Carnitas is a traditional Mexican dish made with pork shoulder or butt that is braised or roasted until tender and then shredded. It is typically served with tortillas, salsa, guacamole, and other toppings. There are many different recipes for carnitas, but they all share a few key ingredients and steps.
This article provides three delicious recipes for slow cooker Mexican pork carnitas. The first recipe is for classic carnitas, made with pork shoulder, orange juice, cumin, and chili powder. The second recipe is for spicy carnitas, made with chipotle peppers, adobo sauce, and cayenne pepper. The third recipe is for green chile carnitas, made with tomatillos, green chiles, and cilantro.
All three recipes are easy to follow and can be made in a slow cooker, making them a great option for a busy weeknight meal. The carnitas can be served with tortillas, rice, or beans, and they are also great for tacos, burritos, and enchiladas.
SLOW COOKED PORK CARNITAS (MEXICAN PULLED PORK)
Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas or Mexican Pulled Pork is the best Mexican pork recipe whether you stuff it into a tortilla, taco or turn it into a burrito bowl!
Provided by Gina
Categories Dinner
Time 8h40m
Number Of Ingredients 11
Steps:
- Season pork with salt and pepper.
- In a medium sauté pan on medium-high heat, brown pork on all sides for about 10 minutes.
- Remove from heat and allow to cool.
- Using a sharp knife, insert blade into pork, cutting small holes and insert garlic slivers all the way in so you no longer see them.
- Season pork generously with cumin, adobo, sazon, oregano all over.
- Pour chicken broth in the crockpot, add bay leaves and chipotle peppers.
- Place pork in crock pot and cover.
- Cook low for 8 hours.
- After 8 hours, shred pork using two forks and combine well with the juices that accumulated at the bottom.
- Remove bay leaves and adjust salt and cumin as needed.
- Let it cook another 15-30 minutes.
Nutrition Facts : ServingSize 1 /2 cup, Calories 160 kcal, Carbohydrate 1 g, Protein 20 g, Fat 7 g, SaturatedFat 3 g, Cholesterol 69 mg, Sodium 397 mg
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 COOKER MEXICAN PORK CARNITAS
This is a shredded spin on carnitas. In Spanish, carnitas means "little meats." The traditional Mexican dish is typically made from pork, but can also be made from beef. This is a slow-cooked version of the otherwise braised or slow-roasted techniques. Once shredded, the meat is often served with cilantro, onion, salsa, guacamole, refried beans, and tortillas. Serve over cabbage slaw in a soft tortilla.
Provided by clifford
Categories World Cuisine Recipes Latin American Mexican
Time 6h25m
Yield 8
Number Of Ingredients 15
Steps:
- Turn a large slow cooker to High. Pour chicken stock into the cooker and place pork loin in the center. Season pork with adobo, cumin, pepper, and paprika. Place onion, chipotle paste, and bay leaves in the stock around the pork. Place tomatoes and garlic on top of the pork, and squeeze limes directly over top, allowing pulp to fall into the slow cooker. Sprinkle with cinnamon and cloves.
- Use a spoon to baste stock over the pork loin, then sprinkle entire surface evenly with cilantro.
- Cover and cook on High until pork is slightly pink in the center, about 6 hours. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 145 degrees F (63 degrees C). Use a fork to shred pork.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 266.2 calories, Carbohydrate 12.1 g, Cholesterol 82.2 mg, Fat 11 g, Fiber 4.5 g, Protein 31 g, SaturatedFat 3.8 g, Sodium 607.9 mg, Sugar 1.6 g
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
Tips:
- For the best results, use a pork shoulder roast that is at least 3 pounds. This will ensure that you have plenty of meat to serve.
- If you don't have a slow cooker, you can also cook the pork in a Dutch oven over low heat for 8-10 hours.
- Be sure to brown the pork shoulder roast on all sides before cooking it. This will help to develop flavor and prevent the meat from becoming dry.
- Add plenty of flavorful ingredients to the slow cooker, such as garlic, onion, chili powder, and cumin. These ingredients will help to create a delicious sauce that will coat the pork.
- Cook the pork shoulder roast on low heat for at least 8 hours, or until it is fall-apart tender.
- Once the pork is cooked, shred it with two forks and serve it with your favorite toppings, such as tortillas, rice, beans, and salsa.
Conclusion:
Slow cooker Mexican pork carnitas is a delicious and easy-to-make dish that is perfect for a party or a weeknight dinner. The pork is cooked in a flavorful sauce until it is fall-apart tender, and it can be served with a variety of toppings. This dish is sure to please everyone at your table.
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