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Tender Slow Cooker Carnitas Recipe with Crispy Edges Made Easy

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This tender slow cooker carnitas recipe delivers melt-in-your-mouth pork with crispy edges, perfect for family dinners, potlucks, or taco nights. It uses simple ingredients and a slow cooking method for effortless, flavorful results.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 3–4 pounds pork shoulder (pork butt), cut into 3-4 large chunks
  • 1 cup orange juice (240 ml)
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice (30 ml)
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin (4 g)
  • 2 teaspoons dried oregano (2 g)
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika (2 g)
  • 1 ½ teaspoons salt (9 g)
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper (2 g), freshly ground if possible
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 medium onion, quartered
  • ½ cup chicken broth or water (120 ml)
  • Optional: 1-2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, chopped
  • Optional: fresh cilantro for garnish
  • Optional: flour or corn tortillas for serving

Instructions

  1. Pat pork shoulder dry with paper towels and cut into 3-4 large chunks.
  2. In a small bowl, mix salt, black pepper, cumin, oregano, and smoked paprika. Rub the spice blend all over the pork pieces.
  3. Place quartered onion and minced garlic at the bottom of the slow cooker. Add bay leaves on top.
  4. Nestle the seasoned pork chunks on top of the onions.
  5. Pour in orange juice, fresh lime juice, and chicken broth or water. Add chipotle peppers if using.
  6. Cover and cook on low for 8-9 hours or on high for 4-5 hours until pork is tender and shreds easily. Check liquid around 7 hours on low and add more broth or water if needed.
  7. Remove pork pieces and shred with two forks, discarding large chunks of fat or connective tissue.
  8. Preheat oven broiler or heat a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat.
  9. Spread shredded pork thinly on a rimmed baking sheet or skillet. Broil for 5-7 minutes, then flip and broil another 3-5 minutes until edges are golden and crispy.
  10. Garnish with chopped fresh cilantro and squeeze extra lime if desired. Serve with warm tortillas and favorite toppings.

Notes

Do not skip shredding before crisping to maximize crispy edges. Use fresh citrus juices for best flavor. If no broiler, use a hot cast-iron or nonstick skillet to crisp edges. Leftovers keep well refrigerated for up to 4 days or frozen for 3 months. Reheat with a splash of orange juice or broth to keep moist.

Nutrition

Keywords: slow cooker carnitas, tender pork carnitas, crispy carnitas edges, easy carnitas recipe, Mexican pork recipe, crockpot carnitas, family dinner, taco night

Find it online: https://blixfood.com/tender-slow-cooker-carnitas-recipe-with-crispy-edges-made-easy/