This Slow Cooker Spicy Pork Carnitas recipe is the easiest carnitas you will ever make– it takes less than 5 minutes to throw the ingredients into a slow cooker. Pork goodness!
Some evenings call for a dinner with very minimal preparation, especially during this hectic time when I’m pulling my hair out trying to meet all my obligations. That’s when the convenience of the slow cooker can’t be beaten. I love prep everything in the evening and set the cooker to work while I sleep. Then when dinner time rolls around you have an amazing meal ready.
This Slow Cooker Spicy Pork Carnitas recipe is the easiest carnitas you will ever make– it takes less than 5 minutes to throw the ingredients into a slow cooker. You honestly can’t go wrong with this recipe. You only need to let this baby cook in all its glory for 8 hours for the most amazing fall-apart tender pork goodness!
These pork carnitas are also great because they only require a FEW ingredients, most of which you’ll probably have in your pantry, such as Pace® Picante sauce, which is made with tomatoes, onions, and their famous, hand-picked jalapeños- this sauce really kicked up the flavor! Pace® Picante Sauce comes in mild, medium and hot. I used the medium level for this recipe because I didn’t want to make it too spicy for children to eat, but feel free to use any version that fits your taste.
How does slow cooker mode on the Instant Pot works?
According to my testing:
NORMAL = LOW mode in a traditional slow cooker.
MORE = HIGH mode in a traditional slow cooker.
There are many ways to serve carnitas but one of our favorites is tostadas. It’s like a taco, but flat. It’s usually made with a fried corn tortilla and top it with whatever your heart desires! Today, it’s mashed avocado, fennel and mango salsa, and queso fresco.
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You can either eat the pork right out of the slow cooker or broil it in the oven to give it a crisp edge. I highly recommend finishing this carnitas under the broiler to get them nicely caramelized. Believe me, you need those outside crisp edge in your life.
Looking for more Slow Cooker recipes?
- Slow Cooker Beef Bone Broth
- Slow Cooker Oxtail Stew
- Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Pork Chops
- Slow Cooker Bacon and Ham Breakfast Potatoes
- Slow Cooker Creamy Corn Soup
- more recipes
I should also mention that this recipe creates enough to feed a big crowd so it’s perfect for game day gatherings, or casual get-togethers. But if you make it just for your family be prepared to have a lot of leftovers. YAY. You know what that means, right? Arepas, tacos, nachos, quesadillas, enchiladas, and burritos all week long!
Happy Cooking!!!
Slow Cooker Spicy Pork Carnitas
Ingredients
- 3 - 4 lb pork shoulder
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt or more, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 1 jar (16oz) Pace® Picante Sauce
- 1/3 cup Worcestershire sauce
- 1/4 cup brown sugar (optional) (see notes)
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 fresh rosemary sprigs
- 2 tablespoons dried oregano
Instructions
- Season the pork shoulder with salt and black pepper, rubbing in thoroughly on all sides. Be generous.
- Place the pork in the slow cooker. Add picante sauce, Worcestershire sauce, bay leaf, rosemary and oregano. Cook for 8 hours on low or 4 hours on high. The pork should be so tender that meat falls apart easily. Remove pork from slow cooker and shred the meat using two forks, removing excess fat. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
- Heat oven broil. Line one baking sheet with foil and spray with cooking oil.
- Place carnitas onto a baking sheet, with HALF of the juices, and broil until most of the pork looks golden, crisp and crusted, about 4 minutes. Remove from oven.
- Serve immediately.
- To serve tostadas spread a large spoonful of mashed avocado, pork carnitas, top it with fennel and mango salsa, and sprinkle crumbled queso fresco. Enjoy
- Slow Cooker Beef Bone Broth
- Slow Cooker Oxtail Stew
- Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Pork Chops
- Slow Cooker Bacon and Ham Breakfast Potatoes
- Slow Cooker Creamy Corn Soup
- more recipes
Nutrition
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- Slow Cooker
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- Instant Pot
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- Measuring Cup Set
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- Measuring Spoons
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This Slow Cooker Spicy Pork Carnitas recipe has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone.
