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 this Mexican dish. And don’t skip the pickled red onions! They complement the richness of the pork.
| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 5 hr 15 min |
| Active: | 20 min |
| Yield: | 4 to 6 servings |
Ingredients
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- Juice of 2 oranges
- Juice of 2 limes
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- Small pinch ground cloves
- Kosher salt
- 1 medium white onion, quartered
- 6 cloves garlic, peeled
- 2 bay leaves
- 3 pounds boneless pork shoulder, fat trimmed, cut into 2-inch pieces
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup lard
- Soft corn tortillas, for serving
- Cilantro leaves, for serving
- Sliced jalapenos, for serving
- Pickled red onions, recipe follows
- 2 small red onions, thinly sliced
- 3/4 cup white vinegar
- 1/4 cup orange juice
- 3 tablespoons lime juice
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
- Kosher salt
Instructions
- 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.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 6 servings |
| Calories | 714 |
| Total Fat | 51 g |
| Saturated Fat | 18 g |
| Carbohydrates | 21 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 4 g |
| Sugar | 10 g |
| Protein | 43 g |
| Cholesterol | 169 mg |
| Sodium | 1133 mg |
Reviews
This is delicious. Very easy to do, and makes the house smell wonderful. Next time we will add more chili powder. So good.
This definitely is a rotation in our meals. It definitely is a crowd, family and company pleaser all around …I don’t change a thing except, I do not fry in the lard. I place on a large cooking sheet and place under the broiler for a few, just to get that crispy Carnitas touch. It’s such a delicious recipe.
B
This was fantastic! I saved the juices and used it as the liquid in pinto beans. This stretched this great recipe to another meal. The best beans I have ever made. Highly recommend!
Loved the flavor. It’s great with cornbread if you don’t have tortillas. I threw out the cooked garlic and bay leaves,
but kept the onions and juices to pour over cornbread.
but kept the onions and juices to pour over cornbread.
First time to prepare for visiting family and this was absolutely amazing. I prepped before going out for the day and it turned out perfectly. Pickled onions were an absolute hit. I used some of the aus jus and it made the pork so juicy. This recipe is a keeper.
Made some minor changes but this was excellent!
Great
i like it
We love this recipe for carnitas! Easy and delicious! I double the cumin, add some ancho chili powder in addition to the regular chili powder, and a little bit of jalapeño powder and then let it cook all day. House smells amazing and everyone hovers waiting to eat! Makes a ton so I usually split it and freeze half unless I’m feeding a larger group of people, or take a portion and make chicken enchiladas.