Pork Carnitas Tacos
Pork Carnitas Tacos is one of my favorite ways to use my slow cooker. It’s a dump-and-go recipe that is perfect for work days. Just pop all of the ingredients in the slow cooker in the morning, and you’ll have perfectly tender pork just waiting to make tacos when you get home.
The next best thing is that there will be lots of leftovers for the week, so you may not have to cook for the rest of the week.
You can make enchiladas, taquitos, tacos, and more with this delicious pork.
This pork is so moist and juicy! It is very mild, tender, and oh-so scrumptious. We got at least 12 servings from one 1.5-pound pork shoulder, so this is also a very economical dish. For a bonus, it’s SUPER Easy—only ten minutes of preparation.
What you Need
- Pork Roast: A shoulder or butt is perfect for this fall-apart tender meat.
- Orange: Use one whole juice orange.
- Jalapeño: You only need one pepper cut into chunks.
- Onion: Roughly chop the onion.
- Garlic: Crush the garlic cloves with the side of your knife.
- Cumin: Gives the pork an earthy flavor.
- Seasoning: Kosher salt or sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
How to Make it
Step One:
Season the roast with salt and pepper.
Rub spices all over the pork roast. Place it in the slow cooker.
Step Two:
Rough chop onion, jalapeno and garlic. Halve the orange.
Step Three:
Place vegetables in slow cooker. Squeeze juice from orange and place halves in too. Cover and cook on low for about 8 to 10 hours
Step Four:
Test pork for tenderness. It should easily break apart when it is twisted with a fork. Reserve the juice and the vegetables.
Shred pork with a fork.
The meat can be used as is, or traditionally, servings were fried in a bit of oil on one side to make them crispy.
Heat your tortilla in your preferred method. Here are all of the ways to warm tortillas so they are delicious.
Fill your tortillas with the meat. Use your favorite garnishes.
Choose your favorite toppings such as lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, avocado, etc.
Delicious taco toppings
- Lettuce
- Tomatoes
- Cheese: Cheddar, oaxaca, or queso fresco.
- Pickled Peppers
- Avocado
- Pickled Radishes
- Black Olives
- Pickled Onions
- Sour Cream
- Spicy Coleslaw
- Your favorite salsa.
I love this Slow Cooker Venison Carnitas Tacos, as well!
More Mexican Dishes
- Stacked Enchiladas
- Slow Cooker Frijoles (Refried Beans)
- Crockpot Chicken Enchilada Casserole
- Homemade Enchilada Sauce
- Burritos with Leyden Cheese Sauce
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I hope you enjoyed the recipe today.
Enjoy. And have fun cooking!
Pork Carnitas Tacos
Ingredients
- 2 pounds boneless pork shoulder (or 2 1/2 pounds bone-in)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoons oregano, dried
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
- 1 Onion coarsely chopped
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 jalapeno seeded and ribs removed, chopped
- 1 orange cut in half
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- Corn or Flour Tortillas
- Lettuce diced tomatoes, grated cheese, salsa, etc. for garnish
Instructions
- Rinse and dry the pork shoulder. Salt and pepper liberally.2 pounds boneless pork shoulder, Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Mix the oregano and the cumin with olive oil and rub all over the pork.2 teaspoons oregano, dried, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
- Place the pork in a slow cooker and top with the onion, garlic, and jalapeno. Squeeze over the juice of the orange and add the two halves to the crockpot. Cover and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours or on high for four hours. Reserve liquid.1 Onion, 4 cloves garlic, 1 jalapeno, 1 orange
- Once the meat is tender, remove from slow cooker and let cool slightly before pulling apart with a fork. In a large saute pan, heat the olive oil over high heat. Press the carnitas into the oil and fry until crusty on one side. I added about 1 cup of the juice and vegetables from the crock pot to moisten.3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- Place about 1/2 inch olive oil in a small pan over high heat. Fry tortillas on one side for about 1 minute. Turn and fold in half. Fry on first side of folded tortilla then turn and fry on the other.Corn or Flour Tortillas
- Place meat, a bit of the reserved liquid from the crock pot. Serve with your favorite toppings. Lettuce, tomato, cheese, salsa, etc..Lettuce
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Nutrition
Originally Published January 18, 2015. Updated May 18, 2024.
This post may contain affiliate links, which means I get a small commission if you click the link and purchase something. See FTC Disclosure, here.
I love carnitas! Great idea to cook them in the slow cooker!
Thanks, Sari! It sure does make them easy. And foolproof!