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Carnitas (Mexican Slow Cooker Pulled Pork)

Carnitas (Mexican Slow Cooker Pulled Pork)

Delicious Carnitas, slow-cooked Mexican pulled pork, perfect for tacos and other dishes.
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 hours
Total Time 10 hours 20 minutes
Course Main
Cuisine Mexican
Servings 12 servings
Calories 578 kcal

Equipment

  • slow cooker
  • Skillet

Ingredients
  

Pork and Vegetables

  • 2 kg pork shoulder skinless, boneless
  • 2.5 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 unit onion chopped
  • 1 unit jalapeno deseeded, chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • ¾ cup juice from orange (2 oranges)

Rub

  • 1 tablespoon dried oregano
  • 2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil

Instructions
 

Preparation

  • Rinse and dry the pork shoulder, rub all over with salt and pepper.
  • Combine the Rub ingredients then rub all over the pork.
  • Place the pork in a slow cooker (fat cap up), top with the onion, jalapeño, minced garlic and squeeze over the juice of the oranges.

Cooking

  • Slow Cook on low for 10 hours or on high for 7 hours.
  • Pork should be tender enough to shred. Remove from slow cooker and let cool slightly. Then shred using two forks.
  • Optional: Skim off the fat from the juices remaining in the slow cooker and discard.
  • If you have a lot more than 2 cups of juice, then reduce it down to about 2 cups.
  • Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large non stick pan over high heat. Spread pork in the pan, drizzle over some juices and wait until the juices evaporate and the bottom side is golden brown and crusty.
  • Turn and just briefly sear the other side – you don’t want to make it brown all over because then it’s too crispy.
  • Remove pork from skillet. Repeat in batches – don’t crowd the pan.
  • Just before serving, drizzle over more juices and serve hot, stuffed in tacos.

Notes

Use pork with the skin removed but leaving some of the fat cap on for juiciness. Store leftovers separately to maintain crispiness. Great for tacos or other dishes.

Nutrition

Serving: 205gCalories: 578kcalCarbohydrates: 1.7gProtein: 45gFat: 42gSaturated Fat: 15gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4.1gMonounsaturated Fat: 19gCholesterol: 173mgSodium: 616mgPotassium: 664mgSugar: 0.5gVitamin A: 40IUVitamin C: 4.3mgCalcium: 60mgIron: 2.9mg
Keyword carnitas, comfort food, Mexican Cuisine, pulled pork, slow cooker, tacos
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