Description
Slow Cooker Spicy Carnitas – Pork cooked until it’s melt-in-your-mouth tender and then cooked under a broiler until it crisps up a little. Topped with a simple cucumber tomato pico de gallo and picked onions. This recipe is great for meal prep or feeding a crowd. The pork also freezes really well.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- Pork
- 1 cup low sodium chicken broth
- 1/2 cup fresh orange juice (1 1/2 oranges)
- 1/2 cup fresh lime juice (1 1/2 – 2 limes)
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1 tablespoon liquid smoke (optional)
- 1 to 2 + 1 teaspoon sauce peppers in adobo sauce, chopped
- 1 tablespoon coconut sugar
- 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 4 to 5 pound lean boneless pork roast (pork shoulder or pork butt)
- Quick pickled red onion (optional)
- 1/4 cup hot water
- 1/2 cup distilled vinegar or white wine vinegar
- 2 teaspoons agave nectar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
- Quick Pico De Gallo (optional)
- 2 cups grape tomatoes, chopped
- 1 seedless cucumber, chopped
- 1/4 cup cilantro, hopped
- juice of 1 lime
- 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon salt
- Options for serving:
- corn tortilla shells
- Queso Fresco, crumbled
- sour cream
- sliced avocado
- cilantro, chopped
Instructions
- Cook the pork in the slow cooker: add all of the sauce ingredients to the for the pork into the bowl of the slow cooker, mix to combine. Trim off as much excess fat from the pork as you can. Place the pork in the cooking liquid. Cover and cook on low for 7 to 8 hours or on high for 4 to 5 hours.
- Make the quick pickled onions: In a medium-sized jar or other heat-proof container with a lid, add the hot water, white wine vinegar, agave nectar, and salt. Close the lid and shake to combine well. Add the onion slices and submerge them in the liquid. Place in the fridge for at least 15 minutes. 30 minutes is best.
- Make the pico de gallo: A few minutes before the pork is done cooking add all ingredients to a mixing bowl and stir to combine. Set aside.
- Shred the pork Once the pork is done cooking remove it, allow it to cool enough to handle. Shred it with two forks and remove any remaining fat. At this point you can eat your pork as is OR put it in the broiler for 10 minutes to crisp up a little. To do that heat your broiler and transfer the pork to a rimmed baking sheet. ladle about 1 cup of the sauce over the pork. Broil for 4 to 5 minutes. Toss the pork and ladle more liquid over it, broil for 4 to 5 minutes, or until slightly crispy.
- Assemble and serve: Prepare any of your toppings: heat tortillas, chop cilantro, crumble queso fresco, slice avocado etc. Add a little pork to each tortilla shell and then spoon on the pico de gallo, picked onions and any other desired toppings. If serving to a big crowd you could have all the ingredients on the table in serving bowls and have guests make their own tacos at the table.
- Store leftovers in separate containers. Pork freezes well.
