This Slow Cooker Carnitas recipe has been sponsored by MAGGI®. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
This tender, juicy and flavorful Carnitas recipe (Mexican pulled pork) can be made in the slow cooker or pressure cooker. It’s perfect for tacos, burrito bowls, quesadillas—even to eat as is, paired with rice and vegetables.
Carnitas
Carnitas is an easy and versatile recipe that can be made into a great number of delicious dishes, bringing ease and variety to your summer cooking. You can make tacos, burrito bowls, quesadillas, tostadas, salads, nachos, etc. The sky’s the limit with this one.
There really isn’t anything better than pork, slowly cooked until it’s super juicy and tender, and then crisped to golden perfection. It’s only made better when wrapped in a tortilla and topped with pickled onions, queso fresco, and fresh cilantro.
What Are Carnitas?
Carnitas is the Mexican version of pulled pork. It’s traditionally made with pork shoulder or pork butt and cooked slowly until the meat is super tender. This dish is the Mexican equivalent of Puerto Rican pernil and Dominican style roasted pork.
How to Make Pork Carnitas
This is a no-fail recipe that can be made in the oven, slow cooker, or pressure cooker, and the results will always be tender, juicy pulled pork.
To make this recipe, I seasoned the pork with cumin, oregano, chili powder and MAGGI® Chicken Bouillon before placing in the slow cooker with garlic, onion and lime juice to let it cook nice and slow on the high setting for 6 hours. If you want to make the cooking process faster, place the meat in a pressure cooker to cook on high for 90 minutes.
I enjoy cooking with Maggi. It’s a product I grew up with, seeing it being used at home since a very young age from both my mother and my grandmother.
This product is always in my pantry and part of my daily meals! It’s perfect to prepare delicious rubs for meats and other types of dishes, and it adds delicious flavor to enhance your dishes. I love that I can find the same seasoning my grandmother used in the Dominican Republic at my local Walmart in the Hispanic aisle.
After the meat has cooked, remove from the slow cooker and place on a baking sheet. Shred the meat using two forks and add to the broiler for about 5-7 minutes to crisp up the edges.
That is it! Now you have delicious tender meat to pair as you like. I love making carnitas tacos. Sometimes during summer days before a cookout, I prepare carnitas overnight in the slow cooker to bring to the cookout. We then grill vegetables and tortillas to pair with the meat.
Save on Maggi Chicken Bouillon! You can also earn $1 Cash Back on (1) MAGGI® Granulated Chicken Bouillon! For additional recipe inspiration and product information, check out Walmart.com.
Other Pork Recipes You Might Enjoy:
Slow Cooker Carnitas
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 teaspoons MAGGI® Granulated Chicken Bouillon
- 4 lb pork shoulder or pork butt skinless, boneless
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- 1 tablespoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 large onion, yellow
- 5 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2 cup lime juice, freshly squeezed
- 1 cup water
For serving
- Corn tortillas
- Pickled onions
- Cilantro
- Cotija cheese
- Avocado
- Corn, grilled
Instructions
- Rinse and dry the pork shoulder. Rub all over with cumin, oregano, bouillon, chili powder, salt and pepper.
- Place the pork in a slow cooker. Top with the minced garlic, onion, lime juice and water.
- Slow cook on low for 10 hours or on high for 6 hours.
- Pork should be tender enough to shred. Remove from slow cooker (reserve liquids), place onto a baking sheet, and let cool slightly. Then shred using two forks. Spread the meat evenly into one layer. Drizzle with 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid.
- Broil for 3 minutes, flip the meat, and broil another 3 more minutes.
- Serve hot with grilled vegetables, corn tortillas, and toppings of your choice.
natalia says
MMMM will try this soon.
Kate says
Yum! This looks amazing. The crispy edges are my favorite. Love the corn on the side too. The whole plate looks super delicious.