Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Tacos (Carnitas).
As seen on my Instagram @a.wandering.palateThis recipe is your roadmap to melt-in-your-mouth pork infused with citrusy and smoky flavors. The slow cooking process transforms a simple pork shoulder into incredibly tender meat, ready to be crisped to perfection for a delightful textural contrast.
What makes this Slow Cooker Carnitas special?
Effortless Flavor: The slow cooker does most of the work, allowing you to enjoy the delicious aroma of simmering spices while the pork cooks to tender perfection.
Citrusy and Smoky Blend: The combination of orange and lime juices with warming spices creates a flavor profile that's both bright and comforting.
Crispy Perfection: The shredded pork gets crisped in batches, adding a delightful textural contrast of tender meat with a satisfying crunch.
Customizable Feast: This recipe provides a flavorful base for building delicious tacos. Choose your favorite toppings like fresh pico de gallo, cool and tangy pickled cabbage, creamy avocado, and more!
Serves: 6 Servings + meat leftovers
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 10 hours (slow cooker) OR 2-3.5 hours (oven)
Total Time: 10 hours 15 minutes (slow cooker) OR 3 hours 45 minutes (oven)
Ingredients:
2 kg Pork Shoulder (boneless)
1.5 Red Onions, cut into chunks
4 Garlic Cloves, roughly chopped
12 Pickled Jalapeños, halved
1 tbsp Ground Cumin
1 tbsp Oregano
¼ tsp Cayenne Pepper
1 tbsp Smoked Paprika
1 tbsp Ground Coriander
1 tbsp Sugar
2 Large Bay Leaves
Juice of 2 Oranges
Juice of 2 Limes
2 tbsp Red Wine Vinegar
1/4 cup Olive Oil
For Serving:
3 packets (24 pce) La Tortilleria Corn Tortillas - prepared according to package instructions
Pico de Gallo (see separate recipe)
Pickled Red Cabbage (thinly sliced and pickled in a bowl with water, 2 tbsp vinegar, and a pinch of salt and sugar for 20 minutes)
2 Avocados, mashed
Pickled Jalapeños, chopped
4 Limes, cut into wedges
Sour Cream (optional)
Instructions:
1. Prepare the Pork: Trim excess fat from the pork shoulder. Season generously with salt and pepper all over.
2. Combine the Spices: In a small bowl, mix together the cumin, oregano, cayenne pepper, smoked paprika, ground coriander, and sugar. Rub this spice mixture all over the seasoned pork shoulder.
3. Slow Cooker Method (Recommended): Place the prepared pork shoulder in a slow cooker. Add the onions, jalapeños, garlic cloves, and bay leaves. Pour over the lime juice, orange juice, olive oil, and red wine vinegar. Cook on low for 10 hours, or until the pork is very tender.
Oven Method (Alternative): Preheat oven to 325°F (160°C). Add 2 cups of water around the pork in a large Dutch oven or roaster tin. Cover tightly with a lid or foil and roast for 2 hours. Then, remove the lid/foil and roast for an additional 1 to 1.5 hours, or until the pork is tender. You should end up with about 2 cups of liquid juices once the pork is cooked. Add additional water as needed throughout cooking to ensure it doesn’t dry out too much.
4. Remove only the meat only from the slow cooker and transfer to a plate. Using two forks, pull apart the pork. It should be super tender and come apart easily.
5. When the meat has about 15mins remaining in the slow cooker, or close to serving time, prepare your accompaniments (pico de gallo, picked red cabbage, chopped jalapenos).
6. Reduce the Cooking Liquid (Optional): If you have more than 2 cups of liquid remaining after cooking the pork, you can reduce it down to about 2 cups either in your slow cooker using the reduce function or in a saucepan over medium heat. This flavorful liquid will be used to moisten the pork while crisping.
7. Crisp Up the Carnitas: Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large pan over high heat. Add the shredded pork in batches alongside the cooking juices. Flip half way through to ensure the pork develops colour on both sides.
I usually do 4 batches with about ½ cup cooking juices added per batch. The juices should evaporate and the pork should develop a lovely golden brown colouring . It’s important that you monitor closely and don’t overcook, otherwise the pork will dry out.
8. Prepare the tortillas according to package instructions, immediately before serving.
9. To serve - pile the crisped pork carnitas onto your tortillas, add your favourite toppings, enjoy!