Let Me Tell You About My Crockpot Carnitas Addiction

Alright, gather 'round—because I've got a story and a recipe that's saved my bacon (haha, well, technically pork shoulder) more times than I can count. Years ago, I tried making carnitas on the stovetop, nearly set off the smoke alarm twice, and somehow turned the pork into something closer to shoe leather than the juicy goodness I get now. Then I discovered the mighty crockpot—life. Changed. These days, whenever my calendar starts looking like a madman's to-do list, I grab my old slow cooker and a hunk of pork, and suddenly dinner for a crowd is basically sorted. Honestly, even my super picky cousin, who claims to be a taco 'expert' after one trip to Baja, admits these are legit.

Why You'll Love This (Or, Why I Keep Making It...)

I whip up these crockpot carnitas when a) I'm too tired to stand over a hot stove or b) the family needs serious comfort food but I want to pretend I put in more effort than I actually did. My kids basically hover near the counter just waiting for the crispy-fried edges part; meanwhile, my spouse steals spoonfuls right from the crockpot (hands off, darling!). But—real talk—one time I forgot to zest the oranges and everyone still cleaned their plates; proves it's tough to mess this up. Bonus points: it makes the house smell incredible, as if you had a five-star chef somewhere in the laundry room.

What Goes In (And What It's Okay to Swap)

3-4 lbs pork shoulder (I grab whatever’s cheapest, but my neighbor swears by boneless pork butt—both work)
1 large onion, roughly chopped (if you’re out, a shallot or three gets the job done)
4 cloves garlic, smashed (sometimes I get lazy and use the pre-minced stuff—don’t @ me)
1 orange, zested & juiced (confession: I occasionally just toss in orange juice from the fridge, it’s fine)
1 lime, juiced (lemon in a pinch, but it’s… a little different)
1 tablespoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons dried oregano (Mexican oregano if you’ve got it, but the regular supermarket jar works)
2 bay leaves
1 ½ teaspoons salt (or more to taste; I taste as I go... sometimes too much if I'm honest!)
1 teaspoon black pepper
About ½ cup chicken broth (eyeball it; it’s just to keep things juicy at the start)

Let’s Make It: My Step-By-Step (With Some Wiggle Room)

Prep the pork: Trim off any giant hunks of fat, but don’t go nuts—a little makes it tastier. Subway tile-sized chunks are about right. (This is the messy part—sorry!)
Toss everything in: Layer the onions and garlic in the bottom of your crockpot. Place the pork chunks on top. Sprinkle all the spices, salt, and pepper over everything. Squeeze in the citrus, toss the zested peels and bay leaves on top, and slosh in the broth. If it looks too dry, add a splash more broth, but pork gives off a lot of juice.
Cook low and slow: Lid on, set to LOW for 8-10 hours or HIGH for about 5-6. I’ve tried both—low and slow wins on tenderness for me. Don’t peek too often; just trust the process (I’m terrible at this part, but really, you do need to leave it alone).
Shred city: When the pork can practically shred itself, pull it out and go at it with two forks. It should fall apart with almost no effort. Toss out the bay leaves (or don't... there's always one hiding, right?).
Crisp it up: Optional but highly recommended, seriously—spread the meat on a baking sheet, drizzle a little of the juices over, and broil for 5ish minutes until you get those delicious crisp bits. Don’t walk away from the broiler, unless you like your carnitas on the, er, super-toasty side.
Sneak a taste: At this point, I always, always steal a bite and adjust salt/pepper if needed. The temptation is massive.

Notes from (Probably Too Much) Experience

The orange is magic here, but—surprise—I once made it without any citrus and it was still pretty dang good. A little less bright, I guess, but nobody complained.
Don’t stress about the cut of pork. Honestly, as long as it’s fatty enough, you’re set.
If I’m feeling virtuous, I’ll use less salt. Spoiler: it’s better with more, so I just drink extra water after.

Wild (and Not-So-Wild) Variations I’ve Tried

With pineapple juice: Got inspired by a taco truck and added some—wow, that’s a party. Just don’t use too much or it’s like a luau.
Beef instead of pork: Actually, I find it works better if you stick with pork; the beef version was sort of dry and weirdly stringy, but hey, live and learn.
No broiler, just stovetop crisping: I browned the meat in a skillet once when my oven acted up. It works in a pinch, but the broiler gets more crispy edges.

What You’ll Need (And the Lazy Workarounds)

Crockpot/slow cooker (obviously, but once I used a heavy Dutch oven on low for, like, 4 hours—results weren’t quite the same, but it worked)
Baking sheet (for crisping, but a big skillet is okay if your oven is being fussy)
Tongs or forks for shredding (I’ve used salad servers before—no shame)

By the way, if you haven’t got a slow cooker yet, check out this roundup from Serious Eats—lots of solid options, and they test practically everything under the sun.

Storing Leftovers (Assuming You Have Any)

Pop the cooled carnitas into an airtight container; it’ll keep 3–4 days in the fridge, or you can freeze for a few months. Though honestly, in my house it never lasts more than a day! If you freeze it, I recommend freezing in small-ish portions so you can reheat just what you need—learned that the hard way after a midnight burrito craving.

How I Serve Crockpot Carnitas (And an Odd Family Tradition)

Taco night is the classic move—warm corn tortillas, little dish of chopped cilantro and onions, and a squeeze of lime. But my family has this weird thing: they pile the carnitas onto baked sweet potatoes with a dollop of guac (try it, it’s epic). If you want more salsa ideas, Smitten Kitchen has some killer salsa inspiration—don't just take my word for it.

Lessons Learned: My Pro Tips (From Totally Messing It Up)

Don’t rush the slow cook. I once tried HIGH for four hours, and it was somehow both chewy and dry. Just. Not. Right.
Always crisp the meat in batches—otherwise, it steams instead of getting those golden bits. Who knew?
If you accidentally make it too salty, squeeze in extra citrus juice at the end; saved me more than once.

Questions I Get All the Time (And Some I Just Wish I Did)

Can I use pork loin instead of pork shoulder? Technically yes, but it’s leaner and ends up less juicy. More like shredded pork, minus the carnival.
Is this spicy? Only if you, like me, get bold and add fresh jalapeños or chipotle. The base recipe’s pretty kid-friendly.
Do I need to sear the pork first? I mean, you can, but I almost never bother and it’s still tasty. If, though, you’re a Maillard reaction die-hard, go for it.
What if I don’t have oranges? On second thought, you can just skip or add extra lime—sometimes I toss in a splash of cola (seriously) for a touch of sweetness.
Can I make this ahead? Absolutely, and honestly I think it tastes better the next day once the flavors hang out together a bit. That is, if you can wait.

Digression time—I once served a tray of carnitas alongside a pile of tortilla chips for a party and people were basically scraping the pan. Don’t underestimate the power of "build-your-own" setups, especially if you’ve got a picky crew or someone who’s suddenly decided they don’t eat tortillas anymore (kids these days...)

So, there you have it—my do-it-in-my-sleep crockpot carnitas. Let me know if you try it (and what you smother it with), or if you’re the one whose leftovers only last until breakfast the next morning. Good luck—not that you’ll need it, honestly!

Crockpot Carnitas