Authentic Pork Carnitas Slow Cooker Recipe – “Tender Mexican” – Easy To Make!

This Authentic Pork Carnitas is a slow cooker shredded meat recipe from Mexico. When traveling through Mexico, tender shredded pork carnitas was one of my favorites to buy from the street markets pulled fresh from the cooker.

Typically there would be a large pot of pork carnitas meat next to a grill. When a customer ordered a pork taco, the cook would scoop the most delicious shredded pulled pork meat from the pot and place it on a hot grill.

Crispy Pork Carnitas

Cooking on the grill creates delicious crispy bits of pork and give the meat a slightly smoky flavor. When the shredded pork was sufficiently browned it was placed between two soft tortilla’s. We would add our own sauces from the salsa bar.

Even the most humble street vendor had an impressive range of sauces. The tomatillo salsa verde was usually slightly milder than the hotter red sauces and perfect with our pork carnitas.

What To Do With Pork Carnitas

Pork carnitas is a very versatile recipe, here are some ideas;

• Add to tacos with fresh slaw like our Yucatan Chicken
• Fill burritos
• Serve in a bowl with fresh lime and guacamole
• Non traditionally; add to buns like our Texan Pulled Pork Burgers
• Use as an omelet filling, covered in cheese.

To make the process even easier prep the pork carnitas the night before and refrigerate. Next morning all that’s left for you to do is put the dish into the slow cooker and turn it on before you leave for work. When you get home you will be greeted with the most amazing food aroma’s form your delicious Mexican pork carnitas.

Authentic Mexican Pork Carnitas Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon Oregano, dried
• 1 tablespoon Salt
• 1 teaspoon Black Pepper
• 2 teaspoons Cumin, ground
• 2.5 kg Pork Shoulder, boneless and skinless
• 1 Brown Onion, chopped
• 3 Serrano Chilis
• 5 cloves of Garlic, finely chopped
• 2 Oranges, juiced
• 2 tablespoons of Olive Oil

How To Make Authentic Mexican Pork Carnitas In The Slow Cooker

1. Combine the oregano, salt, pepper, and cumin in a small bowl, rub over the pork.
2. Put the meat into a large slow cooker with the fatty side up.
3. Add the remaining ingredients, except the oil, to the slow cooker.
4. Cook for 9 to 10 hours on low.
5. When the meat is tender and can be shredded with a fork, it’s ready.
6. Remove the meat from the slow cooker and reserve the cooking juices.
7. Shred the pork with two forks. Put the meat aside while you make the sauce. Any extra meat that you are not using for the meal can be stored at this stage.
8. Place the cooking juices in a saucepan over medium heat and simmer.
9. Stir occasionally until it had reduced to a thin sauce consistency.
10. To serve;
11. Add the oil to a non-stick frying pan over high heat.
12. Add enough pulled pork to cover the base of the pan. Cook without turning the meat until the bottom is crispy, repeat with the rest of the meat.
13. Remove the pork from the pan and serve dressed with some of the sauce.

We recommend serving the pork carnitas with homemade soft corn tortillas.

Authentic Pork Carnitas Slow Cooker Recipe - "Tender Mexican" - Easy To Make!

Slow cooked Pork Carnitas is an authentic "Mexican Pulled Pork" recipe. They taste exactly the same as a market stall in Mexico! 

5 from 5 votes

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Course: Dinner, Lunch

Cuisine: Mexican

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 10 hours hours

0 minutes minutes

Total Time: 10 hours hours 15 minutes minutes

Servings: 10 people

Calories:

Author: Matt Dobson

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon Oregano dried
• 1 tablespoon Salt
• 1 teaspoon Black Pepper
• 2 teaspoons Cumin ground
• 2.5 kg Pork Shoulder boneless and skinless
• 1 Brown Onion chopped
• 3 Serrano Chilis
• 5 cloves Garlic finely chopped
• 2 Oranges juiced
• 2 tablespoons Olive Oil

Metric - Us "Imperial"

Instructions

• Combine the oregano, salt, pepper, and cumin in a small bowl, rub over the pork.
• Put the meat into a large slow cooker with the fatty side up.
• Add the remaining ingredients, except the oil, to the slow cooker.
• Cook for 9 to 10 hours on low.
• When the meat is tender and can be shredded with a fork, it's ready.
• Remove the meat from the slow cooker and reserve the cooking juices.
• Shred the pork with two forks. Put the meat aside while you make the sauce. Any extra meat that you are not using for the meal can be stored at this stage.
• Place the cooking juices in a saucepan over medium heat and simmer.
• Stir occasionally until it had reduced to a thin sauce consistency.

To serve;

• Add the oil to a non-stick frying pan over high heat.
• Add enough pulled pork to cover the base of the pan. Cook without turning the meat until the bottom is crispy, repeat with the rest of the meat.
• Remove the pork from the pan and serve dressed with some of the sauce.

To make a larger batch of Authentic Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas adjust the servings above.