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Slow Cooker Crispy Pork Carnitas for Your Taco Bar

A generous pile of richly seasoned, shredded Carnitas tacos meat resting on a white plate.
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Make authentic Mexican street tacos easy for a crowd with this set-and-forget slow cooker carnitas recipe. You get tender pork with perfectly crispy edges, ideal for an interactive Cinco de Mayo dinner.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 4 lb pork shoulder (Boston butt), trimmed and cut into 2-inch chunks
  • 1 large white onion, quartered
  • 4 cloves garlic, smashed
  • 1 cup orange juice, fresh squeezed preferred
  • 1/2 cup chicken broth
  • 1/4 cup lime juice, fresh squeezed preferred
  • 2 tablespoons kosher salt
  • 1 tablespoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 cup lard or vegetable oil (for crisping)

Instructions

  1. Place the pork shoulder chunks, onion quarters, and smashed garlic into the basin of your slow cooker.
  2. In a separate bowl, whisk together the orange juice, chicken broth, lime juice, kosher salt, oregano, cumin, black pepper, and cinnamon.
  3. Pour the liquid mixture over the pork in the slow cooker.
  4. Cover and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours, or on high for 4 to 5 hours, until the pork is very tender and shreds easily.
  5. Remove the pork from the slow cooker using a slotted spoon and place it on a baking sheet. Discard the solids (onion and garlic). Reserve about 1 cup of the cooking liquid.
  6. Shred the pork using two forks.
  7. Preheat your oven broiler to high.
  8. Spread the shredded pork in a single layer on the baking sheet. Drizzle 1/2 cup of the reserved cooking liquid over the meat.
  9. Place the baking sheet under the broiler for 3 to 5 minutes, watching closely, until the edges of the pork become dark brown and crispy.
  10. Remove from the oven. Toss the crispy pork carnitas with the remaining cooking liquid if the meat seems dry.
  11. Serve immediately as part of your taco bar setup with your favorite toppings.

Notes

  • For extra crispy pork carnitas, you can skip the broiler and crisp the shredded meat in a large skillet with lard or oil over medium-high heat until browned on the edges.
  • This recipe scales well for a larger crowd; simply use a larger slow cooker or cook in batches.
  • Prepare pickled red onions a day ahead for the best flavor to complement the rich pork.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://carlacooking.com/carnitas-tacos-slow-cooker-crispy-pork-recipe/