Slow Cooker Carnitas

This affordable pork roast is tender, juicy, and packed with bold flavor. The perfect filling for tacos, bowls, burritos, and easy meals all week.

Course Main

Cuisine Fusion, Mexican, Tex Mex

Diet Gluten Free

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 8

Total Time 8 15

Servings

Calories 482kcal

Author Imma

Remove the pork roast from the package and gently rinse it under cold water. Cut off excess pork skin and fat.
Add half of the minced garlic, bay leaf, chili, and the orange juice to the slow cooker.
Season pork with salt, cumin, smoked paprika, and oregano, and place it in the slow cooker.
Add the remaining crushed oregano leaves, cinnamon stick, and onions to the slow cooker.
Cover and cook on Low for about 8 hours or until the pork shreds easily with a fork. If you want to speed it up on High, it should take 3-4 hours.
Remove the pork roast from the slow cooker, let it rest for 10-15 minutes, and shred it with two forks. Reserve cooking liquid.
Place the shredded pork on a foil-lined baking sheet. Pour over some of the cooking liquid to moisten the meat.
Broil on high for 10-15 minutes, stirring once, or until the edges of the pork begin to crisp and brown. Keep a close eye on it to avoid burning, and use tongs or a spatula to turn as needed.
Serve hot as a filling for tacos, burritos, or diversity bowls.

Mexican cinnamon is the softer, loose-bark variety of cinnamon stick commonly available at grocery stores. You can usually find it in a Mexican market, specialty stores, and online at Amazon. However, regular cinnamon sticks or ground cinnamon also work fine.
Pineapple juice works well instead of orange juice if you prefer the flavor.
If you like spicy pork, throw in a scotch bonnet pepper.
Please keep in mind that nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary greatly based on products used.