Delicious Slow Cooker Carnitas

Looking for a hassle-free way to enjoy mouth-watering pork carnitas? Look no further than this easy and delicious slow-cooker carnitas recipe. With a flavorful spice rub, aromatic orange juice, and a touch of beer, this recipe delivers perfectly tender and juicy shredded pork ideal for filling tacos, burritos, nachos, and more.

This recipe takes a little bit of effort upfront, but it’s worth it. Once the carnitas are cooked and the meat is clawed apart, it goes under the broiler to add some crispy bits to the edges.

Ingredients:

• Kosher salt
• Cumin
• Chili powder
• Garlic powder
• Oregano
• Onion powder
• Ground black pepper
• Orange, juiced and zested
• Beer
• Pork shoulder butt

This shredded pork is moist, tender, juicy, and has a rich pork flavor thanks to the spice rub, orange juice, and about a cup of beer. I hope you enjoy this recipe. Now, let me show you how to make it.

For the spice rub, measure out one teaspoon of kosher salt, a teaspoon of cumin, two teaspoons of chili powder, a teaspoon of garlic powder, a teaspoon of oregano, a teaspoon of onion powder, and a half teaspoon of ground black pepper. Give this a good stir and set it aside.

Next, juice and zest one orange. The orange juice helps to tenderize the meat and adds a little sweetness to the carnitas.

For the pork, I’m using a pork shoulder butt. This one weighs almost eight pounds and has the bone in. It’s enough for two meals, so I’ll cut it in half and then trim the boneless piece that I’m using. Since I got started a little late today, I’ll cut the pork into three large chunks and cook it on high for about four hours so that it will be ready in time for dinner. If you have more time, you can cook it on low for six to seven hours.

Generously rub the spice mixture all over the pork so that it’s covered in these delicious flavors.

Add the orange juice, zest, and about a cup of beer in the slow cooker. Add the pork pieces and let them simmer in these aromatic flavors for hours.

Once the meat is done, take it out and let it cool. Use two forks to shred the pork so that you can see how tender and juicy it is. It smells amazing too! You can use the carnitas just like this, or for tonight’s dinner, I’m going to get them nice and crispy by putting them under a high-heat broiler for about five minutes.

This recipe makes about 12 to 16 street tacos. We’ll have leftovers, so I’m keeping the extra in the pot. Once we’re ready, I’ll crisp it up and serve it as tacos, burritos, or nachos. My family and I love having carnitas as street tacos. What’s your favorite taco filling? Beef, chicken, pork, potatoes? In the comments below, tell me what kind of taco you’d like to see next.

Tools Used:

• Slow cooker
• Knife
• Cutting board
• Mixing bowl
• Measuring spoons
• Forks