Slow Cooker Carnitas

Make tender Slow Cooker Carnitas for dinner while you’re at work using only 3 ingredients! This pork carnitas recipe makes a small batch using 1 pound pork, fajita seasoning, and lime for flavorful, juicy tacos.

3 Ingredient Slow Cooker Carnitas: Tender, Juicy Pork Every Time

Pittsburgh isn’t exactly well known for Mexican or Tex Mex food, so I don’t go out for Mexican food very often.

I’m more likely to cook air fryer fajitas and steak fajitas at home than order them at a restaurant.

Of course when I’m traveling to places like Texas or San Diego, I eat a ridiculous amount of tacos because they’re authentic and fresh.

I tend to order carnitas a lot because Mexican pulled pork takes time to cook low and slow plus I know it’s going to be falling apart and delicious being cooked by the experts (most likely someone’s grandma).

And since Pittsburgh isn’t exactly a mecca for Mexican cuisine, I learned how to make Slow Cooker Carnitas at home.

Carnitas refers to shredded pork shoulder often used as a filling for tacos, burritos, and other Mexican dishes.

I’ve heard people refer to it as Mexico’s version of pulled pork but with Mexican flavors and not BBQ sauce like my pulled pork for two.

Typically it’s braised for a few hours, but using a crock pot means not having to babysit the pork while you work on other tasks.

With sunsets getting earlier and earlier, it’s super helpful to start the crock pot carnitas in the morning then have it ready to eat for dinner AND run out the door before nighttime sets in.

I first made these slow cooker pork carnitas for a client during cinco de mayo a few years ago, but the recipe was so good I had to share it with you. Scaled down for two people, of course.

Most pork carnitas recipes use 3-5 pounds of pork, which is great if you’re serving a large crowd for tailgating or a fiesta, but this is way too much meat for small households like us.

That’s why I used 1 pound of meat, leaving you with about 4 servings of Mexican pulled pork.

Unfortunately it does mean you’ll likely have to buy a 3 pound roast then portion it into 1 pound pieces (unless you’re super lucky and can ask a butcher for help), but that just means more carnitas in your future.

Or use up the extra pork shoulder to make slow cooker enchiladas, slow cooker banh mi rice bowls, Guinness pulled pork, or slow cooker shredded beef (subbing pork for beef, of course).

To help save time (especially in the morning when you’re trying to rush to work), I flavored my pork carnitas with homemade fajita seasoning which I keep in my pantry at all times. You can even squeeze the lime juice ahead of time as well.

Why You’ll Love This Slow Cooker Carnitas Recipe

This recipe makes a small batch of tender pork carnitas with only 15 minutes of prep. You don’t need several pounds of pork or a long list of ingredients to make flavorful carnitas at home.

Here’s why I keep coming back to this version:

• Only three ingredients! Fajita seasoning does most of the heavy lifting so you don’t need a laundry list of spices.
• The slow cooker does the work! Once everything is in the crock pot, you can walk away and work on other things on your to-do list.
• Makes a small batch! You only need 1 pound of pork shoulder, which makes 4 servings (depending on the size of your tortillas).

Ingredients For Carnitas

Here’s what you need to make your carnitas in a crock pot recipe:

• Boneless pork shoulder: The best cut for tender, shreddable pork is pork shoulder (specifically pork butt) because of its rich marbling of fat and heavy connective tissue which melts when cooked low and slow. Boneless is preferred but if you do end up with a bone, take into account the extra weight it’ll add so it yields enough meat after cooking.
• Kosher salt: Seasons the pork and brings out its natural flavor. I find most seasoning mixes don’t have enough salt so this is on top of the spices added.
• Fajita seasoning: Adds layer of savory, smoky, and slightly spicy flavors without measuring individual spices.
• Fresh lime juice: Adds acidity and a bright citrus flavor that balances the richness of the pork.
• Corn tortillas: The classic way to turn shredded pork into tacos. Warm them before serving so they are softer and easier to fold. You can also use flour tortillas.

How To Make Slow Cooker Carnitas

Crock pot carnitas are made by seasoning pork shoulder, adding lime juice, and cooking until the pork is tender enough to shred.

1. SEASON: Season the pork shoulder with kosher salt, then rub the fajita seasoning all over the meat. You want it evenly distributed over the entire surface so every bite gets plenty of flavor.
2. ADD: Place the pork into a 6-quart slow cooker and pour the fresh lime juice over the top. You don’t need to worry about not having enough liquid as the pork will release juices while it cooks.
3. COOK: Cover and cook on HIGH for 4 to 6 hours or LOW for 8 to 10 hours, or until the pork easily falls apart. If your pork doesn’t shred easily with two forks, it isn’t ready yet. Keep cooking until it becomes tender enough to pull apart without resistance.
4. SHRED: Once cool enough to handle, shred the pork with two forks then stir the meat back into the cooking juices. Let it sit for about 10 minutes so it can reabsorb back the juices.
5. SERVE: Warm your corn tortillas then fill with shredded pork and toppings of choice.

What To Serve With Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas

The easiest (and best!) way to serve carnitas is taco-style inside warm corn tortillas with fresh toppings such as pickled red onion, pickled jalapeno, guacamole, pico de gallo, garden salsa, sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese, cilantro, and green onion.

To round out your dinner for two, serve with homemade Spanish rice, homemade queso with chips, frozen mango margaritas.

Storage and Freezing

• Refrigerate: Store leftover carnitas in the fridge up to 4 days.
• Freeze: Let the meat cool completely then transfer to freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating. If the pork dries out after freezing, you can stir in some chicken broth to moisten it back up.

Can I make carnitas ahead of time?

Yes. Carnitas are a good make-ahead meal because the shredded pork can be reheated when you’re ready to serve it. This comes in handy when you know you won’t have 4-8 hours to cook on the day you’re serving carnitas.

More Mexican Recipes

If you’re looking for more Mexican (or Tex Mex) inspired recipes to make at home, check out the following recipes:

• Slow Cooker Salsa Chicken
• Chicken Fajita Salad
• Chicken Fajita Pasta
• Mini Margarita Cheesecakes
• Mexican Mocha