This carnitas recipe uses just a few simple ingredients and requires minimal prep. Juicy, tender Mexican pulled pork made with a dry rub, a pork roast, and citrus juices—easy and delicious.
You can make these carnitas in a slow cooker and have them ready in about 4 hours, or use an Instant Pot to finish in roughly 1.5 hours start to finish. If you crisp the meat in the oven, add about 10 minutes for broiling.
How to Make Easy Carnitas in the Crockpot
- Mix all dry-rub ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.
- Add the pork chunks to the Crockpot insert. Sprinkle half the dry rub over the pork and pat it in. Flip the pieces and pat the remaining rub on the other side.
- Pour the orange juice and lime juice over the pork. Close the lid and cook on high for 4 hours (or low for 7–8 hours). If the pork isn’t shreddable, continue cooking in 30-minute increments until tender.
- Remove pork from the Crockpot with a slotted spoon or tongs and place into a large bowl, reserving the cooking liquid. Shred the pork with two forks or tongs, discarding any large pieces of fat.
- If you’re not crisping the pork, mix in about 1½ cups of the reserved liquid and serve.
Want Crispy Carnitas?
Crisping adds fantastic texture and flavor. The quickest method is broiling, though pan-frying in a skillet also works well. I recommend crisping if possible.
How to Crisp Carnitas in the Oven
- Preheat the oven to high broil. Spread the shredded pork evenly on a sheet pan. Pour about ¾ cup of the reserved cooking liquid over the pork and toss to coat.
- Broil 4–5 minutes until edges are slightly browned and crisped—watch closely to avoid burning.
- Remove the pan, add another ¾ cup of reserved liquid, toss, and broil another 4–5 minutes until you reach the desired crispiness.
How to Crisp on the Stove-top
- Heat a little oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add a portion of the shredded carnitas in a single layer and cook a few minutes until edges begin to crisp. Stir, then add a small amount of reserved liquid to keep the meat moist.
- Cook a few more minutes to absorb the liquid. Work in batches to avoid crowding the pan.
Serve the carnitas as tacos with your favorite toppings. Our favorite is diced onion, cilantro, queso fresco, and sliced jalapeños, plus extra lime wedges. Leftovers are terrific for burritos, quesadillas, nachos, taquitos, omelets, enchiladas, and more.
Toppings to Try
- Mexican crema or a yogurt-based crema
- Fresh guacamole
- Creamy avocado sauce
Other Ways to Serve Carnitas
This carnitas recipe is great for meal prep because the leftovers are versatile. Use them in burritos, quesadillas, nachos, taquitos, enchiladas, omelets, or simply enjoy warmed with rice and beans.
Alternate Cooking Methods
Instant Pot Carnitas Instructions
- Prepare the pork and dry rub as in the Crockpot instructions. Close the Instant Pot lid and set the valve to sealing.
- Set Manual/Pressure Cook on high for 45 minutes. It takes about 15 minutes to come to pressure before the timer starts.
- Allow a 15-minute natural release, then turn the valve to venting to release any remaining pressure.
- Remove the pork with a slotted spoon, reserve the cooking liquid, shred the meat, and discard large pieces of fat.
- If you plan to crisp the carnitas, follow the crisping steps above. Otherwise, mix in about 1½ cups of reserved liquid and serve.
Stove-top Carnitas Instructions
- Prepare the pork and rub as for the Crockpot, then add ½ cup chicken broth and place everything in a stock pot or Dutch oven.
- Partially cover and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce to low and simmer about 2 hours, or until fork-tender. If still slightly tough, continue cooking in 30-minute increments.
- Remove pork, reserve the liquid, shred the meat, and discard large fat pieces. Crisp if desired, or stir in 1½ cups reserved liquid and serve.
Recipe Notes
- Pork roast: You can use bone-in pork shoulder; if using bone-in, choose a larger roast (4.5–5 lb) and cut around the bone. Cutting the roast into 3–4″ chunks shortens cook time and promotes even cooking, but you can cook a whole rubbed roast—plan for longer cook times (5–6 hours on high or 8–10 hours on low).
- Crisping: Oven broiling is the fastest and easiest method. For stove-top crisping, heat oil in a skillet, crisp the meat in batches, and add small amounts of reserved liquid between batches to keep the meat moist.
- Nutrition: Values are approximate for a ½-cup serving of shredded pork using a 3.5 lb boneless pork shoulder.
Ingredients (serves about 6)
- ¾ cup fresh orange juice (about 2 oranges)
- ¼ cup fresh lime juice (about 1 large lime)
- 3.5–4 lb boneless, skinless pork shoulder (pork butt), cut into 3–4″ chunks
Dry Rub
- 2½ teaspoons salt (or to taste)
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 2½ teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons oregano
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 1½ teaspoons chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional, to taste)
Enjoy!
If you try this recipe, please leave a review in the comments to share how it turned out.
Other easy “dump and go” taco meat recipes to try:
- Easy Mexican Shredded Beef
- Easy 3-Ingredient Shredded Chicken