Carnitas {Pressure or Slow Cooker}

ByAlexis
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tender Pulled carnitas in a bowl being pulled apart with forks

With summer quickly approaching, I'm looking for all sorts of ways to save on time in the kitchen so the kiddos and I can enjoy ourselves outside, especially in the garden. This recipe for carnitas, or Mexican pulled pork, is the perfect solution to keeping it cool in the kitchen while giving us tons of options for tasty meals. This saves great in the freezer for a month and works well in tacos, sandwiches, salads, and in breakfast burritos.  The possibilities are endless!

Spices above a bowl of meat
garlic being added to a bowl of onions and seasoned meat
lime juice held above a slow cooker to makePulled carnitas

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tender Pulled carnitas in a bowl being pulled apart with forks

Carnitas {Pressure or Slow Cooker}

By Alexis
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Ingredients
  

  • 6 lb boneless pork shoulder or pork butt roast
  • 1 tablespoon salt
  • 2 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon dried oregano
  • 2 teaspoon cumin
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic
  • 3 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 yellow onion chopped
  • 3 tablespoon lime juice
  • 1 cup orange juice

Instructions
 

  1. Cut pork roast in to 8 pieces (as even as you can get it) and place in a large ziplock bag
  2. Mix salt, pepper, oregano, cumin, cili powder, minced garlic in a small dish.  Sprinkle over roast.  Drizzle with olive oil and mix around until coated well. 
  3. Let set at room temp for an hour or in the fridge for up to 3 hours.

Pressure Cooker Instructions:

  1. Place roast and chopped onion in pressure cooker and pour orange juice and lime juice over top.  Lock lid and make sure steam valve is closed. 
  2. Set to cook for 1 hour (it will take extra time for it to come to pressure). 
  3. After the hour is up, let the steam naturally release (don't manually open the steam valve) for 30 minutes. 
  4. Remove roast to a bowl and shred, adding in juices as needed so it won't get too dry. 

Slow Cooker Instructions:

  1. Place roast, chopped onion, lime juice, and orange juice in a slow cooker and cover with the lid.  I like to place a towel over the lid to keep all the steam in. 
  2. Cook on low 10 hours.  I don't recommend trying to cook this on high as it is likely to get too dry. 
  3. Remove roast to a bowl and shred with two forks adding in the juices as needed.
  4.  

Notes

The leftovers from this recipe freeze very well for up to a month.
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Looking for other great slow cooker recipes? Try these: