It’s a day late for Cinco de Mayo, but Mexican is yummy any time, so it’s all good. This is actually my go-to recipe whenever I have a nice big pork roast: it’s easy (naturally), delicious, flexible and makes plenty for leftovers.
I won’t even pretend that it’s authentic “carnitas” as I have never, to my knowledge, had authentic carnitas (unless you count what they sell at Chipotle’s) so I have no idea how it compares. And I highly doubt authentic carnitas are made in a slow cooker (but how I love my slow cooker!).
No one except the most discerning purist will care, though, because this is just a delicious way to cook a pork roast, no matter what it’s called. A rose by any other name and all that.
I originally found the recipe here on Allrecipes.com, but I did change it up a bit. Of course I did! I like to serve it in tortillas (either corn or wheat), but you can serve it over rice or potatoes, in burritos or burrito bowls, enchiladas, or whatever you like. It adapts well to pretty much any Mexican dish. Also, you can make it spicier if you like; that is entirely up to your taste and how much heat you can handle! We keep it nice and mild around here, so feel free to up the ante.
Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas
3-4 lbs pork roast
1/2 cup chopped onion
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp cumin
2 tsp dried cilantro
1 tsp salt
1 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp paprika
2-4 bay leaves
2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
Place the roast in the slow cooker; pour the broth over it. Add onions and garlic. Mix seasonings together then sprinkle them over the roast, rubbing them in if desired. Cook on high 4-6 hours. When roast is cooked through, use two forks or a knife to break apart into smaller chunks. Continue cooking in the broth until tender enough to shred easily with two forks (about 6 hours, depending on the size of your roast, and how hot your slow cooker gets). Drain and serve in tortillas or over rice.
Because of the extra step of shredding the pork, it may perhaps not be as QUICK as many other slow cooker recipes that are ready as soon as the time is up. Shredding doesn’t take long, though, 10 minutes at most.
It’s very EASY, too. A little bit of prep before hand, and the shredding afterward, and that’s it.
It can be CHEAP if you snap up the pork roast when it goes on sale. I always buy them when they get to $0.99/lb, which is probably about once every 6-8 weeks.
Many would consider pork bad for you because of the high fat content, but the truth is that in order to remain HEALTHY, our bodies need fat. Our ancestors ate fatty foods in abundance and never had the heart trouble that our current generation experiences with all its low-fat diets. Plus, pork is a good source of iron, an essential mineral and one that can be hard to source adequately in one’s diet.
Sharing at Katherine Martinelli’s and…
Having carnitas on hand is so handy, you can use it for so much. I cook big batches in the slow cooker much like you do, then cool completely, freze (in the liquid) in zip-top freezer bags so it’s always at the ready. I;ve never added cinnamon to the mix, will have to try that.
Cheri Sicard recently posted..Freezer Friendly Bouillabaisse
I agree! That’s what I love about cooking up roasts - so much extra to freeze:)
I think a lot of people consider pork to be unhealthy not so much because it is high in fat but because pigs do not have the ability to sweat. Therefore they are not able to release toxins. These toxins are then found in the meat. Some also do not eat it for religious reasons. It is one of the animals in the bible that we are told not to eat. However there are many of us that can not resist the yummy taste of something that is not so good for us
I had not heard that about the sweat; that’s very interesting. I do know that God forbade the Israelites to eat pork because He considered it unclean (although He doesn’t specify why). But Christians are not held to the same dietary standard that Jews were given, although there are those who choose to follow them because they figure God must have had a reason. I actually used to be one of those, but when we cut beef out of our diet (for the most part) due to my son’s allergies, I replaced it largely with pork because I was sick and tired of chicken and turkey (and not too fond of lamb).
I also have heard that pork has more toxins because their food is not “filtered” as well as a cows’, since they lack the compartmental stomach and they dont’ chew their cud. To me, that’s reason enough not to eat it, but it does have redeeming nutritional qualities (like the iron and fat) and it doesn’t make me miss beef as much:)
Awesome Recipe, I like to leave the pork in big chunks in the crockpot until done, then with slotted spoon or tongs place into baking dish,then i shred with forks and spread evenly. place in preheated 420 degree oven for 10-15 minutes or until slightly crispy on the edges adding the juice from crockpot if needed to prevent it from drying out. this gives great texture and flavor. also makes great bbq sandwiches with the left overs just add your favorite bbq sauce and put it on a bun .
Actually, I think the original recipe I used recommended that, but it just seemed like extra work to me, lol. I’m lazy! I imagine it does give a great texture and flavor, though!
SO yummy that I had to share on my meal plan this week at The Better Mom! Thanks for the recipe and happy Cinco de Mayo! Blessings, Kelly
Could you use pork butt for this recipe as well?
Pamela, I haven’t tried, but I would think so!