Carnitas (Slow Cooker Pulled Pork)

This is one of the best pork recipes I have ever made. It makes great pork for tacos, bowls, or just to have around the house. It is a bit sweet and spicy.

Plate of shredded pulled pork with garnish on an orange and yellow cloth.

Prep 25 mins

Cook 6-7 Hours

Total 6-7 Hours

Ingredients

  • 4 pound pork shoulder or butt.

  • 2 1/2 teaspoons salt

  • 1 teaspoon black pepper

  • 1 onion diced

  • 2 or 3 jalapenos

  • 4 garlic cloves crushed

  • 1 cup orange juice

  • 1 tablespoons sugar

Rub

  • 1 tablespoon oregano

  • 2 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin

  • 1 tablespoon chili powder.

  • 1 tablespoon oil.

Instructions

  1. Rinse and dry pork shoulder. Rub salt and pepper over pork

  2. Combine rub ingredients, then rub all over pork

  3. Place the pork in the crockpot, add the onion, garlic, and jalapeno to the crockpot.

  4. Add the orange juice to the crockpot.

  5. Cook on low for 8-10 hours or high for 7-8 hours. Pork shoulder should be tender enough to shred.

  6. Remove from crockpot and let cool, then shred. SAVE THE JUICE from the crockpot. (If pork it cooked enough, it should be easy to shred and almost falling apart).

  7. After shredding the pork, get out a large frying pan and start to fry the pork until the edges are browned. (with this much pork it takes about four batches to fry).

  8. In a separate sauce pan, bring the juice from the crockpot to a boil. add 1 tbsp of sugar to the juice and let it cook down till it's thicker and about half the juice that was left in the crockpot.

  9. Once the juice is caramelized, add it back to the pork to get that sweet and spicy flavor.

  10. Serve and enjoy