Crockpot Carnitas

Delicious crockpot carnitas cooked with spices, lime juice, orange juice, and coke. Makes great tacos, enchiladas, or nachos!

Cooking this in the Crockpot makes this a simple weeknight dinner with very little prep!

This also makes a lot of pork, so plenty for leftovers to have throughout the week. 

When the pork is done, just take it out and shred it with some forks, but don’t toss the juice in the slow cooker! That juice tastes great served over the meat in tacos and enchiladas. So make sure you save it. 

My favorite is to serve these in the mini street taco soft shells topped with my Creamy Chipotle Sauce! The sauce has a bit of a spicy kick to it and goes perfect with the pork. 

Also if you can find it, use the coke with the real sugar in it, not the high fructose corn syrup! The real sugar helps break down the meat so that it is more tender. 

Check out some of my other Crockpot favorites!

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork: Delicious pulled pork rubbed with spices and slow cooked in root beer and apple juice.  Easy to make and feeds a crowd.  

Slow Cooker Baby Back Ribs: Delicious slow cooker baby back ribs, all done in the crock pot! Meat that just falls off the bone, cooked in a homemade BBQ sauce!

Crockpot Beef Stroganoff: Crockpot beef stroganoff made with beef stew meat in a creamy gravy sauce. A slow cooked, easy, and delicious family meal.

Slow Cooker Sloppy Joes: Delicious sloppy Joes all done in the slow cooker! With simple ingredients, it’s easy to feed the whole family.

Crockpot Chicken Tortilla Soup: Chicken tortilla soup with shredded chicken, loads of veggies, crispy tortilla strips and a savory broth. A healthy and easy weeknight meal. 

Pasta Fagioli in the Crockpot: A hearty Pasta Fagioli soup that is loaded with beans, veggies, and ground turkey.  An easy and healthy comfort soup!

Crockpot Pot Roast: Easy pot roast cooked in the crock pot. Tender meat that falls apart, and a homemade gravy to pour over the top!

Slow Cooker Beef Stew: Delicious slow cooker beef stew with potatoes, carrots, and peas in a savory stew sauce! Easy and healthy weeknight meal.

White Chicken Chili in the Slow Cooker: White chicken chili all done in the crockpot. Easy recipe made with chicken, northern beans, pepper jack cheese, salsa, and cumin. 

Ingredients for Crockpot Carnitas

4-5 pounds pork shoulder

5 cloves garlic

1 Tablespoon salt

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon oregano

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

juice of 2 limes

1/2 cup orange juice

12 ounces coke: Use the coke with real sugar, not high fructose corn syrup. The sugar helps to break down the meat while it is cooking to make it tender and fall apart.

How to make Crockpot Carnitas

To make the rub, add the salt, cumin, chili powder, black pepper, oregano, cinnamon, and cayenne pepper together.

Place the pork shoulder in the slow cooker and add the rub all over.

Pour in the orange juice, coke, and lime juice. Add the garlic and set the slow cooker on low for 8 hours.

Take out after 8 hours, the pork should be very tender and just fall apart.

Don’t toss the juice from the slow cooker! You will use it later to serve over the tacos.

Shred with forks on a separate tray.

As an extra step, you can put the meat on a baking tray and put it under the broiler for a few minutes to give it a nice crispy texture!

Serve in mini taco shells, pour a tablespoon of the juice from the slow cooker over each taco and top with the creamy chipotle sauce and cilantro. Find the recipe for the sauce here!

You can also add any of your own favorites like onions, cheese, avocados ,or tomatoes!

More recipes that go well with Crockpot Carnitas!

Blender Salsa: A delicious blender salsa that is done in 5 minutes. Fresh tomatoes make it taste like it’s from your favorite restaurant! 

Homemade Creamy Guacamole: Smooth and creamy homemade guacamole that tastes better than store bought!  So easy to make with just a few simple ingredients!

Cheesy Chicken Quesadillas: Toasty and flavor packed cheesy chicken quesadillas. An easy weeknight or lunch meal to satisfy any craving. 

Tex Mex Meatloaf: Delicious turkey meatloaf smothered in a Tex Mex gravy.  Fast and easy to make on one sheet pan in the oven.

Chicken Queso Dip: Chicken queso dip made with Velveeta cheese and Hormel white chicken chili. Quick and easy appetizer to serve for parties. 

Taco Soup: Easy taco soup with beans, ground beef, tomatoes, and seasonings. Combine ingredients and simmer for a fast and delicious weeknight dinner!

Homemade Taco Seasoning: Easy homemade taco seasoning made with simple spices. Made in minutes and ready to use for all your taco and Tex Mex dinner nights. 

Southwest Chicken Wrap: Southwest chicken wraps with a zesty flavor, makes a quick and healthy lunch!  Filled with lettuce, tomato, black beans, corn, and red pepper.

Black Bean Chili: A homemade black bean chili slowly simmered for a smoky flavor. Easy chili recipe for a weeknight meal or to make for a crowd!

Brandy Slushies: A frozen mixture of brandy, lemonade, orange juice, and black tea topped off with 7up.  Brandy Slushies are perfect for the summer!

Blueberry Whiskey Lemonade: A refreshing summer drink to cool you off on those hot summer days. Made with fresh blueberries, a homemade blueberry syrup, and honey whiskey. 

Chili Cheese Dip: Melty chili cheese dip made with Hormel chili and cream cheese. A warm and comforting dip that makes a perfect game day snack. 

Zucchini Pineapple Bread: Moist and fluffy zucchini pineapple bread!  Easy to make, enough for 2 loaves or makes great muffins!

Peach Cobbler: A peach cobbler recipe that is sweet and easy.  Comes together fast using fresh, canned, or frozen peaches.

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