Ingredients
Scale
- 3–4 lbs pork shoulder (pork butt), trimmed and cut into large chunks
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 onion, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 orange, juiced (plus spent halves)
- 1 lime, juiced
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon salt (more to taste)
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ cup chicken broth or water
- Optional: Extra olive oil for crisping
Instructions
- Trim excess fat from the pork shoulder and cut into large chunks (about 3 inches wide).
- Place pork in the slow cooker. Add onion, garlic, orange juice and halves, lime juice, cumin, oregano, chili powder, salt, pepper, and chicken broth.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 8 hours or HIGH for 5 hours, until pork is very tender.
- Remove pork and shred with two forks. Discard orange halves.
- To crisp (choose one):
– Skillet method: Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high. Cook pork in a single layer 3–5 minutes until crispy.
– Oven method: Spread pork on a baking sheet and broil on high 5–8 minutes, flipping once, until edges are crispy. - Serve hot in tacos, bowls, or however you love carnitas!
Notes
No orange? Use pineapple juice or a splash of apple cider vinegar. For extra spice, add jalapeño or cayenne. Broil for oil-free crisping. Great in tacos, lettuce wraps, burritos, or hash. Freezes well up to 3 months!
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 hours
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Slow Cooker
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 portion
- Calories: 390
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 520mg
- Fat: 24g
- Saturated Fat: 9g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 5g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 36g
- Cholesterol: 115mg
Keywords: carnitas, slow cooker, pork, tacos, crispy, meal prep