Every tortilla dreams of being stuffed with Carnitas. Picture seasoned pork slow-cooked into tender submission, gently shredded and pan-fried to golden, crispy perfection. Carnitas has that elusive combination of juicy and crispy that’s so irresistible. The best part of this Carnitas? 5 minutes prep!
This is a reader-favourite recipe included by popular demand in my debut cookbook “Dinner”!
Carnitas
Is there anything better in this world than pork slowly cooked until it’s crazy juicy and fall apart tender, then crisped to golden perfection?
Yes.
When it’s inside a taco. 😂
Carnitas is one of my specialities. I make this recipe often – for everyday purposes, a freezer standby and for taco-bar gatherings with friends!
The one and only Pork Carnitas
I went through A LOT of Pork Carnitas recipes before settling on this as The One. I’ve been loyal to it for over a decade because it ticks all my boxes:
✅ Extremely quick 5 minute preparation
✅ Made with easy to find natural ingredients
✅ Enough flavour to eat plain (and you will pick it out of the pan!)
✅ Subtle enough flavour so it can be used in any Mexican dish (over salting and over spicing is a common problem);
✅ Perfect caramelized brown bits while retaining the incredible juiciness from slow cooking;
✅ Perfect freezer food – reheats 100% perfectly; and
✅ Excellent food for gatherings – big batch recipe, stays fresh even hours after cooking it
What are Carnitas?
If you’re new to Carnitas, let me be the first to welcome you to your new addiction.
Carnitas are Mexico’s version of pulled pork. It’s the first thing you seek upon landing in Mexico. It’s why we trawled the back streets of Mexico City in torrential rains, hunting down a hole-in-the-wall carnitas joint that was popular with locals.
Made by slow cooking pork fully submerged in lard, this confit method of cooking yields pork that’s unbelievably rich and tender with loads of crispy golden bits.
Unfortunately for most home cooks, a huge cauldron of lard isn’t viable or practical.
But fortunately, it is possible to make carnitas that tastes very similar to authentic Pork Carnitas without gallons of lard. And it’s unbelievably simple.
How to make Pork Carnitas
Best Pork Cut for Pork Carnitas – for ultimate juicy pulled pork full of flavour, you can’t beat pork shoulder, aka pork butt. Bone in or out, it needs to be skinless so it can be rubbed with the Carnitas seasoning
Carnitas seasoning – rub pork with a simple spice mix of oregano, cumin, salt and pepper.
Flavour for cooking – top pork in slow cooker with onion, garlic and jalapeño, then pour over orange juice (the secret ingredient!). It sounds so simple, but with hours of slow cooking, mingling with the pork juices, it transforms into the most incredible braising broth that more than makes up for the absence of gallons of lard.
Slow cook until the pork is pull-apart tender and infused with incredible flavour
Pan fry until golden, doused with the juices from the slow cooker. Pan frying is so much better than broiling/grill or oven!
Can Carnitas be made in an Instant Pot or pressure cooker?
Yes! The outcome is exactly the same – no one can the difference once browned in the skillet. I make this in a pressure cooker when time is of the essence!
The BEST Pork Carnitas are browned in a skillet!
Don’t skip the step to brown the Pork Carnitas! This is the key that makes this the best Pork Carnitas you will have outside of Mexico.
Hand on heart, it is as good as the carnitas I had at a really authentic Mexican joint called Old Town Mexican Cafe in San Diego which is famous for its Pork Carnitas.
So if you think you’ve had great carnitas before, but you haven’t tried browning in a skillet, this is going to be a game changer!
What to serve with Pork Carnitas
While I have a great fondness and tendency to favour Tacos de Carnitas (Pork Carnitas Tacos), pork this juicy and full of flavour is highly versatile – plus it freezes 10000% perfectly.
I use Pork Carnitas to make Enchiladas, Burritos, Quesadillas, Sliders, Mexican pizzas. I toss them into my Mexican Fried Rice (don’t laugh, this is a firm favourite with many readers!), and I make Carnitas Plates – pile Carnitas over Mexican Red Rice with a side of Pico de Gallo or Guacamole, and steamed corn.
And of course, I eat it straight out of the skillet. 😂
And the best part?
• You’re just 5 minutes away from getting this Pork Carnitas in your slow cooker, pressure cooker or oven.
• It can be frozen without any loss of quality.
• There are easy ways to pan fry to golden perfection and still be juicy and fresh hours later – even after refrigerating.
There’s a reason I am rarely without a stash of Carnitas in my freezer!!! – Nagi xx
Mexican recipe favourites
Mexican Fiesta Menu and recipes
Carnitas
WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT
This recipe features in my debut cookbook Dinner. The book is mostly new recipes, but this is a reader favourite included by popular demand!
Is that a pressure cooker in the video??
Yes and no! My slow cooker (Breville Fast-Slow Cooker) is like an Instant Pot. It’s multi-functional, a pressure cooker and slow cooker in one. Hence why it looks like a pressure cooker with the twisting top. The slow cooking function is no different to any standard slow cooker.
Hungry for more? Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for all of the latest updates.
Carnitas (Mexican Slow Cooker Pulled Pork)
Ingredients
- 2 kg / 4 lb pork shoulder (pork butt) , skinless, boneless (5lb/2.5kg bone in) (Note 1)
- 2 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 onion , chopped
- 1 jalapeno , deseeded, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 3/4 cup juice from orange (2 oranges)
Rub
- 1 tbsp dried oregano
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tbsp olive oil
Instructions
- Rinse and dry the pork shoulder, rub all over with salt and pepper.
- Combine the Rub ingredients then rub all over the pork.
- Place the pork in a slow cooker (fat cap up), top with the onion, jalapeño, minced garlic (don’t worry about spreading it) and squeeze over the juice of the oranges.
- Slow Cook on low for 10 hours or on high for 7 hours. (Note 2 for other cook methods)
- Pork should be tender enough to shred. Remove from slow cooker and let cool slightly. Then shred using two forks.
- Optional: Skim off the fat from the juices remaining in the slow cooker and discard.
- If you have a lot more than 2 cups of juice, then reduce it down to about 2 cups. The liquid will be salty, it is the seasoning for the pork. Set liquid aside – don’t bother straining onion etc, it’s super soft.
To Crisp:
- Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a large non stick pan or well seasoned skillet over high heat. Spread pork in the pan, drizzle over some juices. Wait until the juices evaporate and the bottom side is golden brown and crusty. Turn and just briefly sear the other side – you don’t want to make it brown all over because then it’s too crispy, need tender juicy bits.
- Remove pork from skillet. Repeat in batches (takes me 4 batches) – don’t crowd the pan.
- Just before serving, drizzle over more juices and serve hot, stuffed in tacos (see notes for sides, other serving suggestion and storage/make ahead).
Recipe Notes:
1.5 – 3 kg / 3 – 6 lb: Cook time per recipe.
3 – 4 kg / 6 – 8 lb: Use large oval slow cooker, 12 hours on low. 2. Other cooking methods: Electric pressure cooker or Instant Pot: 1 h 30 minutes on high. Let pressure release naturally. Proceed with Step 5 of recipe. Stove pressure cooker: use a rack or balls of scrunched up foil to elevate it from the base OR add 3/4 cup of water. Cook 1 h 30 minutes. Proceed with Step 5 of recipe. Oven: Follow recipe but put pork in roasting pan. Add 2 cups water around pork. Cover tightly with foil, roast in 325F/160C oven for 2 hours, then roast for a further 1 to 1.5 hours uncovered. Add more water if the liquid dries out too much. You should end up with 1 1/2 to 2 cups of liquid when it finishes cooking, and you can skip the pan frying step because you will get a nice brown crust on your pork. Shred pork then drizzled with juices. 3. Taco Fixings: Diced avocado or make a real proper Guacamole, Pico de Gallo or Restaurant Style Salsa or even just sliced tomato, grated cheese, sour cream. Sliced lettuce or pickled cabbage / red onions would also be great, but unlike other tacos, you don’t need it for the texture because the carnitas have the crispy bits! Also see this Carnitas Tacos dinner spread. 4. Other Ways to use Carnitas: Burritos (switch for the beef), Quesadillas (baked version here), Enchiladas, Sliders, with Mexican Red Rice, in Taco Soup or Enchilada Soup. 5. Storing / Make Ahead: Crispiness is retained very well, main thing is loss of moisture as meat cools (happens with all meat, shredded meat cools faster). a) Best way to store: Shred pork but don’t pan fry. Keep pork and juice separate, refrigerate up to 3 days or freeze up to 3 months (for freezer, I put pork in containers/ bags and put juice in ziplock bags in the same container). Gently reheat juice to make it pourable (congeals when cold). Pan fry per recipe, drizzling with juice. b) Storing leftovers after pan frying: Keeps extremely well, but tends to lose juiciness when it cools down. Just drizzle with juice, cover with cling wrap and reheat – the crispy bits hold up very well. It’s not quite as crispy as when cooked fresh, but still seriously tasty. c) Brown pork a few hours ahead / keep warm: Works extremely well. Brown pork per recipe, then transfer to slow cooker on warm setting or food warmer and drizzle generously with juices to keep it moist. Cover loosely. As long as the pork is warm when served, it’s really juicy. The crispiness holds up extremely well. 6. Source: This is a recipe I’ve been making for over a decade now, with minor tweaks over time so I can’t remember the exact source. I want to say Rick Bayless but I can’t find the recipe, however, I did find this one from Food Network which is very similar. However, I’m not sure when it was published. 7. Nutrition per serving, pork only, assuming 12 servings. Calories is higher than it actually is because it does not take into account discarded fat.
Nutrition Information:
Carnitas recipe originally published 2014. Updated with new photos and video in 2018, and some housekeeping in March 2019. No change to recipe, I wouldn’t dare! This has been one of the all time most popular recipes since I first published it!
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use pork tenderloin? Sorry to say it’s not suitable for this recipe. Tenderloin is too lean so the long cook time will dry it out. Also, it does not shred into strands well.
Just to confirm – no liquid other than the juice from the oranges?? Really? YES, really. 🙂 The small amount of liquid from the oranges is all you need to keep it from drying out while it comes to temperature, then while it cooks the pork will drop juices. When this finishes cooking you will have more liquid than you started with.
Will it taste of oranges???? Nope, not at all! It magically turns into the most incredible broth that is then poured over the shredded pork.
Can I cook a frozen pork? Please don’t! This will mess with the cook time a lot because it will take sooooo long for the middle of the pork to cook, by which time the outside will be overcooked and when you shred it, it will almost look like mush! The pork must be defrosted!
After I skim off the fat, do I include the onions garlic and jalapeños when topping the meat, or do I discard these and only use the juices? It is up to you! Because it’s been slow cooked, the onion etc is really soft and it just melds into the pulled pork. I don’t bother straining it, but you can if you want to.
Will this work with pork stew chunks? It will definitely work and still be tasty but won’t be quite the same because smaller pieces of pork will cook faster so you won’t get quite the same amount of flavour. 🙂
Just to confirm – no pan frying to brown the pork before putting it in the slow cooker? That’s right! You brown the pork AFTER it is cooked and shredded.
What size slow cooker do you use? Mine is 6 quarts / 6 litres. I use this Breville Fast / Slow Cooker (I’m in Australia) which I love because it’s a pressure cooker and slow cooker in one, plus it has a saute setting! It’s basically an Instant Pot – but without one touch cook functions (like rice etc).
Life of Dozer
I first published this recipe back in 2014, when I was new to blogging. I took sooooo long with the photos – prolonged torture for Dozer!
Hi,
This recipe looks brilliant. I’m just about to chuck it in the slow cooker but am a bit confused about then fat cap. Should the skin be removed from the fat cap or is that what the whole fat cap is? I am using a pork shoulder.
Thanks
Hi Ak! I hope I’m not too late answering this! Remove the skin but leave some fat on as it adds to the juiciness of the pork. 🙂 I will make this extra clear in the recipe! 🙂
Hi, Nagi! I’m making this today and throwing some leftover chopped cilantro in–hope that enhances the flavor. Just wanted to leave a note saying how much I enjoyed reading and using your recipe. And you’re a doll for replying to everyone’s comments and questions so quickly and thoroughly. You rock! And your dog is adorable.
Hi Susan! Firstly, well….I have to say THANK YOU for the lovely comment about my dog, I think he is insanely adorable too. It is a running joke in my family that as soon as I start a sentence with “Look at Dozer, isn’t he sooo cute….” that everyone rolls their eyes and blocks their ears!! I am so glad you enjoyed using my recipe. Adding cilantro is a great touch and actually, I’m going to try that next time! I think you are right, it will enhance the flavour and add some freshness to it. My only query is how much to use….I am thinking quite a lot will be required to really taste it. I’m making a Cuban Mojo pork right now (it is actually in the oven as a am writing this message!) and it has a cilantro/coriander based marinade. It uses A LOT – 1 cup of finely chopped leaves and stems.
I hope you enjoy it! Thanks again for your comment Susan! 🙂
The little bit of cilantro I used didn’t do much so I’m sure you’re right about needing to use a lot to make a difference. Using some freshly chopped cilantro in the burritos we made from this recipe was awesome though.
Making this again tomorrow so I can attest to how wonderfully this recipe turns out. And this is coming from an Arizona girl so I’m kinda picky about my Mexican food.
Give Dozer a kiss from me and my four pups. They are fans of any dog lucky enough to live with a mom who cooks such amazing food!
FOUR pups?? Tell me they are tiny purse size pups! They couldn’t possibly be giant pups like Dozer!! PS He says to pass a wet nose nudge to you! 🙂
Two Chihuahuas, a Labrador/Brittany mix and a huge black and white mixed breed that I did a DNA test on because I had to know what he is made of. His main contributing breeds were Great Pyrenees, Siberian Husky and Australian Shepherd. So it’s a bit of a madhouse around here.
Oh my gosh!! Madhouse but FUN I bet!!
This recipe looks delicious! Do you think it would also work in a pressure cooker? And if so, what time adjustments should be made?
Hi Georgia! I’m sorry for the late reply, I scribbled down notes when I made it in my pressure cooker and had to find it 🙂 I cooked it on high for 60 minutes in my pressure cooker. Hope that helps! 🙂
What a tender roast – the meat just fell off the bone! I loved the approach to cooking on one side to get the crusty and juicy sides. My only challenge was the broth, a perfect 2 cups, was so intensely salty it ruined the batch whe i added to the pan. I should have tasted it first (my bad!) but wonder if the 2 TBSPs of salt is too much for 2 cups of liquid left in the crock after the cooking time is done?
Hi Kate, I’m sorry you thought it was too salty for your taste. 2 tbsp of salt spread over 5lb/2.5kg of pork that serves 12 people is actually not that much salt per serving so I can honestly say I don’t find it too salty (and I am quite sensitive to salt. I often find restaurant food to salty). Not all the salt ends up in the liquid, some infuses into the meat. Thank you for coming back to leave your feedback though, I am so glad you enjoyed it! 🙂
I made this tonight for my family and it was delicious.
Hi Crystal, thank you SO MUCH for coming back to share your thoughts! I am so glad you enjoyed it! 🙂
Hi, I really like cooking great recipes like yours. Its great creating new dishes that taste great and then trying to replicate the following time..haha. I have a question, when browning, do your put the entire shoulder together in frying pan fat side down or do you shrewd it first and then brown it? Also, if you plan on freezing some, do you shrewd it all or leave together in a big piece. Thanks so much for the recipe, I’ll definitely look at your others now.
Thanks for the kind words Russ! You shred the slow cooked pork before browning. That way you get gorgeous brown crunchy bits in every bit of shredded piece! 🙂
Made this for dinner a few nights ago, and we’re still snacking on left-overs. So delicious! I accidentally came home from the store with a serrano pepper instead of a jalapeno, but used it anyway and the serrano gave it a nice little kick. 🙂 Also, fun fact, if you place un-cut oranges in the microwave for about 20 seconds, they’re a lot easier to juice. Thank so much for the recipe, it’s definitely going in my book of favorites!
Hey Kelly! I probably wouldn’t even notice if it was made with serrano instead of jalapeño. And what a great tip! I love it! I know the trick to roll lemons and limes before cutting and squeezing them, I never knew how to do it for oranges! Thanks 🙂
Hi! I’m cooking this at the moment but I’m using an oven and after 3.5 hrs cooking time, it’s not falling off the bone. Do you recommend leaving it in for longer? I’m actually using a 1.5 piece of pork shoulder! Thanks!
Hi Paige, I’m really surprised, 3.5hrs should definitely be enough, especially since you’re using a much smaller piece. Did you have it covered for the first couple of hours? Yes, you can leave it in for longer and I suggest covering it. If your oven is not a fan forced one, crank up the heat to 180C/350F. I guess this message is coming too late though, I hope it worked out.
Hi Nagi, thanks for your reply. I did cover it as suggested but it took 6 hours before the meat was falling off the bone. Worth the wait, though!
So glad you enjoyed it Paige! Thank you for coming back to share your feedback! 🙂
First time I have ever gone back to leave a comment…but this is excellent! I did exactly as instructed with a couple of exceptions: I had to sub Simply Orange juice for juice of two oranges, some canned jalapeños since I did not oranges, fresh pepper. Also I did not add the 2 tblsp salt…that seemed like an awful lot of salt.
Very very yummy:)
Thank you so much Kerry! I am glad you adjusted it to your taste to leave out the salt as that is what cooking is all about – tailoring to your taste! Though from my point of view, 2 tbsp of salt for that amount of meat means it is spread quite far so it is definately not too salty. Plus I am actually quite sensitive to too much salt which is why I struggle with restaurant food. 🙂 Thank you again for sharing your thoughts with this recipe and I’m so glad you enjoyed it! 🙂
Your recipe was exactly what I was looking for! My daughter-in-law wanted pulled pork tacos for her birthday dinner! My only confusion was at the end when I took the fat off the juices and poured them over the browned meat. Do you just use the actual juice, or do you include all the bits of onion and stuff in the bottom of the crockpot? Thank you!
Hi Zella, so glad you found what you wanted! I just pour everything over. It’s been cooked for so long that it’s really soft and just blends right into the meat. But you can strain it if you want. Also it sinks to the bottom anyway so it’s really easy to avoid pouring it over the meat. Thanks again for sharing your thoughts! 🙂
I only have bottled orange juice, how much should I use?
Hi Brenda! Around 3/4 cup will be just about perfect! 🙂
Hi! My mother-in-law is allergic to garlic. Do you think it would be okay to cook according to the recipe and then take a portion of the pork out for her and then add the minced garlic?
Oh dear, that’s a tough one! Garlic is a pretty key flavouring in this and it needs to be slow cooked. I would add 1 large onion, diced, instead of the garlic. Scatter it over the pork then slow cook. That’s the closest I can think of!
Seriously the best carnitas I have ever made. My family was crazy for them. Thanks for a recipe that was easy to make with just the right amount of spice and flavors we were looking for. Tacos tonight and nachos tomorrow. Thanks for sharing with us!
Thank you for your feedback Tracy! I am so glad you family enjoyed it! 🙂
HI! I’m wondering if you’ve ever started with a frozen pork shoulder?
Kim,
I usually always cook frozen meat in the crock pot. My poor dogs get to smell it all day! I start it before I leave for work and it is done when I get home, about 10 hours.
Deb
Thanks for the tip Deborah! What size frozen meat do you use, and do you slow cook on low or high? PS What torture for your dogs…..my dog can totally relate. He sits there silently drooling the whole time while I photograph!! 🙂
Hi Kim! I have never made this from frozen because slow cookers take so darn long to heat up and for a big chunk of meat like a pork shoulder, it would take ages and I can’t guess how much longer you would have to cook for. I think cooking from frozen is also risky because the size of the pork means the inside will heat / cook up way after the outside starts to cook so you’ll end up with uneven cooked meat. I think it’s ok for smaller pieces of meat – like chicken breast – but not for big pieces like this. 🙂
I went ahead and threw it in 5 hrs ago. It was partially defrosted..but it’s an 8lb pork butt. The internal temp is currently just barely over 100. I’m thinking I might have to throw it in the oven to be done by 6 tonight.
Can you crank up the heat? Does your slow cooker have a pressure cooker setting??
No, low or high..it’s on old one. It actually did very well. I ended up cutting it in half, and then turning them to place the raw sides against the side and it was ready in time. Everyone loved them! So good! This recipe will definitely be added to my list of regulars. Thanks for posting!
So glad you enjoyed it Kim! I really love this recipe. I make it at least every couple of months so I have a stash of it in the freezer. So great for quick meals! I used it for frittata the other day. Endless possibilities! 🙂
Sounds delish. Was wondering if the flavor of the pork will work well with different stir-fries. I use lots of vegetables in my meals, but very few grains, (flour, corn, rice, all the good stuff I used to put this style pork on).
Hi Cathie! The flavour of this is neutral enough to work with stir fries, I have most certainly used this in stir fries with vegetables but I especially like to use it in fried rice! It really works well with Asian flavours because the shredded pork is well seasoned and has flavour but it is not such a strong flavour that it cannot be used in many other dishes – Mexican, Tex Mex or otherwise! 🙂
I tried this recipe last night and everyone loved it! My local grocery store only had pork loin so I used that and cut the cooking time down by about an hour so it wouldn’t dry out. I also added an extra jalapeño and included the seeds from the peppers for a little added kick. I threw the carnitas on top of tostadas with cheese, avocado, salsa and onions for a fantastic weeknight dinner!
I look forward to trying more of your recipes, Nagi!
That’s wonderful Teghan! I am so glad you enjoyed it! Mmmmm….fully loaded tostados….you’re making me hungry!! 🙂
My boyfriend hates jalapeños. Could I subsitute this or omit it? Omitted would be better but I’m a ingredient follower. Not so much a exact amount follower.
Honestly, I would just omit it! It is a VERY subtle flavour at the end, I doubt most people would notice if you left it out. If you want a mild kick then add any other chili, even a bottle chili sauce would work! 🙂
We had this recipe at a friend’s home for dinner and it was AMAZING. Question: instead of oranges, can I substitute store bought orange juice?
You sure can! I’ve done it myself and a number of readers you will see in the comments used orange juice too and it works GREAT 🙂
Hi! I just made this and it smells delicious! After 9 hours in the crock pot on low, it fell right off the bone! And the prep was so easy! I am not serving it for another 36 hours. Do you think I should refrigerate it for freeze it? Thanks for your help!
Hi Caroline! 36 hours is fine in the fridge! Just pop it onto a stinking hot BBQ or pan with a splash of oil and it is going to crisp up FABULOUSLY! So glad you like it! 🙂
This looks delicious! One question- if I halve the recipe, should I reduce cooking time in oven or slow cooker? Thanks!
Hi Katie! Yes, if you half the recipe you should reduce the cooking time by about 1 hour – not by half:) Same temps! 🙂