Carnitas is Mexican shredded pork that’s juicy, full of flavor, and fall-apart tender. It’s also super easy to make in a slower cooker — just toss all the ingredients in! To finish it off, pop it under the broiler to get those deliciously crispy, caramelized edges.
Why You’ll Love This Carnitas
Whenever I visit Mexico (which is quite often) I always order carnitas. Many of you know my love affair with Mexican food, from carne asada to barbacoa and chicken fajitas, but carnitas will forever be my number one choice when it comes to meaty proteins. And it’s so darn easy to make at home. Here’s why you’ll love it:
- It’s a foolproof slow cooker meal. All you have to do is season the pork and toss it into a crockpot along with some aromatics. The slow cooker works its magic to give you the best meal by dinner time.
- It’s such a tasty way to enjoy pork. I’m a huge lover of pulled pork, but the flavor profile of carnitas is simply irresistible. The combination of Mexican spices, chopped jalapeño pepper, onions, garlic, and orange juice adds incredible flavor to the meat.
- It’s perfect for dinner parties. I make this often for weekly meal prep. But it always gets rave reviews when served at a party. Plus, you can make it a day in advance — I’ve got all the tips on how to prep it below.
Carnitas Ingredients
- Pork shoulder: Traditionally, carnitas is made with pork shoulder (also known as pork butt) because of its higher fat content. The fat helps to keep the meat extremely juicy and tender while cooking.
- Spices: A simple blend of oregano, cumin, chili powder, salt, and pepper adds incredible flavor.
- Aromatics: Chopped onion, minced garlic, and finely chopped jalapeño pepper season the meat while it slowly cooks. And don’t worry, the jalapeño pepper isn’t overly hot or spicy in the finished meat.
- Fresh Orange: The juice from one freshly squeezed orange adds natural sweetness to balance the other flavors perfectly.
Find the printable recipe with measurements below.
How To Make Carnitas
- Rub the seasoning on the pork. Mix the spices together and generously rub the blend on the entire pork shoulder. Then, place it in the slow cooker.
- Add the aromatics. Toss in the onions, minced garlic, jalapeño, and orange juice into the slow cooker. And if you’re wondering why there are no additional liquids such as chicken broth – well, you don’t need it. The pork shoulder will release enough liquid from steaming in the slow cooker.
- Slow cook it. Cover and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours, or high for 5 to 6 hours (until the meat falls apart).
- Shred the pork. Remove the pork from the slow cooker to a large cutting board and use two forks to shred the meat. Also, don’t toss out the remaining liquid! You’ll be using this in the crisping process.
How To Make Your Carnitas Crispy
Do you need to crisp the carnitas? No, it’s completely optional and you can enjoy it straight from the slow cooker. But if you prefer crispy golden edges (as I do), here are two ways to do it:
- In the oven: Spread the pork into an even layer on a baking sheet. Pour one cup of the reserved liquid from the slow cooker on top. Broil for 5 to 10 minutes, or until it becomes golden brown and crispy on the edges.
- On the stovetop: Add a tablespoon or two of oil to a large skillet set over medium-high heat. Transfer the shredded pork (you may need to work in batches), and let it cook for about 5 minutes until the bottom is browned. Continue tossing for another 5 to 7 minutes, until the edges are crispy.
Common Questions
Yes, you can adapt this recipe to the oven. First, preheat your oven to 325°F (160°C). Rub the spice mix all over your pork and toss all the ingredients into a Dutch oven or oven-safe pot and cover. Cook for about 3 to 4 hours, or until the pork becomes meltingly tender. Then continue to shred and broil it.
I would recommend doubling the other ingredients. And for the cooking time, you may just need an hour or two more. Continue cooking until it shreds easily with a fork.
Make and shred the carnitas, let it cool, then store it in a covered bowl in the fridge (with the reserved liquid in a separate bowl). When you’d like to serve it up, warm up the liquid so it’s pourable again, then pour about a cup over the carnitas, and follow the instructions below for crisping under the broiler.
Ways To Serve Carnitas
Carnitas is great for taco night, and a necessity for Cinco De Mayo. But there are so many other ways to enjoy it throughout the week. Here are a few tasty ideas:
- Tacos: Serve up carnitas tacos with homemade tortillas and various fresh toppings such as avocado slices, chopped cilantro, and a drizzle of lime crema.
- Plate: Whip up some Mexican rice and black beans to pair with the carnitas on a classic lunch plate.
- Bowl: Turn it into a burrito bowl with rice, beans, avocado, pico de gallo, and guacamole.
- Stuff It: Pile the carnitas into poblano peppers with black beans and corn.
- Omelette: Serve it up for breakfast as a carnitas omelette with fajita veggies and tasty toppings.
More Mexican Recipes
I’m confident you’re going to love this carnitas recipe as much as I do! Once you make it, let me know your thoughts in the comment box below. Your review will help other readers in the community.
Best Carnitas (Slow Cooker Pulled Pork)
Description
Video
Equipment
- Crockpot (Slow Cooker) It has a ceramic insert and is perfect for transporting!
Ingredients
- 4 pound boneless pork shoulder or butt
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 2 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 jalapeno pepper, deseeded and finely diced
- 1 orange, juiced
Instructions
How to Make Carnitas
- Mix the seasoning. In a small bowl stir together the oregano, cumin, black pepper, salt, and chili powder.
- Season the pork. Trim any excess fat from the pork shoulder (but remember that some fat is good), then rub the spice mixture generously around the entire pork shoulder and place in the slow cooker.
- Add ingredients. Add the onion, minced garlic, jalapeno pepper, and orange juice to the slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours, or high for 5 to 6 hours (until the meat falls apart).
- Shred the pork. Remove the pork from the slow cooker to a large cutting board and use two forks to shred the meat. If the meat doesn't shred easily, just place it back in the slow cooker for another 30 minutes, or until it does shred easily. Don't get rid of the liquid as you will be using it later.
To Crisp In The Oven (Optional)
- Pour liquid on top. Place the shredded pork on a baking sheet. Pour 1 cup of the reserved slow cooker liquid over the pork to keep it moist and tender.
- Crisp it up. Broil for 5 to 10 minutes or until the meat becomes golden browned and crispy on the edges.
Lisa’s Tips
- Getting the pork shoulder out of the slow cooker after it’s cooked can be a little difficult, given that it’s so tender and will likely fall apart. I recommend using a spatula underneath to support it when removing.
- To store leftovers in the fridge: Place the shredded pork in a sealed container in the fridge for 4 to 5 days.
- To freeze and enjoy in the future: Store the pork in a freezer-safe container and store it in the freezer for up to 3 months. When ready to enjoy, thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat in the oven.
Nutrition
©Downshiftology. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited.
Recipe originally posted April 2020, but updated to include new photos and information for your benefit!
This is our favorite carnitas recipe. I usually use 1/2 cup OJ instead of juicing an orange. Also I like to use a can of jalapeños or diced green chilies instead of the chopped fresh jalapeños. The tips on how to freeze are amazing and works so well. Thank you
Happy you love my carnitas recipe, Charlotte! And those sound like great tweaks. Enjoy!
I’m making this right now, and because I didn’t think my orange was juicy enough I added a little apple cider vinegar – just a little- I hope it turns out okay! I’ll follow up :-)
Would love to try this in the instantpot as I don’t have a slow cooker – any suggestions?
I made this past night for Bible study potluck and it was a big hit! Everyone loved it. I followed the recipe mostly, the only change is that I could only find bone-in so I used that and did not trim the fat. I loved how broiling the meat crisped it up so nicely! That brought it to the next level! Someone even asked for the recipe! Thank you for this!
So happy you and your friends enjoyed it!
This turned out just right for me. It was delicious. I made no changes to the recipe. It’s so tasty and easy!
Thanks, Mary! So happy you loved it. :)
I could only find bone in pork shoulder. Do I need to make any adjustments? Will it still be ok?
Same- only able to find bone in and making this tonight. Wondering how yours turned out?
I used bone in last night and it worked great!
Would it be ok to just shred the pork right in the slow cooker so that the meat absorbs all the juice? Or would that make the meat too watery? Seems like it might be good to shred inside the slow cooker & serve over white rice maybe? So the rice absorbs the yummy liquid. Idk tho, what do u think?
Hi Sophia – yes, you could definitely do that!
This is the best carnitas recipe I’ve made! It turned out juicy and delicious! We had some friends over for dinner and they raved about them!
Hi Brenna – Happy to hear this carnitas recipe was a hit for your dinner party!
I made this tonight in preparation for tomorrow (Cinco de Mayo) which is also my birthday. Followed the recipe as written, and it is absolutely perfect. Can’t wait for tacos tomorrow and lunches all week! Thank you Lisa!
Happy birthday, Melissa! Hope you enjoyed lots of tasty carnitas tacos on your birthday. :)
Just want to thank you generally for all your wonderful recipes. I don’t go anywhere else for Mexican recipes because of the ease of preparation and good results of yours.
Aw, thanks so much, Maurice! I’m thrilled that you’re enjoying all of my recipes. :)
Absolutely perfect! A keeper go-to recipe for carnitas. Shredded at my fingertips. I had a 3 lb. pork shoulder and the seasoning was wonderful. I didn’t change the amount for the that. I’m sure it would have been just fine with a 4 lb. size. Crisped it up beneath the broiler. Don’t skip that step! It’s worth it. Going to try the barbacoa recipe. Thank you!
Oh yes, crispy carnitas is my fave as well! So happy you loved it. Enjoy the barbacoa as well!
This is an easy and outstanding recipe that my family loves. thank you!
So happy you and your family love it, Cathy!
Absolutely delicious. No matter how you choose to eat them. My husband said it is his new favorite roast. This will be in our monthly meals!
Hi Susan – Happy to hear you both are loving this carnitas recipe!
I’ve made several carnitas recipes over the years and this my favorite, easy, well seasoned, delicious. Thank you
Hi Penny – Thrilled to hear this is a carnitas recipe you love!
Hi Liza, I haven’t made this yet but it looks delicious. My question is since I don’t eat pork can I substitute with other beef
Hi Vicky – You can follow my barbacoa recipe for beef :)
Wow –this is so good with a minimum of effort. I made this last weekend for a gathering, and we all agreed to add it to our regular rotation. Delicious! We made them into tacos and it was the perfect weekend meal. I’m so glad I didn’t skip on the lime! It adds just the right amount of zing. Crisping under the broiler really to the authenticity, too. THANKS for another great recipe!
You’re more than welcome, Dana! I’m happy you and your friends loved it!
Hi I love this recipe and my kids love it! This time im giving this dish for a family meal train. I was wondering if I could put in the oven and then pack it to deliver it!? Or it will be too dry? Or what do you recommend? My idea is that the family just reheats or put some time in the oven and be ready to eat, don’t want them to do more. Any advice is very appreciated.
We tried making this and LOVED it. We put it in the crockpot overnight, shredded it the next morning and had carnitas ready to go for dinner. I almost skipped the step of running it in the oven to crisp a bit – but was so glad that we had done that. It makes a huge difference. We had a couple of meals, froze about that much for the future. This is definitely going into our future meal planning.
Hi Karla – Thanks for leaving a review and so happy to hear your carnitas turned out perfectly! And yes, the crisping process is a plus.
Made for Sunday dinner and it was fantastic! My husband loved it. I will be making this for summer backyard parties with all the fixins for something different to go with burgers etc.
Great recipe…thank you, Lisa!
Hi Joan – This will be the perfect recipe for all your summer festivities!
This is seriously one of my family’s favorite meals! We’ve used the carnitas in soft tacos, made enchiladas, and most recently made bowls (with roasted sweet potatoes, sauteed kale, street corn slaw, and a farro/rice blend). So delicious!!
Hi Jewell – Happy to hear this has become one of your family’s favorite meals ever!
Hi Lisa: I cook for a family who doesn’t eat Pork. May I substitute pork for chicken thighs instead? Thanks much. Judy Dearborn
Hi Judith – You can use the same seasoning for chicken instead. But, I would follow my slow cooker salsa verde chicken recipe for reference on cooking time.
This reminds me of Puerto Rican Pernil, which is stabbed, marinated overnight, then slow cooked. Not spicy from jalapeños, but loads of garlic,
Sounds very similar!
I have made this multiple times since I’ve found it. Our 8 year old is Picky with a capital P. He ate 4 tacos, and asked for more! He calls them “fancy tacos” :)
This recipe was super quick to make, and super easy. Definitely going to be a staple from now on!
Hi Sophia – Happy to hear everyone has been loving this carnitas recipe!
A hit! Very straightforward and easy to make. Hardest part was trimming the fat. A sharp knife is a must. Served it both ways (broiled and just from the crockpot) and both were delicious. Thank you for the recipe.
Hi Gus – So glad you enjoyed this carnitas recipe!
This is so delicious and versatile. Love it!
Hi Shauna – Happy to hear you love this carnitas recipe!
I just made this and it was so good and easy. The only hard part is waiting for it to finish in the broiler.
Haha, I agree! Enjoy!
Made this and left out the jalapeno, also only used 2lb of meat but still used a whole orange. SO good. I struggle to like pork but this was a winner! So easy too.
Awesome, happy you loved the recipe, Carly!
Lisa I made this for the third time yesterday and it is so so easy and delicious!
Oh yay! I’m glad you loved this carnitas recipe, Denise.
Something I do with pulled pork after I smoke it is add half a can of Goya nectar. I tried with this recipe (used mango) and it brings it to another level
That sounds amazing, Mike! Thanks for the tip. :)
So easy and delicious – wonderful with the juice and the kick from the jalapeno! Been eating leftovers all week on nachos, in rice bowls, and tacos. Fantastic recipe!
Leftover carnitas is the best! There’s so much you can do with it. Happy you loved the recipe, Ashley!
I love this recipe but have never tried with the jalapeño, any feedback if with the jalapeño is too much if kids are eating?
I don’t think the jalapeno is overly spicy, but of course that’s all up to individual preference.
Thank you! My pork butt is 12 pounds, would that increase the time in slow cooker? Any idea how much?
Love your recipes. Would substituting lemon in place of OJ ruin the recipe. I have all ingredients except OJ 😬
Lemon juice would definitely change the flavor profile, as orange juice is sweet and lemon juice is acidic.
This is my go-to carnitas recipe!
Yay, love to hear that!
The best meat I’ve ever cooked! It’s every bit as tender, juicy, and flavorful as described. And so easy to make! It will be a regular in my menu planning.
Wonderful! I’m happy you loved this carnitas recipe, Teresa!
Hi- if I make this in the Dutch oven instead, how long should I cook it for and at what temp?
Thanks!
Fantastic, flavorful and easy recipe!! I made these overnight last night and broiled the carnitas as well as some bell peppers, onion and spices (used in your carnitas recipe) on a sheet pan. I couldn’t believe how wonderful they were! This was the first time I’ve made carnitas but it won’t be my last!
Thank you Lisa!!!
Love how you broiled this with other veggies on a sheet pan! Glad you enjoyed it, Susan :)
I love the simplicity & versatility of this recipe. And so yummy. I am cooking for myself so I end up freezing a lot. It freezes well. Tonight I made tacos with this meat and included the Cilantro Rice for my grandson’s (11 & 7). We all loved it!!
Glad the whole family enjoyed this for taco night!
Made this in pressure cooker after cubing my pork, rubbing on dry seasoning, browning in pressure cooker with olive oil, adding the onion, garlic, jalapeños, and orange juice. After 35 minutes it pulled apart and I placed the meat and softened veggies with juice under the broiler. It was fantastic!
Glad this recipe turned out perfectly Catherine!
We make this as meal prep. Divide it up into smaller containers with plenty of juice in each one. When we’re ready to eat it we toss it the blackstone, get it crispy, add a slice of pepperjack cheese, some bbq sauce and put it on a toasted bun. Best “pulled pork” sandwich I’ve had.
I’ve lived in Mexico. This is a fantastic simplified recipe! I do highly recommend one additional step if you have time. I usually cut my pork shoulder into large chunks rub the spices in and brown all sides on high heat. The caramelization you get really adds a ton of extra flavour. My house mom in Mexico uses full sugar coke and orange juice as the braising liquid. It’s a one pot meal for me as I use a Dutch oven and I can brown and then braise in a 300F oven for 5 hours in the same pot. I skim off the fat and then reduce that liquid to 1/3rd. Makes an incredible sauce.
Cheers!
Seana
I’m happy you loved this recipe!
These truly are the best Carnitas. The pork is flavorful and tender. I love how easy the recipe was to make in the crockpot. Very quick to prepare and then you get to enjoy the amazing smell of it cooking all day. Broiling the meat after it is shredded adds the final touch of crispness, but doesn’t leave the meat dry due to adding the flavorful broth left from cooking the pork. If you love Mexican food, this recipe will not disappoint.
Hi there! I have your carnitas recipe in the slow cooker as we speak for a Sunday dinner and it smells so good! I did make one mistake and I forgot to add the garlic in the beginning, I just added it in with an hour and a half left to cook in the slow cooker.. do you think it will be fine that I added the garlic so late? I’m worried I ruined it!
Oh no! You might lose that hint of garlic, but generally it should be okay.
Made this for the first time in a new crockpot. It really was fall apart tender. Super easy prep. I just let it slow cook overnight. Hardest part was finding the meat at a local grocer.
Wow! I don’t even like pork and saw this recipe and thought it looked really good. I think the pork shoulder J hot was extra big because I slow cooker for 6 hours on high and not all of it would shred so I had to put the other half back in to slow but it was amaaaaaazing! My husband loved it as well and I served with avocado, the pickled onions, lettuce, and chalupa hot sauce. I will definitely be making this again, thanks Lisa!!!
Hi, I’m making this as we speak and I’m bringing for birthday lunch tomorrow..I wanted to do street tacos with it and perhaps a slaw…any suggestions as to the slaw? I was thinking chipotle slaw?