Name: Slow Cooker Carnitas
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 360 min
Total time: 370 min
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; Corn tortillas; Pickled onions; Cilantro; Cotija cheese; Avocado; Corn, (grilled)

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

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.

Pork Carnitas tacos topped with pickled onions and lime slices, avocado and corn on the side.

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.

Baking sheet filled with pork carnitas and tortillas, avocado, grilled corn, pickled onions and queso fresco on the side.

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.

Baking sheet filled with pork carnitas and tortillas, avocado, pickled onions, grilled corn and queso fresco on the side.

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.

Pork Carnitas tacos topped with pickled onions and queso fresco and served with lime slices, avocado and grilled corn on the side.

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.

Pork carnitas tacos topped with pickled onions and queso fresco and served with lime slices, avocado and grilled corm on the side.

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:

5 from 3 votes