Pantry Plan Share a recipe Sign in Menu

Pork Carnitas · Slow Cooker

Slow-Cooker Pork Carnitas

Pork shoulder slow-cooks all day with orange, lime and garlic, then gets shredded and broiled until the edges turn crisp. Pile it into warm tortillas with onion, cilantro and lime.

New, no ratings yet0 reviewsby Simmerbee Kitchen

Prep
20 min
Cook
8 hr 20 min
Total
8 hr 40 min
Serves
8
Level
Easy
Start cook modeAdd to planSave
Print
Full pageOne page, ingredients and steps4×6 cardIngredients on the front, steps on the back3×5 cardIngredients on the front, steps on the back
Jump to recipe

Ingredients

  • Rub
  • 2 tsp kosher salt
    Swaps for kosher salt

    Instead of salt

    • Table salt or fine sea salt: About half as much as Diamond Crystal kosher, about ¾ as much as Morton kosher. The same saltiness when measured this way.
    • Salt by weight: 1 tsp is about 6 grams of table salt, 5 grams of Morton kosher, 3 grams of Diamond Crystal kosher. The most reliable way to swap, especially in baking and brines.

    More for salt

  • 2 tsp ground cumin
    Swaps for ground cumin

    Instead of cumin

    • Ground coriander: The same amount. Brighter and citrusy, less earthy.
    • Chili powder: Twice as much. Contains cumin, plus chile heat and garlic.
    • Caraway seeds, ground: Half as much. A related flavor, a bit sharper.

    More for cumin

  • 1 tsp dried oregano, Mexican oregano if you can find it
    Swaps for dried oregano

    Instead of oregano

    • Fresh oregano: 1 tbsp chopped fresh for each 1 tsp dried (three times as much). Brighter and more peppery; use a little less than you think.
    • Dried marjoram, Italian seasoning or dried basil: The same amount. Marjoram is milder, basil sweeter; Italian seasoning already has oregano in it.

    More for oregano

  • 1 tsp chili powder
    Swaps for chili powder

    Instead of chili powder

    • Homemade blend: For 1 tbsp: 1½ tsp paprika, 1 tsp ground cumin, ¼ tsp garlic powder, ¼ tsp dried oregano, a pinch of cayenne. Close; adjust the cayenne for heat.
    • Ancho chile powder: The same amount, plus a pinch of cumin. Smokier and fruitier, mild heat.

    More for chili powder

  • ½ tsp black pepper
  • Carnitas
  • 4 lb boneless pork shoulder, trimmed of thick fat, cut into 3-inch chunks
  • 1 medium onion, quartered
    Swaps for onion

    Instead of onion

    • Another onion: The same amount. Yellow is the all-rounder; white is sharper and crisper; red is milder raw and adds color; sweet onions are mildest.
    • Shallots: The same amount, chopped. Milder and sweeter, with a hint of garlic.
    • Leeks: About 1½ times as much, white and light green parts. Milder and softer when cooked.

    All 4 swaps for onion

  • 6 cloves garlic, smashed
    Swaps for garlic

    Instead of garlic

    • Garlic powder: ⅛ tsp for each clove. Mellower and sweeter, with no bite.
    • Jarred minced garlic: ½ tsp for each clove. Milder and slightly sour from the preserving liquid.

    More for garlic

  • ½ cup orange juice, from about 2 oranges
  • 2 tbsp lime juice
    Swaps for lime juice

    Instead of lime juice

    • Lemon juice: The same amount. Milder aroma; still bright.
    • Bottled lime juice: The same amount. Flatter and more sour; fine in cooked dishes.
    • Rice vinegar or white vinegar: Half as much. Sour without the citrus aroma.

    More for lime juice

  • 2 bay leaves
  • ½ cup chicken broth
    Swaps for chicken broth

    Instead of broth

    • Vegetable broth: The same amount. Lighter and slightly sweeter.
    • Bouillon cube, powder or paste + water: Follow the label for the amount of liquid. Close in flavor; a little saltier.
    • Water + extra seasoning: The same amount, with ½ tsp salt per cup and extra garlic, onion or herbs. Flatter and lighter, but fine where other ingredients bring plenty of flavor.

    More for broth

  • To serve
  • 16 corn tortillas, warmed
  • white onion, finely chopped
    Swaps for white onion

    Instead of onion

    • Another onion: The same amount. Yellow is the all-rounder; white is sharper and crisper; red is milder raw and adds color; sweet onions are mildest.
    • Shallots: The same amount, chopped. Milder and sweeter, with a hint of garlic.
    • Leeks: About 1½ times as much, white and light green parts. Milder and softer when cooked.

    All 4 swaps for onion

  • fresh cilantro, chopped
    Swaps for fresh cilantro

    Instead of cilantro

    • Dried cilantro: 1 tsp dried for each 1 tbsp chopped fresh (a third as much). Dried cilantro has almost no flavor; skip it as a garnish and add more of the other seasonings.
    • Flat-leaf parsley + lime zest: The same amount of parsley, plus a little lime zest. Fresh and green, without the soapy taste some people get from cilantro.
    • Thai basil or mint: Half as much. Sweeter and more perfumed.

    More for cilantro

  • limes, cut into wedges
  • salsa (optional)

Cooking for a crowd? Pans, timing and salt for 12 to 50.

Missing something? Tap Swaps next to an ingredient, or see all substitutions.

Cook to 145°F inside (check with a thermometer).

Steps

  1. Mix the rub ingredients in a small bowl.
  2. Pat the pork dry with paper towels and rub the spice mix all over the pieces.
  3. Scatter the onion and garlic in a 6-quart slow cooker and set the pork on top.
  4. Pour the orange juice, lime juice and broth around the pork and tuck in the bay leaves.
  5. Cover and cook on LOW for 8 to 10 hours (or HIGH for 5 to 6 hours), until the pork falls apart when pressed with a fork. It will be far past the safe 145°F (63°C); pork this tender is usually 195 to 205°F.
    ⏱ Slow cook (LOW): 8 hr
  6. Lift the pork into a large bowl with tongs. Discard the bay leaves and onion pieces.
  7. Shred (how to shred) Shred Pull cooked meat (or cabbage and other vegetables) into thin strands. 1. Let cooked meat cool just until you can handle it, and take out any bones.2. Hold the piece in place with one fork.3. Drag a second fork through it, following the grain, so it pulls apart in strands.4. Toss the strands with a spoonful of the cooking juices so they stay moist. Done when: The meat pulls apart with almost no effort. If it fights you, it needs more cooking time. Safety: Meat straight from the pot holds steam inside; open it up and let it cool for a few minutes first.How to shred cooked meat with two forks: mistakes to avoid
    the pork with two forks, pulling out any soft chunks of fat.
  8. Skim the fat from the liquid in the cooker. Stir 1/2 cup of the liquid into the shredded pork.
  9. Move an oven rack 6 inches below the broiler and heat the broiler to high. Spread the pork on a foil-lined sheet pan in a thin layer.
  10. Broil (how to broil) Broil Cook or brown food with strong heat from the top of the oven, like an upside-down grill. 1. Move an oven rack so the food will sit 3 to 6 inches from the heat.2. Turn the broiler on and give it a few minutes to heat.3. Use a metal pan (never glass that isn't broiler-safe) and put the food in.4. Stay at the oven and check every minute; things go from brown to burnt fast.5. Turn the food if the recipe says to. Done when: The top is browned and bubbly or charred in spots, usually in 1 to 5 minutes. Safety: Don't use parchment or wax paper under the broiler; it can catch fire. Use foil or a bare pan.How to broil: mistakes to avoid
    until the top edges are browned and crisp. Watch closely; broilers vary.
    ⏱ Broil: 5 min
  11. Stir the pork, drizzle with another few spoonfuls of liquid if it looks dry, and broil again until crisp in spots.
    ⏱ Broil again: 3 min
  12. Serve in warm tortillas topped with onion, cilantro, a squeeze of lime and salsa.

Tap an underlined word for how to do it, or see all techniques.

Tips

  • Crisp only what you will eat right away; store the rest in its juices so it stays moist.
  • No broiler? Crisp the pork in a hot cast iron skillet with a spoonful of the skimmed fat, in batches, without stirring for 2 to 3 minutes.

Storage

Refrigerate the pork in some of its cooking liquid up to 4 days, or freeze up to 3 months.

Make ahead

Slow-cook and shred up to 3 days ahead. Crisp under the broiler just before serving.

Cook once, eat twice: Double it (16 servings instead of 8), eat half and freeze the other half. It keeps 3 months frozen, by the storage note above. Print a freezer label · More freezer meals

How long leftovers keep, and freezing and reheating: leftovers and storage.

Quick answers

Can I freeze it?

Yes. Refrigerate the pork in some of its cooking liquid up to 4 days, or freeze up to 3 months.

Can I make it ahead?

Slow-cook and shred up to 3 days ahead. Crisp under the broiler just before serving.

What can I swap?
  • Instead of cumin: Ground coriander, the same amount.
  • Instead of oregano: Fresh oregano.

Answered from this recipe's own storage, make-ahead and swap notes.

Estimated nutrition per serving

Calories
660
Protein
42 g
Carbohydrates
26 g
Fiber
4 g
Sugars
3 g
Fat
42 g
Saturated fat
14 g
Sodium
670 mg

Whole recipe, 8 servings: about 5,290 calories.

Estimate from USDA FoodData Central; not medical or dietary advice. Based on 13 of 13 ingredients.

How we estimate

We add up USDA FoodData Central values for each measured ingredient as written and divide by the recipe's 8 servings, so changing the servings or units here doesn't change a serving. Brands, swaps, trimming and cooking all change the real numbers.

Not counted: white onion, fresh cilantro, limes, salsa (to taste or as needed).

Estimated cost

About $2.15 a serving

About $17.25 for the recipe as written (8 servings).

Estimate; prices vary by store and region. U.S. average prices for September 2026 from BLS Average Price Data and USDA ERS Purchase to Plate prices updated with the BLS Consumer Price Index. Priced: 7 of 12 ingredients, 99% by weight.

How we estimate

Each measured ingredient is weighed as in the nutrition estimate and priced at the U.S. average: BLS's average price where BLS publishes one, else USDA ERS's Purchase to Plate price for 2017-18 raised to September 2026 with the CPI for that food group. Whole packages, store brands, sales and regions all change the real cost: treat it as a ballpark.

  • boneless pork shoulder $14.75 BLS
  • corn tortillas $1.00 ERS
  • onion $0.35 ERS
  • orange juice $0.30 ERS
  • lime juice $0.25 ERS
  • chicken broth $0.25 ERS
  • garlic $0.20 ERS

Not priced (no official average price we can match, so not in the total): kosher salt, ground cumin, dried oregano, chili powder, black pepper.

Not counted: white onion, fresh cilantro, limes, salsa (optional, or to taste).

More dishes for less: cheap eats.

Goes well with

Picked by our pairing rules: the same kind of kitchen, room in the oven and on the stove, ready in time, and a balance of starch, vegetables and richness.

  • Side Southern-Style Collard Greens 2 hr 10 min Cooks on the stove while the pork carnitas are in the oven. The oven and stove are free while the slow cooker does the main. Ready in 2 hr 10 min, inside the main's 8 hr 40 min.
  • Side Tangy Vinegar Coleslaw 1 hr 10 min No cooking: make it while the main cooks. Ready in 1 hr 10 min, inside the main's 8 hr 40 min. Brings the vegetables the pork carnitas don't have.
  • Dessert Crumb-Topped Apple Pie 5 hr 55 min Light and fruity after a rich main. Make it ahead, so it's ready when dinner is.

More complete dinner menus

Keep this one

Sign in to save recipes into your own collections, log the days you cook them and keep private notes, like "use less sugar next time". Only you see them.

Sign in to saveNo password: we email you a code.

Gear for this recipe

As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Brands are suggestions; any similar item works.

Cleanup score 2/5 (more cleanup): 4 things to wash, slow cooker, sheet pan, bowl 1, bowl 2.

More kitchen gear and our gear guides

Reviews (0)

No reviews yet. Made it? Tell us how it went.

simmerbee.com/r/pork-carnitas-slow-cookerSimmerbee