Carnitas is a traditional Mexican dish made with pork shoulder that is braised in a flavorful broth until it is fall-apart tender. The name carnitas comes from the Spanish word "carne," which means "meat." This slow-cooked pork dish is a popular filling for tacos, burritos, enchiladas, and tortas. Carnitas can also be served as a main course with rice and beans. There are many different recipes for carnitas, but all of them involve braising the pork shoulder in a liquid. The liquid can be anything from water to beer to a combination of spices and herbs. Once the pork is cooked, it is shredded and served with a variety of toppings, such as salsa, guacamole, sour cream, and cheese. This article provides recipes for three different versions of carnitas:
* **Classic Carnitas:** This recipe uses a traditional combination of spices and herbs to create a flavorful broth for braising the pork shoulder. The result is a tender and juicy carnitas that is perfect for tacos, burritos, and enchiladas.
* **Green Chile Carnitas:** This recipe adds green chiles to the braising liquid, giving the carnitas a spicy and flavorful kick. The green chiles also add a beautiful color to the dish.
* **Slow Cooker Carnitas:** This recipe uses a slow cooker to braise the pork shoulder, making it an easy and convenient way to make carnitas. The slow cooker allows the pork to cook low and slow, resulting in a tender and flavorful carnitas that is perfect for a crowd.
No matter which recipe you choose, you are sure to enjoy this delicious and versatile Mexican dish.
SLOW-COOKER CARNITAS
We shared these flavor-packed tacos with friends from church who came over to help us move. They're so good, I put them on my blog, manilaspoon.com! The slow cooker makes this recipe extra easy, and I love that whenever I make it, I'm reminded of the wonderful people back in Michigan. -Abigail Raines, Hamden, Connecticut
Provided by Taste of Home
Categories Dinner
Time 8h25m
Yield 12 servings.
Number Of Ingredients 13
Steps:
- In a small bowl, mix first 9 ingredients. Place onions in a 6-qt. slow cooker. Place roast over onions; pour salsa mixture over roast. Cook, covered, on low until pork is tender, 8-10 hours., Remove roast; remove and discard bone. Shred pork with 2 forks. Serve in tortillas with toppings as desired. Freeze option: Freeze cooled pork mixture in freezer containers. To use, partially thaw in refrigerator overnight. Microwave, covered, on high in a microwave-safe dish until heated through, stirring occasionally; add water or broth if necessary.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 393 calories, Fat 18g fat (6g saturated fat), Cholesterol 100mg cholesterol, Sodium 757mg sodium, Carbohydrate 25g carbohydrate (2g sugars, Fiber 4g fiber), Protein 32g protein.
SLOW COOKER CARNITAS
Carnitas means 'little meats' and is traditionally fried then braised. This recipe is made much easier using the slow cooker but the results are just as tasty. This makes a great filling for tamales, enchiladas, tacos and burritos. This filling is also great combined with your favorite barbecue sauce and served on buns.
Provided by Erin Parker
Categories World Cuisine Recipes Latin American Mexican
Time 10h10m
Yield 10
Number Of Ingredients 9
Steps:
- Mix together salt, garlic powder, cumin, oregano, coriander, and cinnamon in a bowl. Coat pork with the spice mixture. Place the bay leaves in the bottom of a slow cooker and place the pork on top. Pour the chicken broth around the sides of the pork, being careful not to rinse off the spice mixture.
- Cover and cook on Low until the pork shreds easily with a fork, about 10 hours. Turn the meat after it has cooked for 5 hours. When the pork is tender, remove from slow cooker, and shred with two forks. Use cooking liquid as needed to moisten the meat.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 222.7 calories, Carbohydrate 0.7 g, Cholesterol 73.3 mg, Fat 13.8 g, Fiber 0.2 g, Protein 22.2 g, SaturatedFat 5 g, Sodium 474.3 mg, Sugar 0.3 g
SLOW COOKER CARNITAS RECIPE BY TASTY
Have you ever gone out for Mexican food, eaten carnitas, and thought "gosh, I wish I could make this myself"? Well, you can with the help of your slow cooker. Just add pork butt or shoulder to a slow cooker with citrus juice, garlic, onion, and some spices, then let it cook for about eight hours until it's tender and easy to shred with a fork. Then, you can enjoy your home-cooked carnitas in tacos, burritos, or on top of your favourite grains.
Provided by Scott Loitsch
Categories Dinner
Time 8h10m
Yield 6 servings
Number Of Ingredients 18
Steps:
- Cut pork into 6 equal pieces. Add it to the slow cooker.
- Add salt, pepper, oregano, cumin, garlic, onion, bay leaves, lime juice and juice the orange. Add orange to the cooker as well. Mix together until the meat is well-coated.
- Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours, or until the meat pulls apart easily.
- Remove the pork and transfer to a foil-lined baking sheet. Shred the pork and spread across the baking sheet in a single layer.
- Pour about 1 cup (235 ml) of the liquid remaining in the slow cooker over the shredded pork. Broil for 5-10 minutes until the meat browns and crisps along the edges.
- Serve immediately. Great as a filling in tacos, burritos, salads, or nachos!
- Enjoy!
Nutrition Facts : Calories 810 calories, Carbohydrate 23 grams, Fat 48 grams, Fiber 7 grams, Protein 72 grams, Sugar 5 grams
SLOW COOKER JACKFRUIT CARNITAS RECIPE BY TASTY
Here's what you need: jackfruit, medium yellow onion, garlic, kosher salt, fresh ground black pepper, dried oregano, chili powder, ground cumin, bay leaves, low sodium vegetable broth, orange, lime, corn tortilla, guacamole, black bean, corn salsa, pico de gallo
Provided by Rachel Gaewski
Categories Dinner
Yield 6 servings
Number Of Ingredients 17
Steps:
- Cut each piece of jackfruit in half, then transfer to a slow cooker.
- Add the onion, garlic, salt, pepper, oregano, chili powder, cumin, bay leaves, vegetable broth, orange juice, and lime juice. Mix to combine.
- Cover and cook on high for 3 hours or low for 6 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Uncover the slow cooker and remove the bay leaves. Using 2 forks, shred the jackfruit until it resembles the consistency of pulled pork.
- Transfer the jackfruit to the prepared baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes, or until the edges are slightly crisp.
- Serve shredded jackfruit with tortillas, guacamole, black beans, corn salsa, and pico de gallo. The jackfruit will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Enjoy!
Nutrition Facts : Calories 263 calories, Carbohydrate 55 grams, Fat 5 grams, Fiber 3 grams, Protein 1 gram, Sugar 4 grams
SLOW-COOKER PORK CARNITAS
This easy and delicious slow-cooker recipe will impress any taco lover. While it's an extra step, crisping up the shredded meat in a skillet before serving adds extra flavor and creates the crunchy bits that are typical of carnitas. And don't skip the pickled red onions! They complement the richness of the pork.
Provided by Food Network Kitchen
Categories main-dish
Time 5h15m
Yield 4 to 6 servings
Number Of Ingredients 27
Steps:
- Add the chicken broth, orange juice, lime juice, cumin, chili powder, oregano, red pepper flakes, cloves, and 2 teaspoons kosher salt to a large slow cooker and whisk to combine. Add the onion, garlic and bay leaves and stir to combine. Add the pork and toss to coat. Cover and cook on high until the meat is tender, about 5 hours.
- Transfer the pork to a large bowl with a slotted spoon and discard the bay leaves, onion, and garlic. Shred the pork into bite-size pieces with 2 forks, leaving some larger chunks, and season with salt and pepper.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of the lard in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add half the shredded pork and press down into an even layer with a spatula. Cook, pressing occasionally with a spatula, until crisped and browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a serving platter and cover with foil to keep warm. Repeat with the remaining 2 tablespoons lard and shredded pork.
- Serve with tortillas, cilantro, jalapenos and pickled red onions.
- Put the sliced onions in a medium heatproof, nonreactive bowl. Put the vinegar, orange juice, lime juice, bay leaves, sugar, coriander and 1 tablespoon kosher salt in a small saucepan and whisk to combine. Bring to a boil over high heat and cook, whisking occasionally, until the sugar dissolves, about 1 minute. Pour the mixture over the red onions and set aside until cooled to room temperature. Serve at room temperature or cover and refrigerate up to 4 days.
SLOW-COOKED CARNITAS
Simmer up succulent pork the slow-cooker way. Sometimes, instead of using tortillas, I put the seasoned meat on top of shredded lettuce for a tasty salad. -Lisa Glogow, Aliso Viejo, California
Provided by Taste of Home
Categories Dinner
Time 6h20m
Yield 12 servings.
Number Of Ingredients 13
Steps:
- Cut roast in half; place in a 5-qt. slow cooker. Sprinkle with the garlic, oil, salt and pepper. Add the onions, cilantro, salsa, broth, tequila and chiles. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or until meat is tender. , Remove meat; cool slightly. Shred with 2 forks and return to the slow cooker; heat through. Spoon about 2/3 cup meat mixture onto each tortilla; serve with toppings of your choice.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 363 calories, Fat 15g fat (5g saturated fat), Cholesterol 67mg cholesterol, Sodium 615mg sodium, Carbohydrate 28g carbohydrate (1g sugars, Fiber 1g fiber), Protein 24g protein.
Tips:
- Choose the right cut of pork: Pork shoulder or Boston butt is the best cut for carnitas because it is well-marbled and will become tender and flavorful when cooked slowly.
- Brown the pork before slow cooking: Browning the pork in a skillet before adding it to the slow cooker will help to develop flavor and prevent the meat from drying out.
- Use a flavorful liquid: The liquid you use to cook the pork in will add flavor to the carnitas. Common choices include chicken broth, beef broth, orange juice, or pineapple juice.
- Add spices and seasonings: Be generous with the spices and seasonings when making carnitas. Common choices include chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, and oregano.
- Cook the pork on low and slow: Carnitas should be cooked on low heat for 8-10 hours, or until the meat is fall-apart tender.
- Shred the pork: Once the pork is cooked, use two forks to shred it into bite-sized pieces.
- Serve with your favorite toppings: Carnitas can be served with a variety of toppings, such as salsa, guacamole, sour cream, cheese, and tortillas.
Conclusion:
Slow cooker carnitas is an easy and delicious way to make a flavorful and versatile Mexican dish. With just a few simple ingredients and a little time, you can have a delicious meal that the whole family will enjoy. Whether you serve it with tacos, burritos, or nachos, carnitas are sure to be a hit. So next time you're looking for an easy and delicious weeknight meal, give slow cooker carnitas a try.
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