Perfect Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas the First Time! Trust ME!

at a glance
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 8 hours 20 minutes
Servings 6 - 8 servings
4.8 — Votes 4 votes

Every item on this page was chosen by The Fed & Fit team. The site may earn a commission on some products (read more here).

These slow cooker pork carnitas are equal parts crispy, juicy, and delicious, and thanks to the slow cooker, they’re incredibly easy to make!

a sheet pan of crispy slow cooker pork carnitas

Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas

Slow cooker carnitas are one of those proteins that taste WAY harder (and fancier!) than they are and because of this, they’re the all-star protein when it comes to serving a crowd. One of our favorite things about carnitas is that they are super versatile. They can be enjoyed taco, burrito bowl, or nacho-style, and leftover carnitas make for the yummiest add to a breakfast hash or scramble!   

Carnitas are, essentially, pork that has been well seasoned, cooked, shredded, and then crisped. The crisp on the outside of really yummy carnitas is what sets it apart from plain ole shredded pork. Because carnitas are made with a fattier cut of pork (pork shoulder/butt), they have this amazing ability to get nice and crispy in the oven while still staying really tender and juicy.

We use a pork shoulder (also known as a pork butt) to make carnitas because this fattier cut allows the finished product to be crispy on the outside while still being tender and juicy on the inside.  

all of the ingredients for slow cooker carnitas sitting on a marble surface

Carnitas Recipe Slow Cooker Ingredients

  • Pork shoulder – to start, you’ll need a 4-5 pound pork shoulder (sometimes called a pork butt), tenderloin, or large-cut “carnitas pieces” cut into 4 or 5 large chunks.
  • Butter – you’ll also need a ¼ cup of butter (4 tablespoons) divided.
  • Spices and seasonings – to season the pork, we’ll use 1 tablespoon of sea salt, 2 teaspoons of chili powder, 1 teaspoon of ground cumin, 1 teaspoon of garlic powder, and a ½ teaspoon of ground black pepper.
  • Orange juice – to add a really nice brightness to the pork, we’ll throw a ½ cup of orange juice into the slow cooker too. 
  • Lime juice – a ¼ cup of fresh lime juice (the juice from about 2 limes) adds a punch of acidity to the carnitas and really rounds everything out.

Thanks to the slow cooker, the cooking process really couldn’t be any easier, y’all! Here’s what you’ll need to do:

  1. Melt the butter – melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in either the slow cooker insert (over a hot stovetop) or in a large frying pan. While the butter is melting, set the meat out on a plate.
  2. Season and sear the pork – sprinkle all sides of the pork with the spice blend and then add the seasoned pork to the hot melted butter. Sear on all sides for about 4 minutes over high heat, or until a brown crust starts to form (but before it burns).
  3. Add the orange juice and slow cook – if cooking in the slow cooker insert, transfer the insert to the slow cooker, add the orange juice, cover, and cook on low for 8 hours or on high for 4 hours. If cooking in a pan, transfer the browned pork (and all juices) to the slow cooker and follow the same timing instructions.
  4. Shred the pork – once cooked, use two forks to shred the pork into 1-inch pieces.
  5. Preheat the oven to 425°F.
  6. Toss the pork with butter and lime juice + bake – toss the shredded pork with the butter and lime juice, then spread it out onto a rimmed baking sheet. Bake at 425°F for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the tops are starting to look a little crispy.
  7. Assemble and serve – assemble the tacos with the carnitas, cilantro, lime wedges, flaky sea salt, and serve!
melted butter in a skillet
chunks of raw pork shoulder being seasoned
raw pieces of pork shoulder being seared in a pan of butter
seared pieces of pork shoulder in a slow cooker with a person's hand pouring a small bowl of orange juice over top
cooked carnitas in a large metal bowl after being shredded with two forks
a sheet pan of crispy slow cooker pork carnitas

How to Enjoy Pork Carnitas

Carnitas can be enjoyed in so many different ways! Here are a few of our favorites:

  • Tacos – stuff them in your favorite tortillas + top with cilantro, pico de gallo, sour cream, or any other of your favorite taco toppings!
  • Burrito bowls – fill a bowl with rice, beans, carnitas, salsa, and guacamole for a really yummy burrito bowl.
  • Nachos – this is such a delicious option for carnitas. Find our very favorite loaded nachos here!
  • Breakfast scramble – scramble leftover carnitas with eggs for a really delicious breakfast option – enjoy this next to a bowl of fruit or breakfast burrito-style!

Tips For Pork Carnitas

You can find our very best carnitas *pro* tips below!

  • Use a different protein – you can use chicken thighs or breasts, a pork loin roast, or a pork tenderloin instead of a pork shoulder/butt. If you choose to go this route, though, you’ll want to add more butter to the slow-cooked meat than the recipe calls for before putting it into the oven to crisp. This will help make up for the missing fat in a leaner protein!
  • Use different citrus – feel free to use grapefruit or lime juice instead of the orange juice here. 
  • Don’t over shred the pork – really good carnitas are sometimes left in larger chunks, so be careful not to shred your pork *too* finely. You’ll want to shred it enough so that it’ll fit in a taco, but not nearly as much as you would, say, shredded chicken. Because of this, this is a really good time to shred with two forks rather than a stand (or hand) mixer.
  • Save the bone – if you use a bone-in piece of pork, be sure to save the bone. It’ll make a really good bone broth or you could use it to season beans or soup. If you are interested in saving it, but aren’t ready to use it yet, store it in a large freezer-safe bag in your freezer until you’re ready to use it!
  • Dispose of the slow cooker liquid carefully – be sure not to pour the liquid from your slow cooker down your sink. Because a lot of it is actually rendered fat (even if it looks just like broth), it can actually clog your pipes. Instead, pour it into a jar to cool and then throw it away.

Just for You

Pork Recipes

Want more recipes like this?

Q Can You Put Raw Pork In A Slow Cooker?
A

Absolutely! That’s the beauty of a slow cooker, actually, and one of my very favorite reasons to use it. 

Q Do I Need To Brown in a Skillet?
A

You don’t have to brown your meat in a skillet before cooking it the rest of the way in a slow cooker. While it does build a greater depth of flavor, skipping that step will still result in really delicious carnitas. In fact, there have been MANY nights where I’ve skipped this step in the name of saving time and dishes, so I completely get it!

Q Why is my slow cooker meat dry?
A

Your slow cooker pork shouldn’t be dry, but if it is, you may be using too lean of a cut of pork. Remember, for carnitas, you really want to go for it with a pork butt or shoulder because the fat content present in this cut allows for the meat to stay really juicy after slow cooking and oven crisping!

Q Can you make carnitas in the Instant Pot?
A

YOU CAN! If your small appliance of choice is an Instant Pot, don’t fret! Carnitas can absolutely be made in that magical machine also. For our Instant Pot carnitas recipe, click HERE.

Video

Shop Supplies

Staff Favorite
all clad slow cooker
All-Clad Programmable Slow Cooker Shop Now
Chef’n FreshForce Citrus Juicer Shop Now
Lodge Cast Iron Skillet Shop Now
Sheet Pan Shop Now

Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas

By: Brandi Schilhab
4.8 — Votes 4 votes
Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 8 hrs 20 mins
Servings: 6 – 8 servings
These slow cooker pork carnitas are perfectly tender, flavorful, and crisp!

Ingredients  

  • 1, 4-5 pound boneless pork shoulder cut into 4-5 large pieces
  • 2 tablespoons butter or olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon fine sea salt
  • 2 teaspoons chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1/2 cup orange juice
  • 2 tablespoons butter melted
  • 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
  • Corn tortillas for serving
  • Cilantro for garnish
  • Lime wedges for garnish
  • Flaky sea salt for garnish

Instructions

  • Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in either the slow cooker insert (over a hot stovetop) or in a large, heavy-bottomed skillet. 
  • Add the salt, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, and pepper to a large bowl and stir to combine. Add the pork to the bowl and toss to coat with the seasoning. 
  • Once the butter is melted and starting to bubble, add the pork to the skillet, working in batches if needed to make sure you don’t overcrowd the pan. Sear pork on all sides for about 4 minutes over high heat, or until a brown crust starts to form (but before it burns).
  • Transfer the pork to the slow cooker, then pour the orange juice over the pork. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours or on high for 4 hours, until the pork easily shreds with a fork. 
  • Once the timer goes off, use two forks to shred the pork into 1-inch pieces.
  • Preheat the oven to 425°F.
  • Transfer the pork to a rimmed baking sheet, then toss the pork with the melted butter and lime juice and spread it out onto a rimmed baking sheet. Bake at 425°F for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the tops are starting to look a little crispy.
  • Assemble the tacos with the carnitas, cilantro, lime wedges, flaky sea salt, and serve!

Nutrition Information

Nutrition Facts
Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas
Amount per Serving
Calories
205
% Daily Value*
Fat
 
11.5
g
18
%
Saturated Fat
 
3.9
g
24
%
Cholesterol
 
60.5
mg
20
%
Sodium
 
1487.1
mg
65
%
Carbohydrates
 
9.7
g
3
%
Fiber
 
1.1
g
5
%
Sugar
 
2.7
g
3
%
Protein
 
17.9
g
36
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Meet the Author
Brandi Headshot

Brandi Schilhab

Brandi leads our efforts on content audits, outline construction, website calendar management, and a great deal of writing. She could unashamedly watch reruns of Friends + Harry Potter movies and never get bored!⁠ ⁠ ⁠
Get to know Brandi

Show us!

Did You Make This Recipe?

Share a photo and tag us! We can’t wait to see what you make!

Reader Interactions

Comments

    Leave a Reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




  1. Jennifer Withrow says

    Jennifer Withrow —  05/19/2021 At 07:11

    Can you do this in the instant pot? What would you suggest time wise if so?

    • Brandi Schilhab says

      Brandi Schilhab —  05/19/2021 At 08:17

      We have an Instant Pot Carnitas recipe with all of the instructions, Jennifer!!

  2. Katherine says

    Katherine —  05/19/2021 At 07:55

    Any tips for freezing? Wanting to make these for after baby comes!

    • Brandi Schilhab says

      Brandi Schilhab —  05/19/2021 At 08:18

      Great idea! I’d freeze the pork cooked and shredded, but wait to do the crisping step until you’ve thawed it and are ready to enjoy!

  3. Laurie says

    Laurie —  05/19/2021 At 09:31

    5 stars
    I have made this multiple times. It is perfect! Best carnitas recipe by far!

    • Brandi Schilhab says

      Brandi Schilhab —  05/19/2021 At 09:37

      So glad you love it, Laurie! Thank you for sharing this with us!

  4. Melissa Vroom says

    Melissa Vroom —  05/20/2021 At 06:44

    My family loves this recipe! We easily make it once or twice a month and it’s a hit with both kids and my picky husband!

    • Brandi Schilhab says

      Brandi Schilhab —  05/20/2021 At 07:58

      Awesome! We’re so glad, Melissa!

  5. PAMELA MENDEZ says

    PAMELA MENDEZ —  06/25/2021 At 10:18

    Do the carnitas have the orange juice flavor at all? I’m hesitate on the orange juice.

    • Brandi Schilhab says

      Brandi Schilhab —  06/25/2021 At 10:21

      It really just brightens it up and adds some acidity, Pamela! We have another carnitas recipe without the orange juice, though, if you want to try that one instead! Find it HERE!

  6. Hillary Wehr says

    Hillary Wehr —  08/09/2021 At 09:59

    This looks great! Do you think it would work to use my KitchenAid stand mixer to shred the pork, rather than doing it by hand?

    • Brandi Schilhab says

      Brandi Schilhab —  08/09/2021 At 10:29

      It would work (and that’s a hack that we use all the time — especially for shredding chicken), but for carnitas, we actually want the pieces to be a little bit bigger, which is why we choose to shred by hand vs. the stand mixer. I hope that makes sense!

  7. Molly says

    Molly —  10/11/2022 At 12:10

    I only have a bone in pork shoulder. Should I increase the cooking time? Thank you!

    • Melissa Guevara says

      Melissa Guevara —  10/13/2022 At 12:22

      Hi Molly! The cook time in the slow cooker should be the same for a bone-in shoulder as well. -Team FF

  8. Erin says

    Erin —  11/27/2022 At 20:24

    5 stars
    Simple and delicious! Our whole family loved this meal, including all 3 kids. Thank you for a great recipe. I love how the measurements are included in the step by step of FandF recipes.

    • Melissa Guevara says

      Melissa Guevara —  11/28/2022 At 10:01

      Aw, we are so glad to here that, Erin! Thank you so much for taking the time to share with us, and thank you so much for being here! We appreciate you! -Team FF