The best crockpot carnitas you’ll ever have! Killer Crockpot Pork Carnitas are made in your slow cooker, so it couldn’t be easier!
Do you remember the show Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives? They showed a Mexican restaurant that people lined up out the door for. Apparently they had killer carnitas which they then “showed you how to make.” If you’ve ever seen the show you know that means they just listed off the ingredients and showed it start to finish in about 10 seconds. They made theirs in huge batches, but after watching it over and over again, we figured out the proportions of ingredients. After a few experimental tries, and several years of making them, we consider these pork carnitas mastered! This meat is as good as it comes and makes one killer taco. If you are still making ground beef tacos, they will quickly become a thing of the past once you try this recipe. Bonus: they’re even made in the slow cooker! What’s not to love?! Get ready for taco cravings, everybody!
We think there’s a little bit of magic that happens when taking such an ordinary, cheap cut of meat and turning it into this culinary masterpiece. Especially considering how little effort is required to get this going! Once your meat is chopped, all you have to do is throw everything in the crockpot, mix ingredients by hand really quick, and then go about your day. It is the perfect meal for a busy weeknight! Carnitas belong in all Mexican food: burritos, quesadillas, enchiladas, you can even eat it by itself! No matter how you choose to serve them, they are absolutely delicious!
Orange Juice Options:
In some regions of Mexico, carnitas contain orange juice or zest. You can add both to this recipe for a citrus zing. Simply add 1/2 cup of orange juice and up to 1 tablespoon of orange zest into this recipe with the oil and spices.
My pork is really fatty. Do I need to trim a bunch of fat off?
Trimming isn’t necessary, but it all depends on your personal tastes. Fat does not render in a slow cooker so you will end up with gristle and blobs of fat. If you’re not a fan of gristly meat, you’ll want to trim off some of the larger pieces of fat. Don’t worry about trimming it all though, just the larger pieces.
Why do you call for so much oil?
We are essentially slow frying the pork, which requires a lot of oil. The secret to the most amazing carnitas is a crisp exterior and tender interior, and you can’t do that without a good amount of oil. At the end, there will be a good amount of oil remaining to drain out, so you’re not actually eating all of that oil. Also keep in mind, this recipe makes a lot of meat. This is much more than just a couple of servings. While you could certainly replace the oil with broth, Coca Cola, or other liquids, we highly recommend using oil for the most amazing results.
Vegetable Oil Alternatives:
Don’t want to use vegetable oil? You can also use one of these vegetable oil substitutes in the same amount:
- Peanut Oil
- Corn Oil
- Lard
- Canola Oil
- Coconut Oil (though flavor may be impacted)
We do not recommend using olive oil or avocado oil for this recipe. While they could certainly work, they are expensive and better used for shallow pan frying.
Oven Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Place roast into a 5 to 7 quart oven-safe pot with lid or use a roasting pan and cover with aluminum foil later. Follow all instructions in the recipe, but instead of placing the meat into a slow cooker, place it in your pot or roasting pan.
Cover with lid or aluminum foil tightly cover the roast with foil. Roast at 350 degrees for 3 to 3 1/2 hours, until pork shreds easily with a fork. Shred in the pot or pan.
If you like this recipe, you may be interested in these other delicious Mexican inspired recipes:
- Restaurant Style Mexican Black Beans
- Authentic Mexican Rice
- Authentic Mexican Street Corn
- The Best Mexican Beef Barbacoa
Watch the video below where Rachel will walk you through every step of this recipe. Sometimes it helps to have a visual, and we’ve always got you covered with our cooking show. You can find the complete collection of recipes on YouTube, Facebook Watch, or our Facebook Page, or right here on our website with their corresponding recipes.
Sorry the ground cloves ruined this meat. I went against my gut instinct and used 1/2 of what it called for. Everyone that tasted it (some would not even try due to the strange smell) said yuk what is that flavor…
If it smelled and tasted so bad, I assume your cloves were old and rancid. It should not have an unappetizing smell at all.
I married a VERY picky guy that happens to be Mexican-American and this is the only crockpot carnitas recipe that he not only eats but requests. Frequently. HUGE culinary win for me Lol
Sometimes I crisp them a little in a skillet or with the broiler, usually I don’t bother.
THANK YOU for figuring this one out!
The most amazing recipe I have ever made! My family devoured and will be making weekly ! Thank you and ingredients exactly done and PERFECTLY
Tried and true, best texture, best flavor.!
Thank you for the recipe.
Oh yeah, you did the dinner right. If I make a little suggestion. Use lard on the beans. I know it sounds fattening but it’s the only way to get that refried bean taste.
This is my go to Carnita recipe! I decrease the oil by one cup an it turns out perfect! I crisp it up after.
Do you crisp it up in a skillet pan or on a cookie sheet in the oven?
Skillet
I’ve made this recipe multiple times over the last couple years. I find it to be full of flavor and very tender. It’s always a huge hit with my husband and boys. I stay pretty true to the original recipe with only a couple of tweaks. I add a bit of onion powder and double up on the garlic powder since I love garlic so much. Thank you so much for sharing your wonderful recipe!
More garlic and more onion powder sounds like something I would add as well…. it just brings so much flavor to any dish. Can’t wait to try it. Thank you
Use the oil! Don’t be afraid, ever heard of confit? The meat came out so moist and flavorful and not soggy at all. I decided to crisp up in the oven for a bit. Excellent recipe! Thanks for sharing.
Thank you I was worried about that much oil?
Love this recipe!! I use it every time we want carnitas for dinner. We put it in a pan after the slow cooker and crisp it a little with some fresh lime juice and they are so good!!! Thank you for the killer recipe ??
I’m always amazed when people want to radically change a recipe! The writer created this recipe and wrote it the way she liked it; folks can write their own version and call it something else! A few minor changes are one thing; changing most of the ingredients and the method of cooking would be another recipe! I’m gonna try it the way it was originally written and I’m sure it will be wonderful.
I hope the sound of anger in your note was not how you really felt. We’re all just doing what we like to do and everyone is different.
I always follow a recipe exactly as it is the first time through. Then if I feel I need to change something, I do it next time. I was married to a woman for many years though, who always changed whatever she was cooking because she was a super taster and couldn’t handle the taste of certain things. So I see both side of it. We all have different tastes.
Oh, except if a recipe has red chili flakes, I leave those out. I love the taste but they’ve let me know they don’t like me to eat them, and they always get even with me later for it. Ha Ha!