Slow Cooker Carnitas
Pork shoulder rubbed with cumin, coriander and a little cinnamon, cooked low for 10 hours until it shreds with a fork, then crisped in the oven. Fills tacos, burritos, enchiladas and tamales, and feeds a crowd.
Pork shoulder rubbed with cumin, coriander and a little cinnamon, cooked low for 10 hours until it shreds with a fork, then crisped in the oven. Fills tacos, burritos, enchiladas and tamales, and feeds a crowd.
Slow Cooker Carnitas
Ingredients
Spice rub
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano, crumbled
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pork
- 1 boneless pork shoulder roast (4 lb / 1.8 kg), cut into 4 large chunks
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 cups chicken broth
To serve
- 20 corn tortillas (6-inch), or 10 flour tortillas (8-inch), warmed
- ½ cup finely diced white onion, optional
Instructions
- Season the pork.
Mix the salt, garlic powder, cumin, oregano, coriander and cinnamon in a bowl. Rub the mixture all over the pork chunks, working it into every side.
- Load the slow cooker.
Put the bay leaves in the bottom of the slow cooker and set the pork on top. Pour the broth around the sides, not over the meat, so the rub stays on.
- Cook.
Cover and cook on Low for about 10 hours, turning the pork once after 5 hours, until it shreds easily with a fork. On High it takes about 5 to 6 hours.
- Shred.
Lift the pork out onto a board and shred it with two forks, discarding any large pieces of fat. Moisten it with some of the cooking liquid.
- Crisp.
Heat the oven to 450°F (230°C). Spread the shredded pork in a thin layer on a rimmed baking sheet, drizzle with a few spoonfuls of the cooking liquid and roast for 5 to 8 minutes, until the edges are browned and crisp.
- Serve.
Pile the pork into warm tortillas, about 1/3 cup each, and top with diced onion if you like. It also goes over rice.
Notes
Season in chunks: A 4 lb roast left whole keeps the rub on the outside only. Cutting it into four pieces gives the spices more surface to season.
The rub amount: It is generous on purpose, since a 4 lb roast needs it to taste seasoned all the way through. Keep the cinnamon. It adds warmth without tasting sweet.
Skimming: The cooking liquid will have a layer of fat on top. Skim it off before you spoon any over the meat, or the carnitas will be greasy.
Crisping matters: The slow cooker gives tender pork but no browned edges. A few minutes in a hot oven or under the broiler, spread thin, is what makes it carnitas rather than pulled pork.
Swaps: Use beer, a dark root beer or orange juice in place of the broth. Add half a sliced onion or a few cilantro sprigs to the liquid.
Serving: Corn or flour tortillas with diced onion, cilantro, salsa verde, pickled red onion, lime wedges and crumbled queso fresco. It also works in burrito bowls, enchiladas, tamales, or on a bun with barbecue sauce.
Storage: Keeps in the fridge for up to 4 days in some of its cooking liquid, or frozen for up to 3 months. Reheat in a skillet or the oven so it crisps again.
