Slow Cooker Carnitas (Shredded Pork)

Slow Cooker Carnitas

Cooking carnitas in the crock pot or slow cooker has got to be the easiest way ever. This method would be perfect over the holidays, especially if you have a house full of guests.

Since you're making them in a slow cooker, it's "set it and forget it" and you can literally leave the finished carnitas warming in the slow cooker all day and evening allowing your guests to eat at will and you won't have to lift a finger. Oh, and these make excellent breakfast tacos, too!

Plan to coat your pork roast in the dry rub the day before you plan to cook, and then allow at least 10-11 hours of cooking time on the low setting of your slow cooker.


So let's say you wanted to have these ready for Christmas Eve day, here's a sample timeline:

• Evening of Dec. 22nd - coat roast in dry rub
• Evening of Dec. 23rd - place roast in slow cooker
• Morning of Dec. 24th - shred pork, add potatoes and green chiles and cook another hour or so, turn slow cooker to 'warm setting' and leave all day and evening for everyone to eat when desired

Slow Cooker Carnitas

Serves 10 (serving size 2 tacos)

Dry Rub:

2 teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons ground cumin

2 teaspoons ground coriander

2 teaspoons onion powder

1 teaspoon ground mustard

3/4 teaspoon ground chipotle chile pepper

Ingredients:

4-5 pound boneless pork shoulder roast

1 cup chicken broth

1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes, including juices

2-3 large cloves garlic, minced

1 4-ounce can whole green chiles

2 pounds small white potatoes

20 small tortillas

Garnish:

chopped fresh cilantro

diced red onion

shredded cheddar cheese

sour cream

Mix all dry rub ingredients together then rub on all sides of the pork roast. Wrap roast in plastic wrap and place in refrigerator overnight or up to 24 hours.

After roast has been refrigerated in dry rub for recommended time, place chicken broth, diced tomatoes, and garlic in slow cooker and then place roast on top. Place cover on slow cooker and turn setting to 'low'. Allow to cook for about 10 hours or overnight.

Carefully remove excess fat from exterior of roast and discard.  Using two forks, shred the roast and stir.

Quarter potatoes and add. I don't recommend using Yukon Golds for this dish as they won't hold up. These small white potatoes were perfect.

Hand shred the green chiles and add, then stir.

Cover and allow to continue to cook on low setting for approximately an hour or so until potatoes are tender. Taste and salt if needed. Turn to 'warm setting' and leave covered for guests to eat when desired. Be sure to have garnish items ready in the refrigerator for guests to access easily.

the potatoes cooked in the broth are absolutely delicious
on the taco or by themselves

Slow Cooker Carnitas

To make breakfast tacos, just add scrambled eggs.