Crispy Pulled Pork Carnitas (Slow Cooker Recipe)

The best slow cooker pork carnitas start low and slow in a crock pot, then finish in a skillet for those crispy, golden edges that make all the difference. This method gives you tender, flavorful pork that’s perfect for tacos, burritos, or sliders when you’re feeding a crowd.

Easy Pulled Pork Carnitas

What makes this recipe work is the combination of a simple dry rub, slow cooking, and one final step that you don’t want to skip. The pork cooks in orange juice, which helps break it down so it turns out tender and easy to shred, while adding just a hint of sweetness. Once it’s cooked, a quick sear in a hot skillet creates those crispy edges without drying it out.

It’s a great option for cookouts, game day, or anytime you need something reliable that can feed a group without much hands-on time.

If you like this method but want to explore more options, take a look at my flavor-packed Southern slow cooker recipes, they use the same dependable approach with different flavors.

Try serving this with a splash of eastern carolina bbq sauce, it’s the best.

You will have some fat throughout, which is what gives it flavor. It’s easy to remove when you shred the meat.

Carnitas Slow Cooker ingredients

• Pork shoulder/Boston butt –Did you know that a pork butt is actually the shoulder and the butt of the pig is a ham.  Who knew! For carnitas you will use the shoulder.

Slow Cooker Carnitas Recipe

Step 1: Coat

Step 2: Add some flavor

Pro tip: I use orange juice for this instead of lime juice. Both work well because the citrus in the fruit helps break down the meat so it’s tender when it’s ready to eat, I prefer the flavor the orange adds.

Step 3: Shred

The pork should be fall-apart tender at this stage, similar to my fall-apart-tender beef carnitas, which makes it perfect for getting those crispy edges in the next step.

Step 4: Crisp it up

In a separate skillet, place a tablespoon of bacon grease or oil and heat over high heat. Place about ¼ 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. Cook just until the edges are crisp, don’t overdo it.

How to Crisp this Slow Cooker Carnitas Recipe in the Oven

Another option for getting the edges crisp, is to use the oven rather than the stove top. To do this, cover a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and place a layer of shredded pork on the baking sheet. Drizzle with the reduced liquid and place under the broiler for a few minutes. It will only take a couple of minutes.

If you have any left over, save it and make the best ever mac & cheese recipe, you’ll thank me later.

Serve in soft tortillas with a side of skillet apples and creamy mac and cheese. Or on as sliders on a slightly sweet Hawaiian roll or even a buttermilk biscuit. It’s a great option when you’re feeding a group.

Store Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas

Carnitas can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-5 days and in the freezer for 3-4 months. To re-heat the carnitas, add a little broth or water to the skillet and warm them up.

Freeze for Later

Slow Cooker Carnitas freeze well! Because you’ve shredded your meat, you want to avoid it drying out when it’s reheated. So be sure to spoon some of the liquid it cooked in over the meat before you place it in the freezer. That way when it’s reheated, it will stay juicy.

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Crispy Pulled Pork Carnitas (Slow Cooker Recipe)

Author: Barbara Curry

The best slow cooker pork carnitas start low and slow in a crock pot, then finish in a skillet for those crispy, golden edges that make all the difference. This method gives you tender, flavorful pork that’s perfect for tacos, burritos, or sliders when you’re feeding a crowd.

4 from 1 vote

Print Pin

PREP: 10 minutes minutes

COOK: 6 hours hours

TOTAL: 6 hours hours 10 minutes minutes

Servings: 10

Ingredients

 

1x2x3x

• ▢ 5 lbs pork shoulder/Boston butt
• ▢ 1 onion chopped
• ▢ 2 jalapeno seeds removed and chopped
• ▢ 2 ½ teaspoons salt
• ▢ 1 teaspoon pepper
• ▢ 4 cloves garlic minced
• ▢ 2 oranges juice only, ¾ cup

Rub

• ▢ 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• ▢ 2 teaspoons cumin
• ▢ 1 tablespoon bacon grease/olive oil

Equipment

Slow Cooker

Instructions

 

• 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.
• Top with onion, jalapeño, garlic and orange juice. Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours or high for 6 hours.
• 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.
• Place 1 tablespoon of bacon grease or oil in a skillet over high heat. Place about ¼ 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.

Barbara’s Tips + Notes

• You can use lime juice instead of orange juice.
• You can crisp these in the oven instead of the stove top. Place the shredded pork on an aluminum lined rimmed baking sheet and pour a little of the juice over them, then place under the broiler for just a couple of minutes. 
• You can freeze pulled pork, just add some juice to the container with the pork.
• These are great served on Hawaiian Rolls or Challah Rolls.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 240kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 93mg | Sodium: 688mg | Potassium: 563mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 112IU | Vitamin C: 20mg | Calcium: 48mg | Iron: 2mg

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