Mexican🥩 Meat

Crockpot Carnitas

Name: Crockpot Carnitas
Total time: 6 h
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 5 lb pork shoulder butt roast; 5 tsp salt; 1 tbsp black pepper; 1 tsp oregano; ½ tsp ground cumin; ¼ tsp ground clove; ¼ cups lard or bacon grease; 6 garlic cloves; 1 onion; 5 bay leaves; 1 orange; ½ cup Mexican coke

⏱ 360 min

An authentic Mexican crockpot carnitas recipe featuring slow-cooked, tender, and juicy pork shoulder infused with aromatic spices. The meat is seasoned with salt, pepper, cumin, oregano, and cloves, then braised with orange, bay leaves, and Mexican cola for a rich, flavorful dish. Perfect for tacos, burritos, or tortas, and can be broiled for a crispier finish.

Adapted from a video by Cooking Con Claudia

CROCKPOT CARNITAS: Authentic Mexican Flavor, Zero Effort last recipe of 2025!

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Ingredients

pork shoulder butt roast5 lb
salt5 tsp
black pepper1 tbsp
oregano1 tsp
ground cumin½ tsp
ground clove¼ tsp
lard or bacon grease¼ cups
garlic cloves6
onion1
bay leaves5

Steps

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1
Combine salt, black pepper, ground cumin, oregano, and ground clove in a bowl to make a seasoning mixture.
2
Cut the pork shoulder into large chunks and evenly coat all sides with the seasoning mixture.
3
Rub the inside walls of the crockpot with lard or bacon grease.
4
Place the seasoned pork into the crockpot.
5
Add garlic cloves, onion, and bay leaves to the pot. Squeeze the juice from one orange into the pot and add the orange peel as well.
6
Pour in half a cup of Mexican cola or regular cola and cover the crockpot.
7
Cook on low heat for about 10 hours or on high heat for 4-6 hours, depending on the size of the meat chunks, until the pork is tender and easily falls apart.
8
Remove the cooked pork from the crockpot and let it cool slightly. For a crispier texture, place the meat under the broiler for a few minutes.
9
Serve the carnitas on warm tortillas with lime juice, fresh cilantro, diced onion, and your favorite salsa.

Crockpot Carnitas

Ingredients

Steps

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