Slow Cooker Carnitas

This recipe graciously stolen from Sarah Kate Gillingham at The Kitchn.

(Picture to come.)

The Goods
1 (6- to 8-pound) pork shoulder, boneless or not
2 tablespoons coarse salt
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon garlic powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
4 chipotle peppers (dried)
1/2 cup tomato juice
2 1/2 cups orange juice

The Gettin’
1.  Combine all of the ingredients in a slow cooker and cook on the lowest setting you have time for (at least 8 hours, 10 is ideal.)  If your shoulder had a bone, it should literally fall off the bone when it’s time.
2.  While it’s cooking, you don’t really want it to boil, so should you see some intense boiling action, just crack open the lid a little bit.  Pork shoulder is a hardy piece of meat, so don’t fret over it.  🙂
3.  When it’s finished cooking, shred the meat!  Again, it should be very easy to do so after cooking for so long.

The Take
These are good!  I love carnitas, so I appreciate having an easy, low-prep recipe for them where all I have to do is combine some ingredients in a slow cooker.  For my money, the other carnitas recipe on this site is better, but sometimes you just don’t have the time or want to expend the effort. 🙂


Total Time:
  10 hrs 15 minutes (all but 15 min inactive)
Prep – 15 minutes
Yield:  18 to 24 servings of carnitas

Level: Easy

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