I have made this Carnitas Recipe more times than I could possibly count for more occasions than I could possibly remember. The meat is crispy on the outside, super flavorful, fall-off-the bone tender, and couldn't be easier to prepare.
The recipe makes enough for a crowd or for plenty of leftovers that you can use throughout the week or freeze for later, and includes instructions for making them in your slow cooker or instant pot. And, crisping the carnitas in the oven all at once instead of frying them in batches makes this recipe even easier.
"Best carnitas I have ever made! This is the only recipe I will use from now on, Thank you!!!" - Cynthia
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Why This Recipe Works
- This recipe is super easy and requires very little hands-on time to prepare. Dump all the ingredients in a slow cooker or instant pot and let the meat cook until falling apart tender. Shred, crisp in the oven, and you're done.
- Carnitas are the ultimate crowd pleaser. I have made these carnitas for graduation parties, birthday parties, back yard cookouts, open houses, and every other situation in which I am tasked with feeding a large number of people. Everyone, and I mean everyone, loves them.
- Leftover carnitas in my refrigerator and/or freezer is the BEST THING EVER. I love making Carnitas for a crowd, but I also love to make them when it's just my husband and I at home to eat them because it means there will be plenty left over. Leftover carnitas can be used to make burritos, tacos, soup, nachos, quesadillas, sandwiches, wraps, grain and veggie bowls, anything and everything.
These carnitas have been a favorite meal around our home for a really long time. A few years ago I served them for Thanksgiving, right along side the turkey.
At the end of the day, we had tons of leftover turkey, while only a few lonely pieces of carnitas remained. Next year, I skipped the turkey altogether and just doubled the amount of carnitas.
Besides being SO good, this recipe is also SO easy. Put a pork roast in your Slow Cooker or Instant Pot, dump everything else on top, and go about your day while the roast transforms into deliciously tender pieces of pulled pork heaven.
What are Carnitas?
Carnitas are simply Mexican pulled pork. The traditional way of making carnitas is to cook pork shoulder slowly in a large pot filled with lard until the meat is tender and crispy on the outside.
It's freaking fantastic and not something I would ever say no to, especially if I was actually in Mexico or lucky enough to find myself in an authentic Mexican restaurant.
But, I am not in the habit of keeping vats of lard in my pantry. Nor do I want to deal with the storage and disposal of a giant container of pork fat.
So, when I make carnitas at home, I take a different approach and rely on my slow cooker or instant pot. The result is really, truly genuinely delicious and extremely similar in flavor and texture to traditional carnitas.
Even better, the process requires very little effort and makes enough carnitas for a crowd or to ensure you have enough left over to freeze or use throughout the week.
How To Make Carnitas in 3 Simple Steps:
#1. Put a pork shoulder roast into the bowl of a Slow Cooker or Instant Pot and add beer or chicken stock, chopped onion, garlic, and peppers, and a handful of spices and let it cook.
Which is better, slow cooking or pressure cooking carnitas?
Both. The meat will be just as tender and delicious either way. Choose the slow cooker option if you want to get the carnitas started and then take off for the day. If you want the meat to be done in a couple of hours, pressure cook the meat in an Instant Pot.
#2. Set the super tender cooked pork on a tray and pull it apart into pieces. (By the way - your kitchen will smell soooooooo good right now.)
#3. Douse the carnitas with the cooking liquid and set them under the broiler to get all crispy and delicious.
Time to eat.
What To Do With Leftover Carnitas
- Use as the filling for tacos, or as a topping for nachos or tostadas
- Use instead of chicken or turkey in Dutch Oven Pot Pie
- Use inside Cheesy Crispy Corn Tortilla Quesadillas
- Use instead of pork ribs in Pork Green Chili.
- Make Burritos: Fill flour tortillas with carnitas, beans, cheese, and anything else you like in your burritos. Heat and serve smothered in Pork Green Chili.
- Use to make Spanish Potato Soup. "This soup is absolutely amazing!! My parents will spend all day crafting carnitas for a fine dinner on it’s own, and then beg me to make this soup with the leftovers. The soup gets all the glory and love. I feel like I’m practically cheating because they did all the hard work the day before. I just swoop in with potatoes, cheese, bacon, and broth." - Mike
- Use as a topping for a Baked Potato Bar
- Make Quinoa Veggie Carnitas Bowls
- Make this delicious Taco Salad with Pork Carnitas
- Add Carnitas in-between the layers of tortillas and cheese in this Enchilada Casserole
Also, in the fall, there is nothing better than a plate of carnitas with some roasted pumpkin broccoli and a plate of flaky buttermilk biscuits. I'm telling you. This combination rocks.
And for your next backyard BBQ, serve carnitas along with these incredibly delicious smoked baked beans from Sherry at From Michigan To The Table. Add some mustard potato salad and a pitcher of Dirty Shirley cocktails and then invite me over, please. 😋
What to Serve with Carnitas:
- Homemade Flour Tortillas. If you really want a treat, make a batch of Homemade Flour Tortillas to go with your Carnitas. If you've never made them before, Homemade Tortillas are much easier to make than you might expect. And, they are so much better than prepared, packaged tortillas they deserve their own category.
- Homemade Black Beans. Cooking a pot of dried beans is super easy and produces the creamiest, most flavorful beans.
- Salsa Verde {Roasted Tomatillo Sauce}. Tomatillos and poblano peppers are charred under high heat until smoky and tender, then cooked with garlic, cumin and lime for a concentrated, bright and tangy, slightly spicy tomatillo sauce that does triple duty as a sauce, marinade, or salsa verde.
- Chimichurri Sauce. Chimichurri sauce is a magical green sauce that’s one of the best ways to instantly brighten a dish with fresh flavor and color. Aside from being totally delicious, it’s healthy, versatile, and super quick to prepare.
- Pico de Gallo. This all-purpose Pico de Gallo recipe is a jumping off point for all sorts of fresh salsa variations. Add roasted poblano peppers, thinly sliced radishes, black beans, fresh corn, mango, pineapple, or anything else you like to build a spectacularly flavorful salsa.
And, in the summer, when we've hauled home a bounty of sweet corn from the local farmer's market, there's nothing better than a plate of carnitas served with corn ribs and cilantro lime sauce or a huge helping of Mexican avocado salad. Especially if there's peach cobbler for dessert.
What are Carnitas Without a Margarita?
I guess you can serve carnitas without margaritas, but why would you want to? Here's a few of my favorites:
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📖 Recipe
Pork Carnitas (Instant Pot or Slow Cooker)
I have used this Carnitas Recipe more times than I could possibly count for more occasions than I could possibly remember. The meat is crispy on the outside, super flavorful, fall-off-the bone tender, and couldn't be easier to prepare.
The recipe makes enough for a crowd or for plenty of leftovers that you can use throughout the week or freeze for later, and includes instructions for making them in your slow cooker or instant pot. And, crisping the carnitas in the oven all at once instead of frying them in batches makes this recipe even easier.
NOTE ABOUT THE COOK TIME FOR THIS RECIPE: The amount of time these Carnitas take to cook will depend on whether you cook them in a Slow Cooker or Instant Pot (or using the slow cooker setting on an Instant Pot).
Using a Slow Cooker, the pork will take 8-9 hours on low or 5-6 hours on high. In an Instant Pot set to pressure cook at high pressure, the pork will take 2 hours and 30 minutes.
If you give this recipe a try, let me know! Scroll down to rate this recipe and leave a comment for me!
Ingredients
- 6-8 lb (2700 - 3600g/ 96 - 128oz) bone-in pork shoulder roast
- 2 cups (500ml) beer or chicken stock (use any kind of beer except "light")
- 1 yellow onion, peeled and roughly chopped
- 2 tablespoon minced garlic (6-8 cloves)
- 4 chipotle peppers in adobo, minced (*See note)
- 2 tablespoon brown sugar
- 2 tablespoon ground cumin
- 2 tablespoon ground oregano
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 tablespoon ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon salt + plus more for sprinkling
Instructions
- Put the pork roast into the bowl of an Instant Pot or Slow Cooker.
- Dump all of the remaining ingredients into a large bowl, whisk to combine, then pour over the pork roast.
- To cook in a Slow Cooker (or using the slow cooker setting on an Instant Pot): Cover and cook on low for 8-9 hours, or on high for 6-7 hours, until the roast is extremely tender and falling apart.
- To cook in an Instant Pot: Pressure Cook on high pressure for 2 hours and 30 minutes, then 15 minutes natural release. After 15 minutes, release the remaining pressure by turning the Venting Knob to venting position. Remove the lid carefully.
- Set the cooked pork roast on a large platter or cutting board and let rest until cool enough to handle.
- Pour the cooking liquid through a strainer into a bowl. Discard solids and reserve the liquid.
- Place a rack in the top position of your oven and preheat the broiler. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper.
- Using a couple of forks, shred the pork roast, removing the bone and any super fatty pieces. Spread the pork out into a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Drizzle about 1 & ½ cups of the reserved cooking liquid over the pork. Sprinkle with about 1 teaspoon of salt.
- Place the pan under the broiler and cook for 5 minutes, until the edges of the pieces of pork begin to brown and crisp. Remove from the oven, and use metal tongs or two large spoons to toss pieces around on the sheet. If there is little to no liquid on the bottom of the pan, douse with a bit more. Spread out into an even layer and put the pan back under the broiler for another 5 minutes until more of the pork edges are brown and crispy.
- Taste a piece of meat and sprinkle with a bit more salt if desired.
Notes
If you want your carnitas to be very mild: There are two ingredients that turn up the heat level on these carnitas: Chipotle peppers and chili powder. Used in the amounts recommended in the recipe, the carnitas will be at a medium to medium-low heat level. If you'd like them to be mild or spicy, adjust those ingredients accordingly.
How to store leftover Carnitas: Carnitas can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 4 days, or frozen for up to 3 months. To freeze, place some of the meat in a freezer zip top bag or other airtight container. Douse with a bit of the reserved cooking liquid (if you have any left), seal, and place in the freezer. Defrost in the refrigerator overnight or by placing the bag in a bowl of cold water and letting it sit for a couple of hours.
What can you do with leftover cooking liquid? If you like, you can save the leftover liquid that the carnitas have been cooked in to use in any kind of soup or stew. To save some freezer space, pour the liquid into a saucepan and let it boil until it's reduced by at least half and as much as ¾. This will allow the water to evaporate and concentrate the liquid's flavor. Then, you can freeze it in small portions (using an ice cube tray works well) and use the concentrated liquid to add a burst of flavor to soup or stew.
What to serve with Carnitas: If you really want a treat, make a batch of Homemade Flour Tortillas to go with your Carnitas. If you've never made them before, Homemade Tortillas are much easier to make than you might expect. And, they are so much better than prepared, packaged tortillas they deserve their own category.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
12Serving Size:
about ⅓ lbAmount Per Serving: Calories: 584Total Fat: 41gSaturated Fat: 15gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 22gCholesterol: 171mgSodium: 770mgCarbohydrates: 6gFiber: 1gSugar: 3gProtein: 45g
Peggy says
My husband does not eat pork. Could shredded chicken thighs be substituted.
RebeccaBlackwell says
Hi Peggy! I think chicken thighs would be a delicious substitute for pork but you won't need to cook them nearly as long. I think 5-6 hours on low if you're using a slow cooker. In the instant pot, chicken thighs should only take 15 minutes on high pressure with a natural release. I hope that helps! Please let me know if you have any questions and I'd love to hear how it comes out for you!
John Miller says
Carnitas is not "Mexican Pulled Pork". Pulled pork is shredded and Carnitas should be cubed, similiar to some recipes of Carne Asada. With that being said, this recipe is tasty and pretty tender.
Savita says
This recipe is definitely going to be very repetitive at my home. It turned out so delicious, even my husband loved it so much.
RebeccaBlackwell says
I am so happy to hear that Savita! Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment for me. I truly appreciate it! xo
Bianca says
I made this for the first time and the pork carnitas tasted so amazing. I made the Spanish soup from your recipe too; we love it! It’s my mom’s new favorite soup ever!!!
I have a question what to use with the liquid from the pork carnitas? I cannot find information about what to make with the liquid. I will plan to freeze it.
Thanks
RebeccaBlackwell says
Hi Bianca! I am so happy to hear that you and your mom liked this recipe, and the Spanish Potato Soup recipe, so much! Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a comment to let me know! I truly appreciate it!
To answer your question about the cooking liquid from the carnitas, you could absolutely save it to use in any kind of soup or stew. In fact, I love this idea and am going to add a note in the recipe for anyone else who wants to do the same.
To save some freezer space, pour the liquid into a saucepan and let it boil until it's reduced by at least half and as much as 3/4. This will allow the water to evaporate and concentrate the liquid's flavor. Then, you can freeze it in small portions (using an ice cube tray works well) and use the concentrated liquid to add a burst of flavor to soup or stew.
I hope that helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions! xo
Liz says
Oh my gosh! This looks so delicious! Will be trying this soon!
Cynthia G Del Favero says
Best carnitas I have ever made! This is the only recipe I will use from now on, Thank you!!!
RebeccaBlackwell says
This comment just made my whole morning Cynthia! I am so happy to hear that you like this recipe! Thank you so much for taking the time to let me know! xo
Johnny Murillo says
They made a bunch of carnitas in this big wok looking thing & I wanted to know if I could eat some after 4 days in my cold fridge. I know Google quoted you that they last 3 days in the fridge. But can I eat them after 4 days?
RebeccaBlackwell says
Hi Johnny! I think they'll probably be fine after 4 or 5 days. 3 days is just to keep it safe.
Amy Johnson says
Hi! OMGOSH we LOVE YOU!! and your other site, batter and dough, which was how I found this. We made the vanilla cake and Italian buttercream frosting for my daughter’s 4th birthday this year since we can’t go anywhere or do anything- both my kids were obsessed and no longer want any other cake or frosting 😂🤦♀️ Anyway, would it be possible to do this in the instant pot? Any idea on time? Thank you! And I’m gonna get fat making your food 😂🤷♀️ #worthit
RebeccaBlackwell says
Amy!!! Your comment just made my whole day! 🙂 To answer your question (or not answer your question) - I'm sure this recipe will work great in an instant pot, but I have no idea about how long it will take. I don't actually have an instant pot, so I haven't tested recipes like this one in one. I'm planning to get one later this year and go through and add instant pot instructions and timing to several recipes on here. Until then, if you make these carnitas in yours, will you let me know how long they took so I can add a note for other readers who might want to do the same?
And seriously, thank you so very much for your kind words. You really have made my day.
xo
Beejay says
I've never done carnitas in a slow cooker, so I'm eager to try this. When I make carnitas I usually make a lot (those little knobs of pork are like crack) so I can make a kind of chili with the leftovers as a base for my tamale pie. I grew up with cheese polenta/grits/cornmeal as the topping for tamale pie and still make it that way. More tamale-ish! 😉
RebeccaBlackwell says
Hi Beejay! I can't wait to hear what you think of these. They are a favorite in my house so I make them several times a year. The recipe makes quite a bit, so you should have plenty leftover for tamale pie. There are few things I love more than a good tamale - or tamale pie! Sooooooo delicious. 🙂 xo
Matt Allen says
I'm going to try this tomorrow! Question! Would it be best to freeze before, or after broiling? I was thinking of possibly doing before and then broiling the night we eat. Is this what you would recommend?
Thanks so much!
P.S first-timer visitor to this page. I'm bookmarking it 🙂
RebeccaBlackwell says
Hi Matt! Welcome! So happy you are going to try this recipe. It's truly one of my family's favorites. You can do either one, but I prefer to broil the meat right before eating it so that you get those nice crispy edges. Having said that, I often freeze carnitas that have already been broiled simply because we have too much left over to eat before it spoils. And, that works too.
Regardless of when you freeze the meat, be sure to cover it in plenty of the cooking liquid. The liquid will help keep it moist and is essential to keeping it from completely drying out when broiling. Please let me know if you have any other questions! And, I'd love to know what you think of these carnitas after you make them! xo