You all have got to try these Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas Tacos!! So easy to make and the flavors are incredible. A pork shoulder is rubbed with oregano, cumin and olive oil. The addition of fresh squeezed orange adds just the perfect hint of brightness. I served the pork carnitas simply with warmed corn tortillas, avocado, cilantro and a bit of shredded cheddar.
Friends, today is a really fun day… its our Freaky Friday Spring recipe swap! A bunch of my fabulously talented blogger friends and I get assigned a blog to choose a recipe from then create and share with our readers. We don’t find out who we’ve been assigned until today! I was lucky enough to be assigned the incredible Michaela from An Affair From The Heart. Her recipes are always easy and so delicious! When I saw her recipe for Slow Cooker Carnitas I knew I needed to make it!
The wonderfully talented Michaela happens to also be the leader behind this fun event that I am so thankful to be a part of. On An Affair From The Heart she shares so many mouth watering recipes which of course made it really hard to choose one. I absolutely LOVED the sound of her Key Lime Pie Smoothie, Deconstructed Guacamole Salad and Cheesy Cornbread Drop Biscuits! There was something thought that drew me to her slow cooker carnitas! Maybe the ease of the slow cooker coupled with the incredible flavors. Either way as soon as I came across it, I knew I needed to make it and use the carnitas in tacos!
I followed Michaelas recipe exactly but cut it in half to suit just myself and my hubby eating it that night. Pork shoulder is such a perfect cut of meat for a slow cooker because it allows all that gorgeous marbling to melt and add so much flavor to the dish. Her seasonings are simple but amazing! salt, pepper, cumin, oregano, olive oil, red onion, jalapeño and fresh orange juice.
Looks amazing right?! Its that simple- slather the meat, pop in the slow cooker with the onion, jalapeño and orange juice. Set to low for 8 hours and let the slow cooker do the work. At the end of the 8 hours the pork just falls apart using a couple of forks. Add the shredded meat back into the slow cooker in the natural juices that developed to soak up all that flavor before serving.
There are SO many ways to enjoy the Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas- with some loaded nachos, on a toasted bun or TACOS which I couldn’t resist! I really wanted Michaelas pork to shine through so I kept things really simple. I LOVE corn tortillas so always go with them. I warm in a pan to get a little golden and more pliable and keep them warm in a clean dish towel or a tortilla warmer! To top things off a simple squeeze of lime, a slice of avocado, fresh cilantro and a sprinkle of shredded cheddar. DELICIOUS!!
- 2 1/2 lb pork shoulder bone-in roast
- 1/2 onion, chopped
- 1/2 jalapeno, seeded, ribs removed, chopped
- 2 tsp salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 orange, juiced
- 1 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 2 tsp olive oil
- corn tortillas, warmed
- avocado, slices
- cilantro
- limes
- shredded cheddar
- Mix together the olive oil, oregano and cumin, set aside.
- Rinse and dry your roast, rub in salt and pepper. Rub in oregano/cumin mixture.
- Place roast in slow cooker. Top with onions, garlic and jalapeño.
- Squeeze the juice of the orange over top.
- Cook on low for 8 hours, remove meat, shred.
- Skim fat off of the juice, return meat and juice to slow cooker.
- Warm the tortillas, keep warm in a clean dish towel. Serve pork carnitas with warm tortillas, shredded cheddar, avocado slices, fresh cilantro and lime wedges.
Please be sure to stop on by all the amazing other blogs to check out the sweet treats they are sharing today!
- A Grande Life – Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Dip
- An Affair from the Heart – Margarita Dip with Salted Pretzels
- Aunt Bee’s Recipes – BLT Pasta Salad
- Bowl Me Over – Macaroni Pasta Salad
- Hostess at Heart – Blueberry Buckle Recipe – Incredibly Easy To Make
- House of Nash Eats – Asparagus Tart
- Kylee Cooks – No Bake Blueberry Cheesecake
- LeMoine Family Kitchen – Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas Tacos
- Life Currents – Blackened Shrimp Pasta
- Lisa’s Dinnertime Dish – Spicy Thai Basil Slaw
- Mildly Meandering – Mediterranean Scalloped Potatoes
- Seduction in the Kitchen – Grilled Peach Caprese Salad
- Take Two Tapas – Spicy Bacon Wrapped Air Fryer Shrimp
- The Foodie Affair – Coconut Pie with Creamy Custard Filling
- The Speckled Palate – Instant Pot Macaroni and Cheese
Michaela Kenkel
Thank you for the very sweet words, my friend! You did an amazing job with the Carnitas! It’s 830 AM and I am wishing I had those tacos for breakfast!! So happy to have you in our group!! Hugs!!
Lisa@Lisa's Dinnertime Dish
These carnitas sound so delicious and look so juicy and amazing!
Deb
These tacos look outa this world!! Love that they are made in the slow cooker, great choice for an easy meal!
Brandi Burgess
I use my slow cooker SO much during busy sports seasons. It’s a lifesaver! Without it we spend way too much on fast food and dinner’s out. These Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas is going into my crock pot meal rotation!
Sandra Shaffer
One of our favorite Mexican dishes and the fact that these carnitas are slow cooked makes it a simple dish to make too! What a great recipe you picked. The whole family will love this.
Angela LeMoine
It was definitely so perfect! Easy to make, delicious and the perfect taco filling!
debi at Life Currents
I love the slow cooker during the summer. We plug it in in the backyard, cover it with a towel (so no bugs get on it), and let it cook away. I bet this smells so good. What a fun recipe
Angela LeMoine
Slow cookers are definitely so helpful in the summer!! No need to heat up the house.
Julie Menghini
Oh heavens, why haven’t I made these carnitas yet? You’re making me drool!
Angela LeMoine
I thought the same! So glad I went with this recipe because is SO GOOD!
Kylee from Kylee Cooks
What are wonderful meal – I love anything that does not require me to heat up my house!!
Kylee from Kylee Cooks
What a wonderful meal – I love anything that does not require me to heat up my house!!
Angela LeMoine
Yea, Michaela is fantastic and I am so glad I chose this recipe- we LOVED it!
michelel
Im looking for great slow cooker recipes for the summer since we are redoing our kitchen! This sounds perfect and delicious!
Angela LeMoine
This is a winner!! You are going to love how easy, tender and flavorful it is… making for a perfect taco.
Madi
Slow cooker meals are the best! I bet this is going to be my new favorite taco recipe!
Angela LeMoine
They really are so great!! Even on the busiest of day you can enjoy a homemade meal.
Erin Parker
I’m a sucker for carnitas, and I love that you pared this recipe down so you and your husband could eat it (and not have to eat leftovers for an entire week!) And making it in the slow cooker? So darn good.
I cannot wait to try these!
Angela LeMoine
Carnitas really are so good. I love how it all went together with simple tacos- really letting the meat shine.
Jennifer Stewart
We love carnitas in our house and this recipe is perfect for us. Love a good throw it all in a pot and let it cook meal.
Angela LeMoine
Yes! So easy to make and so much flavor! Great weeknight meal!
Lori V
This carnitas recipe sounds divine. I really enjoy flavorful dishes like this, can’t wait to add this to my menu.
Angela LeMoine
They really are so good!! I think you’ll love them too.
Amy Nash
Carnitas is a favorite around here as well. I may just have to make this for Cinco de Mayo this year. It sounds so good!
Angela LeMoine
Definitely give them a try! The meat is so tender and full of flavor.
Deanna
This looks amazing!!! I love slow cooked meat and the flavors!! WOW!