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Pork Carnitas (Mexican Pulled Pork - Slow Cooker)

Pork carnitas made in a slow cooker for tender, fall-apart shredded pork with crispy browned edges. Finish in a skillet for glistening, spice-studded carnitas that pull easily and crisp at the edges.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 8 minutes
Total Time 8 hours 8 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Main
Cuisine: Mexican
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

pork shoulder
  • 4 lb pork shoulder, cut into 3-inch chunks
lard or olive oil
  • 0.25 cup lard or olive oil
onion
  • 1 onion, quartered
garlic
  • 8 cloves garlic, smashed
bay leaves
  • 2 bay leaves
dried oregano
  • 2 tsp dried oregano
cumin
  • 1 tsp cumin
cinnamon stick
  • 1 cinnamon stick
whole cloves
  • 6 whole cloves
salt
  • 1 tbsp salt
black pepper
  • 1 tsp black pepper
orange juice
  • 0.5 cup orange juice
lime juice
  • 0.25 cup lime juice
corn tortillas and toppings
  • 1 Corn tortillas and toppings for serving

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Slow-cook the pork
  1. Place the pork shoulder chunks in a slow cooker. Add lard (or olive oil), onion, garlic, bay leaves, oregano, cumin, cinnamon stick, cloves, salt, and black pepper.
  2. Pour in the orange juice and lime juice. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours, until the pork is very tender and shreds easily.
Crisp and shred
  1. If desired, transfer the carnitas to a large skillet. Cook over medium-high heat for 5-10 minutes until browned and crispy edges appear.
  2. Shred the pork with two forks. Serve with corn tortillas and toppings for serving, including diced onion, fresh cilantro, lime wedges, and salsa.

Notes

For extra crisp edges, spread the shredded pork in the skillet in a thin layer during the final crisping step so moisture can evaporate. Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 4 days; reheat in a skillet to re-crisp. Freezing is yes—freeze for up to 3 months and thaw in the refrigerator before reheating. For a lighter option, swap lard for olive oil or use less fat, but expect crispness to be slightly reduced.