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Tender Crockpot Carnitas Recipe Easy Crispy Caramelized Edges Guide

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This tender crockpot carnitas recipe delivers melt-in-your-mouth pork with crispy caramelized edges, perfect for tacos, burritos, or rice bowls. Easy to prepare with simple ingredients and slow cooker magic.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 4–5 lbs pork shoulder (well-marbled)
  • 1 cup orange juice
  • 1/4 cup lime juice
  • 1 large onion, sliced
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 tbsp chili powder
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil

Instructions

  1. Trim excess fat from the pork shoulder but leave some for flavor. Pat dry with paper towels.
  2. In a small bowl, mix salt, black pepper, cumin, oregano, and chili powder. Rub the spice blend all over the pork.
  3. Place sliced onions and minced garlic at the bottom of the crockpot.
  4. Place the seasoned pork on top of the onions. Pour in orange juice and lime juice, then tuck in the bay leaves around the meat.
  5. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4-5 hours until pork shreds easily with a fork.
  6. Remove pork from crockpot and shred into bite-sized pieces using two forks, discarding large chunks of fat.
  7. Heat vegetable oil in a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add shredded pork in a single layer and press down slightly. Cook without stirring for 3-4 minutes until edges are golden and caramelized. Flip and crisp the other side.
  8. Transfer crispy carnitas to a serving dish and serve immediately.

Notes

Reserve some cooking liquid to moisten pork before crisping if dry. Shred pork while warm for easier shredding. For extra caramelization, broil shredded pork for 1-2 minutes but watch closely to avoid burning. Crisp pork in batches to avoid sogginess.

Nutrition

Keywords: crockpot carnitas, slow cooker pork, crispy carnitas, Mexican pork recipe, easy carnitas, tender pork shoulder

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