Carnitas that turn out flavorful, juicy, and fall apart tender? This slow cooker carnitas recipe might be the best thing I’ve ever made. Load the crockpot, and in less than 5 minutes you’re on your way to a tasty shredded pork tacos dinner.
I don’t know who invented the slow cooker, but I’d like to give them a big squishy hug because I can completely (and deliciously) cook dinner without even being home.
And for my taco-loving family, I can add the BEST slow cooker carnitas you’ve ever had to my list of amazing dinners that cook while I’m busy. I will always make time for tacos, but if I can have my tacos AND have my time? That’s winning.
If there’s any indication as to how delicious this carnitas recipe is, we’ve had it TWELVE times in the past 8 weeks!
EASY SLOW COOKER CARNITAS RECIPE
Why else should you make this easy slow cooker carnitas recipe?
- Hands-free
- Lots of leftovers
- Great for a crowd
- Tacos, taco salads, burrito bowls, sandwiches – this recipe works for them all
- Freezes well before or after cooking
- Stays moist and juicy even when reheated
- Simple, real food ingredients with loads of flavor!
MEXICAN CARNITAS INGREDIENTS
This perfectly balanced, authentic slow cooker Mexican carnitas recipe is even better than carnitas from the best Mexican restaurant with just a few simple ingredients! You’ll need:
- Pork butt/shoulder. Either cut will work, and you can choose boneless or bone-in.
- Seasonings. Salt, black pepper, onion, garlic, cumin, coriander, cinnamon, and bay leaf, all of which are common spices you probably have in your pantry.
- Chicken broth or water or beer. You need ½ to 1 cup of liquid. If you want chicken stock in a flash, try my super easy Instant Pot Chicken Stock. Some other slow cooker pork carnitas recipes call for orange juice, which you can use for the liquid here if you prefer that flavor.
Psst! Want to kick this up a notch? Try finishing this recipe with a pinch of finishing salt! I love Ava Jane’s Kitchen because it doesn’t have microplastics (gross, right?) and it’s SO GOOD! Plus, you can get a free 8oz. bag of sea salt (just pay shipping and handling!)
A QUICK NOTE ON PORK
Finding quality pork can be tricky. That’s why I get my pork for carnitas from Butcher Box, and it always turns out tender and moist.
Butcher Box delivers grass-fed beef, pasture-raised and organic chicken, and heritage pork directly to your front door each month. You can read my honest review of Butcher Box here, and how to make Butcher Box worth the cost here.
The search for high-quality meat ends here. Amazing taste. Humanely raised and delivered to your door. Sign up today! Click this link to claim the current offer!
HOW TO MAKE CARNITAS TACOS
Not only is this carnitas recipe amazing, but it is also SO easy. Putting all of the ingredients together takes less than 5 minutes, and then you simply let the slow cooker do its magic!
Step 1. Spread the sliced onions evenly on the bottom of the slow cooker.
Step 2. Lay the pork roast on top of the onions.
Step 3. Add ½ cup of liquid. We prefer chicken stock, beer, or water.
Step 4. Combine all the spices in a small bowl. Sprinkle liberally over the pork shoulder.
Step 5. Cover and cook the pork on low for 10 hours. As tempting as it may be, don’t open the lid!
Step 6. Shred pork with two forks and stir into the juices. Add the remaining ½ cup of liquid if the pork has not released many juices. Stir to combine and serve!
PORK CARNITAS RECIPE TIPS
- I have and love this 6-quart slow cooker for this pork carnitas recipe. It holds a full 7-pound pork roast when you cut it into quarters, although I usually use a 3 to 3 ½-pound boneless pork roast or a 5-pound bone-in roast for this recipe.
- You can use an Instant Pot to make carnitas, but making pulled pork for tacos in the slow cooker gives you the juiciest, most fall-apart tender meat.
- I like to freeze leftovers of this carnitas recipe in 2-cup portions, adding about 2-3 Tablespoons of water to prevent the meat from drying out. There’s no such thing as meat that’s too moist. Dry meat though? No bueno. Store in an airtight container for even more freshness!
- You don’t need to remove the fat from the pork shoulder before cooking, but if you find the finished carnitas are too fatty, you can skim some of the fat off the top of the cooking liquid before shredding and stirring the pork.
SAVE MONEY AND TIME WITH DUMP DINNERS
Short on time for dinner? This recipe is in our Dinner Dump Freezer Cooking Meal Plan along with 4 other easy dinner recipes like Beef Ragu, Sheet Pan Sausage and Peppers, Slow Cooker Salsa Chicken, and Homemade Hamburger Helper.
Find that meal plan, including a categorized shopping list and all the recipes and instructions, HERE! You can make 10 dinners in just ONE hour!
TO SERVE SLOW COOKER PORK CARNITAS
We love using this slow cooker carnitas recipe for shredded pork tacos – just load up a Flour Tortilla or Corn Tortilla with this Mexican shredded pork and top with Cilantro Lime Coleslaw or Lime Crema for an easy dinner. Slow cooker pulled pork for tacos is perfect on its own with some fresh pico de gallo, avocado, and a squeeze of fresh lime juice on top.
You can also serve slow cooked pork carnitas with any of these sides for a delicious meal:
- Cilantro Lime Coleslaw
- Easy Homemade Restaurant-Style Salsa or Mango Salsa
- Creamy Guacamole
- Coconut Rice
- Southwestern Corn
- Crock Pot Refried Beans
Pop your leftover carnitas on top of Baked Potatoes, nachos or Potato Nachos, or inside a quesadilla or grilled cheese for another easy, flavorful meal!
PORK CARNITAS CROCK POT FAQS
Can you put raw pork in a slow cooker?
Yes! Load the crock pot and cook the pork low and slow for tender meat that falls apart effortlessly.
What cut of meat is used for pork carnitas crock pot?
Carnitas is made with pork shoulder (also known as the pork butt). Skip the pork loin – it’s not as fatty and can dry out if overcooked.
Why is my slow cooker pork tough?
You always want to cook your carnitas on low, that way it will give it a chance for the meat to break down and cook nice and slow. Some natural brands have meat that is tougher. I recommend Butcher Box if you can’t find quality pork locally – their meat has ALWAYS been very tender!
Do you need liquid in a slow cooker for pulled pork?
For this particular carnitas recipe, you can get away with not having any liquid, but the liquid helps the flavor and keeps the meat moist. Once you shred the meat, you can stir it into the juices.
MORE DELICIOUS PORK RECIPES
- Hemp and Herb-Crusted Pork Chops
- 7 Meals from One Pork Roast
- Maple Glazed Pork Chops
- Pork and Potato Soup
- Homemade Breakfast Sausage
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Carnitas that turn out flavorful, juicy, and fall apart tender? This slow cooker carnitas recipe might be the best thing I’ve ever made. Load the crockpot, and in less than 5 minutes you’re on your way to a tasty shredded pork tacos dinner.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 hours
- Total Time: 10 hours 5 minutes
- Yield: 6 cups 1x
- Category: Main Meals
- Method: Slow Cooker
- Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients
- 1 onion, roughly diced
- 3–3 ½ lb pork shoulder butt/shoulder (bone-in or boneless)
- 3 tsp garlic powder
- 1 ½ tsp dried oregano
- 3 tsp cumin
- 1 ½ tsp coriander
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- 3 tsp salt
- 4 bay leaves
- ¼ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
- ½ – 1 cup chicken stock or water or beer (how to make homemade chicken stock)
Instructions
- Place the sliced onions evenly on the bottom of the slow cooker.
- Place the pork roast on top of the onions.
- Add ½ cup liquid to the slow cooker.
- In a small bowl or a mug, combine all the spices. Sprinkle liberally over the pork shoulder.
- Cook the pork on low for 10 hours.
- When the meat is done, shred the meat with two forks. Add the remaining ½ cup liquid if the pork has not released many juices. Stir to combine and serve.
Notes
You can also top it with some fresh pico de gallo and a squeeze of fresh lime juice.
I like to freeze leftovers of this carnitas recipe in 2-cup portions, adding about 2-3 Tablespoons of water to prevent the meat from drying out. There’s no such thing as meat that’s too moist. Dry meat though? No bueno. Store in an airtight container for even more freshness!
You don’t need to remove the fat from the pork shoulder before cooking, but if you find the finished carnitas are too fatty, you can skim some of the fat off the top of the cooking liquid before shredding and stirring the pork.
Nutrition
- Calories: 787
What kind of beer do you suggest? I always seem to have a few stray beers left at my house after a gathering. Great way to use them up. Thanks
Jill,
Any light beer will do!
Excellent recipe! I found this in your Budget Friendly Whole30 e-book, and we enjoyed it thoroughly. Thanks for great recipes like this one.
The meat was very tasty and tender. I would love to cook beef or lamb the same way. What spices would you recommend, please?
I’m getting ready to try this for this week because I found pork butt on sale at Aldi for $1.99/lb! Anwyway, I can’t seem to find the recipe for the Shredded Mexican Pork Bowl. Please help! TIA
Hello Jenifir,
What a great sale! You can find this recipe in the Stretch One Pork Loin into Seven Meals. It is Dinner # 4. Here is the link https://dontwastethecrumbs.com/stretching-one-pork-loin-seven-meals/
Hi Tiffany!
Will chicken be ok? We don’t eat pork and one guest has a beef allergy. White meat or dark meat? I appreciate your input. Looking forward to making this delicious meal. Thanks!
Hi Beulah! Chicken is a great sub! Use these seasonings but follow the instructions on this whole chicken recipe.
This recipe was a big hit for our family. Perfect for a busy day.
Yay Linda! So glad to hear it! 🙂
Hi! I’ve got a boneless pork rib roast, do you think that may work for this recipe too?
Hi Jenny! Yes! The seasoning will taste great but you’ll need to do a quick search for how long to cook it based on how many pounds it is. 🙂
Could you exchange the pork with a beef roast instead? Unfortunately, not a big fan of pork but this looks amazing!
Casey, you could definitely try it. I think it would turn out well.
I’ve made this several times and I can attest that it is awesome! I scored a bone in pork roast at a deep discount.. I deboned it and froze the bone. I know what to do with a frozen ham bone. Thanks to Tiffany I know what to do with frozen chicken bones. I make homemade stock all the time. Any suggestions on what to do with a meaty, frozen pork bone
Hi Charlotte! I’d recommend the frozen pork bone for ham and white bean soup! Or collard greens. Both are great in a slow cooker!
Thank you for your recipe! I’ll be making this tomorrow. When you cooked a 7-lbs roast, how much longer did it take? I got a 7.5 lbs roast so we can have LOTS of leftovers!
I don’t think it took any longer, Kristy! Just cut it into smaller chunks and you’ll be fine!
Oh wow! This was awesome and it is family and friends approved! I made this last night (7LBS) and my son (17 yrs old) and his buddies tore through this today! I left the crock pot, tortillas and fixins on the counter and they went right through this. They even left and came back for more. Loved it and asked me to make it next weekend. Isn’t that what it is all about? Making great food for family and friends and having fun eating and fellowshipping. Thank you.
Excited to try this! Found this recipe linked from a post for using pork leftovers… How would you suggest seasoning/cooking this with pork loin leftover meat? Thank you!
Also looking for the lime and cabbage slaw recipe 🙂
Here’s the coleslaw recipe: https://dontwastethecrumbs.com/cilantro-lime-coleslaw/. It’s SO, so good!!
If you’re starting w/leftover pork, I’d mix the seasonings together in a jar. Saute the onions in a cast iron pan, add the pork (pre-shredded or diced), add 1/4-1/2 cup liquid (you want to keep the moisture level high since the meat is already cooked) and then season with about half of the spices. Simmer for 20-30 min, taste and season more if desired!
Hi! If I don’t care for coriander, should I just leave it out or substitute something else? Thank you 🙂
I’d just leave it out, but I think you’d miss it. 🙂
I have a pressure cooker and cannot wait to try this recipe in it. I am a mom of 5 and work full time but still enjoy eating a good meal during the week. I just found this page but I look forward to making your recipes. Too often the recipes I find are nothing that my family would even consider eating. Not your page. Everything sounds perfect!
Thanks for the amazing compliment Tammy! I hope your family likes these carnitas as much as we do!! 🙂
So flavorful. The recipe is a keeper. I wish I could pin it.
You can pin it Jackie – hover over the image and the “pin it” button pops up.
Ok, got my pork roast going and the lime crema topping done….. Ready for homemade tacos tonight….. 👍🙏It comes out as good as the reviews on the recipe……. Ill come back and review after we eat tonight!!! Thanks so much for the recipe!!!! ( I found an 11lb. Pork roaat for $10 yesterday so jumped right on it) ☺
I wish I was having dinner at your house Misty!!
I cannot wait to try this tomorrow. Do I need to debone the pork before putting in slow cooker? Thanks!
Cathy, I would debone it first but that is a preference not a must do.
Awesome recipe, my family loved it. I put the rub all over the roast and covered tightly and left in fridge for 2 days. My crockpot was at a friends so I baked slow in the oven. What an awesome bark. This rub would be great on ribs. Thanks so much Tiffany for sharing.
You’re most welcome Nancy!
Looks wonderful! I am planning to make it for a Christmas party for 24 people. The recipe states it serves 6 cups…how many people? Thanks!
Lynn!! We just had a Christmas party for the same number of people. We cooked 9 lbs of pork and had 2 quarts worth of leftovers. Our crowd included kids, so I’d go with 9 lbs for 24 people, or 3 pounds for 8 people.