over the meat and cook on LOW for 8 hours. The meat is done when it is fall-apart tender.
- When the meat is cool enough to handle, lift it from the juices and place it in a large bowl. Remove the bone, if there is one, then shred the meat. Skim the fat from the juices in the slow cooker, and add 1 cup of the liquid to the meat. Keep the remaining juices as a medium for reheating the pork.
- For carnitas tacos, reheat the meat and serve it in warmed corn tortillas with sour cream, cilantro, red onion, and lime wedges.
Hi! I’ve done these before and each time turn out great. Best recipe! I want to make them tomorrow but don’t have a lot of time. Have you ever tried making it on high for four hours instead of low for 8? Thanks!
Hey, Nadia! I’m so glad you’re enjoying the recipe. You can definitely cook this on high and I’d start checking it at 4 hours, but it could take up to 5. 🙂
Americans can’t make the real carnitas, the carnitas that have a unique amazing taste because they do not know the secret ingredient and even chefs do not know it. I am Mexican and I have been living in US for over ten years and I live in Texas where I can eat carnitas in many places and just the local restaurant aside my house where Mexicans cook can really make them delicious as they should be and even they do not have the real red sauce that goes with them. Nothing can replace that sauce because it is specially made for carnitas. You can cook them good but nah! it won’t blow your mind away like the one I grew up eating.
This one is pretty darn good! But I’d love to try yours too, Sasha.
Silly questions… Do you dice up the peppers, or leave them whole and remove them after it’s cooked?
Hi Kate! Not silly at all…You can leave them whole as they’re just there to flavor the juices that the pork cooks and reheats in.
My mouth is watering – I loooove pulled pork! I’m going to try this…but I’m not crazy about cumin. Any suggestions for a replacement?
Hi Krista! I would go with Chili Powder or Garam Masala – they both contain cumin, but have a lot of other flavors going on as well. I’d love to hear how it goes! xo
I keep thinking about making my own version as well… but have yet to get around to it!! This recipe looks mouthwateringly good. I love The Kitchn… it’s been my go-to site for kitchen tips since I can remember!
Thanks, Natasha. They’re great aren’t they? Every time I make this, I’m blown away at how easy it is vs. how delicious it tastes! Total crowd pleaser.
That event sounded like a lot if fun (Especially its rain part hah), and I believe this recipe book would give you (or I should say has given, as the post seems to have appeared first time few years back), and subsequently us, many interesting ideas! I’ve never had a carnitas in my life. Well, I’ve never made slow-cooked pork either 🙂 But I can say, this looks so hearty and utterly delicious!
Thanks, Ben. Yes, fun event despite the frustration of getting there. 🙂 Never had carnitas? Oh man, promise you’ll try this!
These were delicious! I found this recipe for Cinco de Mayo potluck at work. They were a hit. The leftovers have been amazing, and all of my coworkers wanted the recipe too 🙂 Thank you!
That’s fantastic, Kristin! So sweet of you to come back to let me know, thank you! 🙂
Will definitely give this version a try. I have never made it with the addition of the chipotle peppers, but will check it out this weekend. I agree, some recipes “look” good and are “meh”. Sadly, I have gone through many a version to either find or re-create my own spiced up recipe. Glad I found your site. Have a great day!
Thanks, Kevin. I just found your blog today too (from Matt @realfoodbydad)! Those popovers you made look so amazing.
I would totally love to win this book!! Looks so good!
It’s a terrific cookbook!
I’m so glad you made it, but MAN does that sound like a stressful five miles!! These carnitas look awesome. Pull-apart perfect!
Oh my, SO stressful! Thanks so much, Joanne! xx
I love that she can take a “butt”, cook it and turn it into something appealing. Seriously, we’ve slow cooked chicken and it comes out amazing.
My wife’s been asking what to get me for Christmas. I’ll put this book down. Sounds like lots of information for “noobs” like me that tinker in the kitchen from time to time.
The ingredients from the recipe above contain lots of stuff that is in Mexican food which I love(but hard to get good stuff here in Eastern CT in restaurants.)
Looks good. Probably tastes better!
Thanks, Matt! I think you’ll really enjoy the book tons of great recipes and tips. If you try out the carnitas, I’d love to hear what you think or even see a photo if you’re feeling adventurous!
Sure.. Will put up a picture when I make it!
I haven’t eaten carnitas for ages and this looks ridiculously easy. Definitely giving this a try soon!
Thanks, Maureen!
Oh phew! I’m so glad that you made it in time. It would have been so frustrating though! How fortuitous to find the perfect slow cooker carnitas recipe too 😀
We were beginning to wonder if we’d make it, Lorraine. Really stressful – I hate being late. And, you’re right, very fortuitous!
I was searching for slow cooker carnitas recipes yesterday morning and eventually gave up and got takeout tacos. haha Definitely making this next time I’m craving it! I love the Kitchn’s recipes. I’ve made several and they always turn out perfect.
Me too, Amanda – they’re very reliable. What a crack up that you were just looking for a recipe yesterday.
I love slow cooker recipes Marissa – and I think I could probably eat Mexican food every day of the week! So having this recipes is right up my alley! And yes, I’m entering the contest, because who doesn’t need another cookbook? 🙂
I know what you mean, Kristi! You can’t have too many… 😉
Hiya – just a question about chipotle peppers. I live in rural victoria in Australia, so my access to ‘stuff’ is really REALLY limited. Do you think I could just use the jalapeno peppers that are available in jars? Occasionally I see the fresh ones, are they easy to dry?
Cheers. and thanks for your posts!!
Lorelle
Hi Lorelle – Do you have access to dried peppers at all? For this, dried chipotle peppers or dried chile de arbol peppers? Either of these work well as they’re smoky and spicy. In a pinch, though, the jalapeños should work just fine.