Crockpot Carnitas

The best part about Tuesdays? TACOS! Tonight I'm sharing a super easy carnitas recipe. You just have to plan ahead as this one is done in the crockpot! The best part about this recipe aside from the fact that it's easy and tasty? It's actually super low cal! You can make it ahead of time to meal prep (heats up great) or throw it on before work or a busy day, and it'll be done by dinner. I served the carnitas as tacos this time, but you can also make rice bowls or salads with it.

For the carnitas you'll need pork (I usually use pork shoulder or belly but these giant boneless chops were on sale at Costco and since you're cooking them so long in the crockpot they work just fine), chipotles in adobo, garlic, chipotle chili powder, cumin, oregano, coriander, turmeric, bay leaves, salt, pepper and chicken broth.

Heat some olive oil in a large skillet. Season pork with salt and pepper on all sides. Sear all sides well. Don't crowd, work in batches.

Transfer to crockpot. Top with rest of seasoning and garlic cloves.

Add chipotles and adobo sauce, bay leaves and cover with chicken broth. Cook on low 9 hours or high 6.

Remove pork to a plate and cool slightly. Shred with forks. Remove bay leaves from crockpot and all but 1 cup of sauce. Add pork back to crockpot and cook one more hour.

Use whatever taco toppings your little heart desires but for this recipe I love toasted shells, my cilantro lime rice, chipotle black beans (recipes below), avocado, cilantro and a squeeze of fresh lime.

Enjoy!

Cilantro-Lime Rice

Chipotle Black Beans

And if you like this recipe you'll love my Chipotle copycat barbacoa tacos!

Chipotle’s Honey Vinaigrette Copycat

Crockpot Carnitas

 

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Prep time

20 mins

Cook time

9 hours

Total time

9 hours 20 mins

 

Serves: 8

Ingredients

• 3-4 lb pork (shoulder, belly, boneless chop)
• 1 can chipotles in adobo sauce, sliced
• 7-8 cloves of garlic, sliced
• 2 teaspoon ground salt
• 2 teaspoon ground pepper
• 1½ tablespoon chipotle chili powder
• ½ tablespoon cumin
• 1½ teaspoon oregano
• ½ teaspoon coriander
• ½ teaspoon turmeric
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• chicken broth (enough to cover in crockpot)
• For tacos: shells, cilantro-lime rice (recipe in post), chipotle black beans (recipe in post), avocado, lime, cilantro

Instructions

1. Season pork with salt and pepper.
2. Heat olive oil in large skillet over medium heat.
3. Sear pork on all sides.
4. Transfer to crockpot and add rest of seasoning and garlic.
5. Add chipotles in adobo, bay leaves and chicken broth.
6. Cook on high for 6 hours or low 9 hours.
7. Remove pork, shred with forks.
8. Remove bay leaves from crockpot and all but 1 cup of sauce.
9. Return pork to crockpot and cook another hour.
10. Serve with toppings of choice!

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