Pork Carnitas (Oven, Slow Cooker or Instant pot)

It doesn’t get much simpler or more delicious than tender and flavorful pork Carnitas. This delicious shredded pork is flavored with Mexican spices and can be served in tacos, burritos, quesadillas, tamales or salads. 

My saving grace as a busy mom is recipes I can prepare first thing in the morning in the slow cooker, or 30-minute meals I can throw together easily after work!

Who needs a Mexican restaurant when you can make it so much better at home, with really simple pantry ingredients? I know you’re going to love theses carnitas!

Why I love this recipe:

• 5 minute prep time, and you can cook carnitas in the oven, slow cooker or in the instant pot!
• Versatile: serve them in just about anything from tacos, burritos, tamales, quesadillas or burrito bowls.
• Freezer friendly 

How to make Carnitas (slow cooker method):

1. Season pork. Trim and discard excess fat from the pork. In a small bowl, combine chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt and pepper. Generously season the pork on all sides.
2. Add onion, garlic and citrus. Place the seasoned pork in the bottom of the slow cooker and add garlic, chopped onions, orange juice, and lime juice around it.
3. Cook. Cover and cook on LOW for 7-8 hours or high for 4-5 hours.
4. Shred. Remove pork from the slow cooker, shred the meat, and return it to the pot. Taste and add more seasonings or salt and pepper, if needed.

Broil (optional). At this point you can eat the pork as is or, to be truly authentic, you can place the meat on a baking sheet and broil it for 2-3 minutes until the edges are crispy.

For tacos, serve inside warm corn tortillas, garnished with cilantro.

To make in the Instant Pot:

To make in the Oven:

Make Ahead and Freezing Instructions:

Serve Carnitas with my other favorite Mexican recipes, like:

Mexican rice

Refried Beans

Salsa or Pico de gallo

Guacamole

Corn salad

Horchata

Sopaipillas

Love your slow cooker? Try these:

• Slow Cooker Lasagna
• Slow Cooker Creamy Ranch Pork Chops
• Slow Cooker Pot Roast
• Slow Cooker Ribs
• Slow Cooker Three Cheese Ziti

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Carnitas

Tender and flavorful pork Carnitas can be made in the oven, slow cooker or instant pot and are veratile to serve with tacos, burritos, quesadillas and more!

5 from 4 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Mexican

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 5 hours

Total Time: 5 hours 10 minutes

Servings: 8

Calories: 230kcal

Author: Lauren Allen

Video

Ingredients

• 4 pounds pork shoulder
• 2 Tablespoons chili powder
• 4 teaspoons ground cumin
• 3 teaspoons dried oregano leaves
• 2-3 teaspoons salt or more, to taste
• 1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
• 4 cloves garlic , minced
• 2 onions roughly chopped
• juice from 2 large oranges
• juice from 2 limes

Instructions

• Trim and discard excess fat from the pork.
• In a small bowl, combine chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt and pepper. Generously season the pork on all sides. 
• Add the seasoned pork to the bottom of the slow cooker. Add garlic, chopped onions, orange juice, and lime juice. 
• Cover and cook on LOW for 7-8 hours or high for 4-5 hours.
• Remove pork from the slow cooker, shred the meat, and return it to the pot. Taste and add more seasonings and salt and pepper, if needed. 
• At this point you can eat the pork as it, or (to be truly authentic) you can place the meat on a baking sheet and broil it for 2-3 minutes until the edges are crispy. 
• For tacos, serve warm inside corn tortillas, garnished with cilantro. Add salsa or pico if desired.
• Serve with a side of authentic Mexican rice and refried beans. 
• Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-5 days.

Notes

Oven method: Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Cut the pork into 4 pieces (this will allow it to cook faster and more evenly in the pot). Season the pork on all sides and place in pot. Add an additional cup of water/broth to the pot.  Prepare and season the pork the same, but cut it into a few large chunks to fit evenly into a dutch oven pan or oven-safe pot.

Instant Pot: Prepare and season the pork the same, inside the instant pot. Add an additional cup of water or chicken broth to the pot. Cook on Manual/High pressure for 70 minutes. When timer beeps, allow the pot to naturally release pressure, about 15 minutes longer. Remove lid and shred the meat. Broil if desired. 

Make ahead Instructions: Add everything to the pot, cover and refrigerate for 1-2 days before cooking (depending on the freshness of your ingredients).

Freezing Instructions: Allow the pork to cool completely, then store in a freezer safe container or bag for up to 4 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight. To rewarm, spread the meat on a baking sheet with a little of the juice and reheat at 400 degrees F until warm, about 10-15 minutes. 

Nutrition

Calories: 230kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 92mg | Sodium: 722mg | Potassium: 589mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 625IU | Vitamin C: 3.6mg | Calcium: 58mg | Iron: 3.1mg

Did you make this recipe?Tag @TastesBetterFromScratch on Instagram #TastesBetterFromScratch!

I originally shared this recipe March 2017. Updated March 2020 with process photos and instructions.

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