Slow Cooker Carnitas

I’m so excited to share my first post using pork from Two Boys Pork.  My friend raises pigs that are free range, no chemicals or hormones.  They are truly happy pigs with a diet of blackberry bushes and acorns along with apples and other delicious treats.  I can tell you first hand that they seemed happy.  I love knowing where my food comes from and when you can actually visit the farm it makes it even better.  Of course the biggest benefit of happy pigs is that the pork is so much better than what you have ever tasted from a grocery, and I’m pretty picky about the meat that I buy to begin with. If you don’t live in the Greensboro North Carolina area, you can’t get this pork but try to search out farms that raise free range pigs, it will make such a difference. If you are in the area, go to their facebook page and place an order, you will be thanking me.

The first thing I tried was some kielbasa which cooked beautifully with very little fat and so much flavor. The breakfast sausage is to die for, with lots of ham mixed in so that the flavor is like nothing you’ve tried.  But so far, my favorite has to be the Boston Butt that I used for these carnitas.  BTW, did you know that a butt is actually the shoulder and the butt is a ham.  Who knew!

You know when you cook a Boston Butt how you generally have fat throughout that you kind of need to pull out of the meat when you shred it.  This was not fatty at all and the fat on the top was as white as snow.  I’ve never seen fat that white.

I know you’re thinking, is she every going to get to the recipe, but I’m just so excited about the pork itself.  This recipe is fabulous but if you have your own flavors that you like, you can change it up and just use this technique.  It will give you crispy edges, which we all love, but the pork will be so juicy.

Even if you can’t find free range pork, this recipe is delicious and great for when you have a crowd.

  Of course my favorite way to eat pork is on a biscuit!

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Slow Cooker Carnitas

★★★★★

5 from 2 reviews

BEST carnitas ever made in a slow cooker from free range happy pigs, it is amazing.  Learn the secret to crispy but juicy carnitas.

• Author: Barbara Curry
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 6-8 hours
• Total Time: -26908575.233333 minute
• Yield: 10-12 1x

Scale 1x2x3x

Ingredients

• 5 lbs pork shoulder/Boston butt
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 jalapeno , seeds removed and chopped
• 2 ½ teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon pepepr
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 oranges, juice only, 3/4 cup
• RUB
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 2 teaspoons cumin
• 1 tablespoon bacon grease/olive oil

Instructions

1. Dry the pork shoulder and rub with salt and pepper. Combine the Rub ingredients and rub all over the pork. Place in a slow cooker with fat layer facing up.
2. Top with onion, jalapeño, garlic and orange juice. Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours or high for 6 hours.
3. Remove when the meat is tender and you can easily shred. Shred with 2 forks. Remove the liquid from the slow cooker and place it in a skillet on the stove. Reduce it so that you have about 2 cups of liquid. Set aside.
4. Place 1 tablespoon of bacon grease or oil in a skillet over high heat. Place about 1/4 of the shredded pork in the skillet and pour some of the reduced liquid over the top. Cook until the bottom is crispy, turn and cook the other side just briefly. You only want it a little crispy or it will be dry. Set aside and continue with the remaining pork.