Crockpot Pork Carnitas (Mexican Pulled Pork)
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
These Crockpot Pork Carnitas are the lazy way to Mexican pulled pork, and they’re better for it. Beer and a cinnamon stick do the work most recipes leave to chance. Ten minutes of prep, then you walk away for eight hours.
Crockpot Pork Carnitas
I’ve made carnitas more ways than I can count, and this is the version I keep coming back to. Most recipes lean on orange juice alone and call it a day. Mine adds a light beer and a whole cinnamon stick, and that combination is doing more than you’d think. The beer keeps things from tasting flat and sweet, the way straight OJ sometimes does after eight hours of cooking down. The cinnamon doesn’t make it taste like dessert, it just rounds out the chili and cumin so the whole thing tastes deeper instead of just hotter.
This isn’t fussy food. Throw everything in the crockpot, forget about it, come back to pork that falls apart when you look at it wrong.
Why Make These Carnitas
- Ten minutes of prep, zero minutes of babysitting. The crockpot does the actual cooking.
- Beer and cinnamon give it a flavor most carnitas recipes don’t have. You’ll taste the difference.
- Freezes like a dream. Better reason to make a double batch than most.
- One recipe, five dinners. Tacos, burritos, quesadillas, nachos, or straight out of the bowl standing at the counter.
I thought I had commented on this recipe last night but I don’t see it. If I did, then your recipe get 10 stars! The aroma throughout the day was driving us crazy. I invited my brother and sister-in-law for dinner, along with my son. My brother had 3 helpings, my sil 2 and my son 2. It was out of this world and I followed the recipe to a tee but only used 2# of pork shoulder. Our sides were pico de gallo, sliced avocado with lemon and salt, taco sauce and shredded taco sauce. It was so delicious! Thank you for sharing, Jo. ~Karen
Ingredient in Pork Carnitas
- Pork shoulder (4 pounds): This is the only cut that works here. It’s got enough fat to survive eight hours of cooking and still come out juicy instead of dry and sad. Skip the tenderloin, it’ll shred into mush and taste like nothing.
- Onion (1 large, quartered): Just needs to soften and flavor the liquid. Nobody’s eating the onion.
- Garlic powder, cumin, chili powder, onion powder, oregano: Your base seasoning. Nothing exotic, just the right amount of each so the pork tastes like something instead of just salty.
- Cinnamon stick: Don’t skip this. It sounds like an odd guest at a savory party, but it mellows out the chili powder and adds warmth you can’t get any other way. Ground cinnamon works in a pinch, but a stick gives you flavor without turning your pork brown and gritty.
- Orange juice: Adds acidity and a little sweetness that balances the spice. Fresh or from a carton, the pork won’t know the difference.
- Beer: A light lager or a Mexican beer like Modelo. This is what keeps the sauce from tasting like orange syrup after hours of reducing. If you don’t drink or don’t have any on hand, swap in chicken broth, you’ll lose a little depth but it’ll still work.
- Bay leaves: Background flavor. If you’re out, a quarter teaspoon of dried thyme per leaf gets you close enough.
How To Make Pork Carnitas In The Crockpot
Cut your pork shoulder into big two inch chunks and trim off any thick slabs of fat, you don’t need to be precious about it. Toss everything else into the crockpot first, the onion, spices, cinnamon stick, bay leaves, orange juice, and beer, then add the pork and stir it all together so every piece gets coated. You want the liquid to just about cover the meat. If it doesn’t quite, that’s fine, the pork will release its own juices as it cooks.
Set it on low for eight hours or high for five and walk away. This is not a recipe that rewards checking on it. Low and slow is what breaks down the collagen in the shoulder and turns it tender instead of tough, so resist the urge to crank the heat to speed things up. You’ll just end up with pork that’s cooked through but still fights you when you try to shred it.
Once it’s done, pull the meat out with a slotted spoon and shred it with two forks right there on a cutting board or back in the pot. Spoon some of the cooking liquid over it to keep it moist, or strain the rest and turn it into a gravy while the pork rests. If you want that classic crispy edge, spread the shredded pork on a baking sheet and run it under the broiler for a few minutes, or crisp it in a hot skillet with a splash of the cooking liquid. Either way, don’t walk away this time. Crispy turns to burnt fast.
Get This Right
- Cranking the heat to save time. Eight hours feels like a long time when you’re hungry now, but bumping it to high the whole way through just cooks the outside faster while the collagen in the shoulder never gets the chance to break down properly. You’ll end up with pork that’s technically done and still chewy in a way that low and slow never is. If you’re short on time, high for five hours is fine. Low the whole way is better.
- Not enough liquid in the pot. The orange juice and beer should come close to covering the pork, not just splash around the bottom. Too little liquid and the top layer of meat dries out before it ever gets tender, no matter how long you leave it in there. If it looks a little short when you’re loading the crockpot, add a splash more broth. It won’t hurt anything.
- Skipping the crisp. I get it, the pork’s already tender and you’re hungry. But soft carnitas straight out of the crockpot are pulled pork with better seasoning, not carnitas. The broiler or the skillet is what gives you those crispy, caramelized edges that make the whole dish. Five extra minutes, worth it every time.
- Buying a lean cut because it was on sale. Pork loin looked tempting at the store, I get it. But this recipe depends on the fat in a pork shoulder rendering down over eight hours to keep everything juicy. A lean cut just dries out and falls apart into strings that taste like not much. Spend the extra couple dollars on the shoulder.
- Walking away during the crisping step. You just spent eight hours being patient. Don’t blow it in the last five minutes. Broilers and hot skillets turn golden into burnt fast, and there’s no undoing it once it happens. Stand there, watch it, pull it the second it looks right.
How To Serve Carnitas
This is where carnitas earns its versatility. Tacos are the obvious move, but I’ve loaded these into breakfast burritos with scrambled eggs, pickled beets, and a drizzle of the gravy, and it might be my favorite use for it.
It’s also great spooned over some Mexican rice with some fresh Pico de Gallo and my delicious guacamole.
Leftovers
Store leftover pork in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. It freezes well too, up to 3 months, though it’ll lose a bit of texture the longer it sits. Reheat gently with a splash of the reserved liquid so it doesn’t dry out.
More Delicious Recipes To Try
Before You Begin! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.
Crockpot Pork Carnitas
Video
Ingredients
- 4 pounds pork shoulder
- 1 large onion (quartered)
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 1 teaspoon oregano (dried)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 stick cinnamon
- 1 cup orange juice
- 12 ounce beer
Before You Begin! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.
Instructions
- Cut the pork shoulder into 2 inch chunks and trim excess fat.
- Add the onion, garlic powder, cumin, chili powder, onion powder, oregano, salt, pepper, bay leaves, cinnamon stick, orange juice, and beer to the crockpot and stir. Add the pork and stir again until it's coated. The liquid should come close to covering the pork.
- Cook on low for 8 hours or high for 5 hours, until the pork shreds easily with a fork.
- Remove the pork with a slotted spoon and shred it with two forks. Spoon some of the cooking liquid over the meat, or strain the rest to make a gravy.
- Serve on tacos, burritos, tamales, or sandwiches.
Equipment
Notes
- Crispy carnitas: Line a baking sheet with foil, spread the shredded pork out in a single layer, and broil for 3 to 5 minutes. Stay close, it goes from golden to gone in about ninety seconds.
- Skillet method: Heat a tablespoon of oil in a large skillet, add the pork with a splash of the cooking liquid, and let the liquid evaporate before flipping. Same crispy result, a little more control.
- Gravy: Strain the leftover cooking liquid into a saucepan, whisk in 2 to 3 tablespoons of flour, and bring to a boil over medium heat, whisking until it thickens up.
- No beer on hand: Swap in an equal amount of chicken broth. You’ll lose a little depth, but it still works.
- Storage: Keeps in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- Nutrition: Calculated for the pork only, not for tacos, burritos, or whatever you pile it into. Add those separately if you’re counting.
Nutrition Information
Notice: Nutrition is auto-calculated for your convenience. Where relevant, we recommend using your own nutrition calculations.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use pork tenderloin instead of pork shoulder?
You can try, but you won’t like the results. Tenderloin is too lean for eight hours of slow cooking, it’ll dry out and shred into something closer to sawdust than pulled pork. Pork shoulder’s fat is what keeps this juicy. Don’t fight it.
Do I have to use beer? I don’t drink.
No. Swap in an equal amount of chicken broth. You’ll lose a little of the depth the beer adds, but the pork will still be good. Nobody’s going to send it back.
Can I skip the cinnamon stick?
You can, but it’s the ingredient doing the most interesting work here, so I wouldn’t. If you’re out, a quarter teaspoon of ground cinnamon stirred in gets you close, just don’t dump in more thinking extra is better. This isn’t a snickerdoodle.
Can I cook this from frozen?
Please don’t. The outside will overcook long before the middle catches up, and you’ll end up with pork that’s somehow both dry and undercooked. Thaw it first, your future self will thank you.
What’s the best way to crisp it up?
Broiler or skillet, your call. The broiler’s easier if you’re feeding a crowd, the skillet gives you slightly more control so nothing goes from golden to charcoal in the ninety seconds you looked away. Either way, keep an eye on it. Crispy carnitas and burnt carnitas are separated by about two minutes.
Can I make this in an Instant Pot instead?
Yes. Same ingredients, pressure cook on high for about 90 minutes, then let the pressure release naturally before shredding. You’ll get there faster, but you lose a little of the low and slow magic. Worth it if you forgot to plan eight hours ahead, which, no judgment, we’ve all been there.
Can I double this recipe?
Yes, as long as your crockpot can actually hold it. Double every ingredient, but don’t double the cook time, eight hours on low is still your target. Just make sure the pork’s mostly submerged, and don’t be surprised if it needs an extra thirty minutes if your crockpot’s on the smaller side.
