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Home » Slow Cooker » Slow Cooker Carnitas Tacos

August 5, 2019 By Sara 14 Comments

Slow Cooker Carnitas Tacos

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These slow cooker carnitas tacos are tender chunks of pork cooked in a crock pot, then stuffed into warm corn tortillas with red onion and cilantro. An easy and authentic meal that’s even better than what you would get at a restaurant.

My family loves taco night, and I often serve fish tacos, steak tacos or this easy carnitas tacos recipe. It’s fast, fresh, and totally delicious!

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Slow cooker carnitas tacos filled with meat, onions and cilantro.

I love to order carnitas at my local Mexican restaurant, I just adore the crispy exterior and tender interior of the meat. I’ve since learned to make these slow cooker carnitas tacos, and they’re a winner with my entire family!

How do you make slow cooker carnitas tacos?

To make authentic, flavorful carnitas in the slow cooker first develop the flavor of the pork by searing it in a pot with a little oil. The browned pork goes into a slow cooker with cumin, onion, bay leaves, oregano, lime juice, chicken broth and orange juice. After the pork has cooked for 4 hours, remove it from the slow cooker, spread it on a sheet pan and broil the meat until it is golden brown with crispy edges. When the pork comes out of the oven, you are ready to serve it shredded with your favorite taco ingredients.

Chunks of browned pork in a skillet.

Tips for crock pot carnitas

  • I like to brown my pork before it goes into the slow cooker for added flavor. If you’re in a hurry, you can skip this step and simply place your uncooked meat in the pot along with the seasonings.
  • This pork makes great leftovers, and can be stored in the fridge for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months. To freeze, store the pork in a resealable gallon sized bag, then thaw in the refrigerator.
  • There are two types of dried oregano sold at the grocery store – Mexican oregano and Greek oregano. Choose the Mexican oregano if it’s available to you.

Pork, onions, spices and bay leaves in a slow cooker.

What cut of meat is carnitas?

For flavorful, tender carnitas, you will want to use a boneless cut of pork with some marbling. I like to use boneless country ribs which are boneless strips of pork shoulder with a rib-like flavor, but they are not actually ribs. You can use any boneless chunks of pork shoulder (pork butt) for an excellent result.

A crock pot fillled with pork carnitas.

Carnitas tacos variations

Carnitas tacos are traditionally served with a simple garnish of onion and cilantro. You can add other ingredients to customize the tacos to your taste.

  • Taco Shell: For a crispy crunch, use hard corn shells. These carnitas also taste great with soft flour tortillas. If you’re watching your carbs, you can use butter lettuce leaves instead of tortillas.
  • Cheese: Feel free to add shredded cheese such as cheddar, Monterey Jack or cotija cheese.
  • Other Toppings: To make these tacos your own add toppings like avocado, salsa, lettuce, sour cream, olives or jalapeno peppers.

How to reheat carnitas

The best way to reheat carnitas is to heat them in the oven at 300 degrees F for 45 minutes. If you want the meat crispier, you can leave it in the oven a little longer. If you are low on time, you can reheat carnitas by microwaving the meat for a minute per cup of meat.

Slow cooker carnitas tacos filling on a sheet pan.

These slow cooker carnitas are a hassle free way to enjoy a classic Mexican dish. These carnitas are perfect for everyday dinners or to wow your friends with the authentic flavors.

More delicious Mexican recipes

  • Mexican Street Corn (Elote)
  • Stuffed Poblano Peppers
  • Mexican Stuffed Shells
  • Mexican Meatball Soup
  • Steak Tacos
Slow cooker carnitas tacos filled with meat, onions and cilantro.
Print Pin
5 from 15 votes

Slow Cooker Carnitas Tacos

These slow cooker carnitas tacos are tender chunks of pork cooked in a crock pot, then stuffed into warm corn tortillas with red onion and cilantro. An easy and authentic meal that's even better than what you would get at a restaurant.
Course Dinner
Cuisine Mexican
Keyword carnitas, carnitas tacos, slow cooker carnitas, slow cooker carnitas tacos
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 4 hours
Total Time 4 hours 20 minutes
Servings 8 servings
Calories 346kcal
Author Sara Welch

Ingredients

  • 4 pound boneless pork butt or boneless country ribs fat trimmed and cut into 2 inch cubes
  • 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
  • 3/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 onion peeled and quartered
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
  • 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
  • 1/3 cup orange juice
  • 16 corn tortillas
  • 1/2 cup cilantro chopped
  • 1/3 cup red onion finely diced

Instructions

  • Heat a large pot over medium heat, and add the oil. Season the meat with the salt and pepper and brown it in batches. Transfer the browned meat to a plate.
  • After all the meat is browned, place it in a slow cooker along with the cumin, onion, bay leaves, oregano, lime juice, chicken broth and orange juice.
  • Cover and cook on HIGH for 4 hours or LOW for 8 hours.
  • Remove the meat from the crock pot with a slotted spoon. Place the meat in a single layer on a sheet pan.
  • Broil the meat for 5-7 minutes or until golden brown and crispy.
  • Roughly shred the meat. Divide the meat between the tortillas. Top with cilantro and red onion, then serve.

Nutrition

Calories: 346kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 44g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 137mg | Sodium: 670mg | Potassium: 886mg | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 35IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 50mg | Iron: 3.1mg

Filed Under: Dinner, Slow Cooker Tagged With: Mexican Food, Pork, Tacos

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Comments

  1. Rae Barnhart says

    May 23, 2020 at 2:43 pm

    5 stars
    I’ve made these twice now. A little more effort than the average recipe but it comes with a HUGE payoff. These tacos are amazing

    Reply
  2. Madison says

    August 27, 2019 at 8:46 am

    5 stars
    These were amazing. Mine came out a little dry so I’m not sure what I did. Would love to make this again- any tips for ensuring I don’t dry them out.

    Thanks!

    Reply
  3. Suzy says

    August 13, 2019 at 11:55 am

    5 stars
    I never knew how easy it was to make carnitas at home! This is so delicious!

    Reply
  4. Irina says

    August 13, 2019 at 11:20 am

    5 stars
    We are in love with Mexican cuisine . Last night night I made these delicious tacos full of pork chunks and sprinkled with cilantro. It was YUMMY! Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
  5. Jordin says

    August 13, 2019 at 10:20 am

    5 stars
    Wow! Does this look so delicious, Im loving it! I need to try this.

    Reply
  6. Emmeline says

    August 13, 2019 at 10:08 am

    5 stars
    Wow! This looks so yummy! I love carnitas & everything mexican but never tried making specifically carnitas at home before – now I definitely will!!! 😀

    Reply
  7. Jamie says

    August 13, 2019 at 10:04 am

    5 stars
    I love how tender the pork turned out! So delicious!

    Reply
  8. Tawnie K Kroll says

    August 13, 2019 at 9:56 am

    5 stars
    These were so easy to make and the whole family loved them. Thank you!

    Reply
  9. Jen says

    August 12, 2019 at 11:13 pm

    5 stars
    Such an amazing meal for weeknights!

    Reply
  10. Melanie Bauer says

    August 8, 2019 at 8:29 am

    5 stars
    Awe, looks beyond delicious! This is definitely way better than store bought, can’t wait to try!

    Reply
  11. Erin | Dinners,Dishes and Dessert says

    August 7, 2019 at 11:29 pm

    5 stars
    This sounds amazing! I want to dive into my screen!

    Reply
  12. Des says

    August 7, 2019 at 9:32 am

    5 stars
    Carnita tacos are my favorite thing to order when we go out. I know have a delicious recipe to make at home and I can’t wait to get them started.

    Reply
  13. Catalina says

    August 7, 2019 at 7:16 am

    5 stars
    I never say No to a good taco recipe! And this one looks amazing!

    Reply
  14. Beth Pierce says

    August 6, 2019 at 9:43 pm

    5 stars
    Wow! These were perfectly flavored and so delicious! A restaurant worthy dish, indeed! Can’t wait to enjoy these again for taco Tuesday next week!

    Reply

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With 3 young kids, dinner can feel like feeding time at the zoo! I'm a mom on a mission to create easy, healthy and family friendly recipes ...Read More
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