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Slow cooker pork carnitas tacos on a plate.
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4.88 from 16 votes

Crispy Mexican Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas with Escabeche

These Crispy Mexican Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas are the best, easiest carnitas you will ever make!  Tender, juicy shredded pork, filled with flavor and delicious crispy, caramelized "burnt ends" achieved by popping the shredded pork under the broiler, this is the perfect recipe for parties and large groups, and amazing in tacos, nachos, salads and burritos!
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time6 hours
Total Time6 hours 10 minutes
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican
Servings: 10 people
Author: Amy Nash

Ingredients

Pork carnitas

  • 4-5 pounds boneless pork shoulder or pork butt
  • 1/2 cup orange juice
  • 2 Tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice (about 2 limes)
  • 1 can diced tomatoes
  • 1 cup green salsa
  • 2 Tablespoons brown sugar (optional)
  • 1 Tablespoon ground cumin
  • 2 teaspoons Kosher salt
  • 2 teaspoons black pepper
  • 2 teaspoons dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1 medium onion chopped
  • 1 jalapeno seeds removed
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 2 cinnamon sticks

Escabeche

  • 1 red onion thinly sliced
  • 3/4 cup white vinegar
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 5 whole cloves
  • 1 Tablespoon granulated sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon table salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
  • 1/2 teaspoon driedoregano
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 garlic clove thinly sliced
  • Pinch of red pepper flakes

Instructions

Carnitas

  • Place the pork in a large slow cooker. Add in the orange juice, lime juice, diced tomatoes and salsa.
    4-5 pounds boneless pork shoulder or pork butt, 1/2 cup orange juice, 2 Tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice, 1 can diced tomatoes, 1 cup green salsa
  • Mix together the brown sugar, cumin, salt, pepper, oregano, and chili powder in a small bowl and rub it into the meat. Add the chopped onion, jalapeno, bay leaves and cinnamon sticks, then cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours or on high for 5-6 hours.
    2 Tablespoons brown sugar, 1 Tablespoon ground cumin, 2 teaspoons Kosher salt, 2 teaspoons black pepper, 2 teaspoons dried oregano, 1 teaspoon chili powder, 1 medium onion, 1 jalapeno, 2 bay leaves, 2 cinnamon sticks
  • At the 8 hour mark (or the 5 hour mark if cooking on high), remove the meat from the crock pot (do NOT discard all of the juices from the slow cooker) and place it in a large baking dish (so juices don't run all over your counter). Remove any fat from the meat and then shred the meat into bite-size pieces with a fork. Return the pork to the slow cooker with all of the juices from cooking and let it cook an additional 30 minutes while you prep garnishes and all the things you want to serve with your pork carnitas.
  • Turn on the oven to broil.
  • Transfer the shredded pork to a large baking sheet covered in tinfoil and spread into an even, single layer. Broil in the oven for 5-8 minutes, then give the meat a good toss with some tongs so other parts can get hit by the broiler and return to the oven for another 5-8 minutes under the broiler. This will give some of the pork a bit of char and create the crispy texture that really makes amazing carnitas even more amazing (and authentic). Serve in corn or flour tortillas with cilantro, fresh avocado, maybe some thinly sliced radishes or chopped white onion and cotija cheese, and homemade escabeche. Or add it to salads, nachos, soups, etc.

Escabeche

  • In a small saucepan, combine all of the escabeche ingredients except the sliced onion and bring to a boil.
    3/4 cup white vinegar, 1 bay leaf, 5 whole cloves, 1 Tablespoon granulated sugar, 1/2 teaspoon table salt, 1/2 teaspoon whole black peppercorns, 1/2 teaspoon driedoregano, 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin, 1 garlic clove, Pinch of red pepper flakes
  • Add the red onion and stir for about 30 seconds to combine and for the onion to be coated in the vinegar brine. Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature. Store in a container and refrigerate for up to two weeks.
    1 red onion

Notes

Leftover carnitas will keep in the fridge for 3-4 days when stored in an airtight container. Reheat on a baking sheet in a 350ºF oven until warmed through, in a skillet on the stovetop, or in the microwave. 

Nutrition

Calories: 298kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 34g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 108mg | Sodium: 873mg | Potassium: 820mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 305IU | Vitamin C: 15.2mg | Calcium: 70mg | Iron: 3.4mg

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