I don’t know about you, but I’m a sucker for carnitas. Making crockpot carnitas is SO simple and so delicious, my family loves this recipe. The tender shredded pork itself is SUPER easy to prepare and the end result is so mouth-watering, you’ll want carnitas every day! Our absolute favorite way to eat this carnitas recipe is in tacos with fresh mango avocado salsa. Yummmmmm.
Preparing the Pork Roast for the Crockpot
Brown the meat in olive oil over medium -high heat in a saucepan on the stovetop before putting it in the slow cooker. This helps to season the meat and also lock in the fat and juices for its extended stay in the crockpot. Once it is browned on all sides, place it into the slow cooker. Add the salt, pepper, and cumin to the pot and then slice the orange in half. Squeeze both halves of the orange over the meat and then place the halves (peel and all) into the pot to cook along with the roast.
Cover and cook the roast on low heat for about 8 hours. While the meat is cooking, be sure to prepare the Mango Avocado salsa. The salsa is best if it sits for at least a few hours so prepare it right away. When the pork is done cooking, remove the roast from the crockpot and cut off any netting. Shred the meat with two forks. It should pull apart nicely.
Crockpot Carnitas Recipe
Crockpot Carnitas
Ingredients
- 2-3 pound pork butt roast
- olive oil
- salt
- pepper
- 1 t. cumin
- 1 orange
- mango salsa
Instructions
- Brown the roast in a frying pan with a little olive oil, salt, and pepper.
- Place the browned meat into the crock pot with about a teaspoon of cumin, more salt and pepper, and one orange (squeezed and then thrown in the pot). Cook the meat on low-med heat for about 8 hours.
- Once it's done cooking, pull the meat apart with two forks - it should fall apart easily.
- Heat olive oil on med. heat in a clean frying pan and fry the meat until it browns, but doesn't dry out.
Nutrition
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Comments & Reviews
Jessica Brandt says
What is the number of servings for this recipe? We want to make this to serve at a birthday party for 11 people but need to figure out how large of a pork to get. Thanks!
girlinspired says
It will make about 10 tacos – I’d say it serves about 5-6 people as a main meal.
Chelsea says
Made the mango salsa tonight and it was so good! I ended up doing a green, red, and orange bell pepper for more crunch, and added some canned green chilies. It’s a great recipe!
Nancy says
These look so delicious! I do have a question though. On the orange. I am assuming you peel it first and then squeeze the juice into the pot and then throw it in? I was a little confused about that. Can’t wait to try these!
girlinspired says
Hi Nancy, Actually, you can just wash the orange, cut it whole, squeeze the juice and then throw it in, peel and all! It doesn’t add any bitterness and really gives the meat a nice flavor.
Kathy says
So glad I saw this. I have a crock pot recipe for carnitas but it for flank steak instead of pork. My butcher never has flank steak but now I won’t need it. Going grocery shopping tomorrow. Can’t wait to try this.
Stephanie Couch says
These look so yummy and so easy to make! They’ve been added to my “meal plan musts” for this month! Thanks for the easy recipe!
Esther Scott says
I had never heard of carnitas, but I love burrito bowls and I’ve recently made my own version without rice which is fairly similar – but yours looks better and I can’t wait to try it! Think I need to invest in a crock pot / slow cooker – I keep seeing recipes that need one.
The Cottage Mama says
I want to know where you got the tortillas? They look so yummy or is it because you lightly fried them? Mine never look that good. I absolutely love carnitas, so I will be trying your recipe for sure!!
Stef says
Lindsay! The tortillas are just regular corn tortillas – I think they’re the bulk ones from Costco – nothing special. I heat a little vegetable oil, maybe 1 tsp. in a pan and then toss in the tortilla; flip it over really quick so both sides get some oil before it’s all absorbed, then cook on med/med-high until they just start to brown – I usually add salt, too. I eat them as I make them. 🙂
Angelina- JoJo & Eloise says
Oh we totally LOVE carnitas and mango salsa!! I haven’t even had breakfast yet and I’m already hungry for lunch 😉
Angelina- JoJo & Eloise says
Oh we totally LOVE carnitas and mango salsa!! I haven’t even had breakfast yet and I’m already hungry for lunch 😉
Angelina- JoJo & Eloise says
Oh we totally LOVE carnitas and mango salsa!! I haven’t even had breakfast yet and I’m already hungry for lunch 😉
Kristie Clower says
Dude! That looks so good! And I totally just had homemade carnitas last night (my hubby is half Mexican!) I totally need to go to the store and get a mango so I can eat up all my leftovers. Thanks for sharing!
@lliE says
These look Delicious! Can’t wait to try ’em.