This slow cooker carnitas recipe with tangy salsa verde and citrus-y Cuban mojo marinade is a set-and-forget dinner that'll simplify your weeknights.
Prep Time15 minutesminutes
Cook Time8 hourshours
Additional Time20 minutesminutes
Total Time8 hourshours35 minutesminutes
Ingredients
3lbboneless pork roast
4tablespoonsvegetable oil, divided
16ozsalsa verde
20ozmojo marinade, for store bought, try Badia mojo
8large cloves garlic, minced
Optional, For Serving
flour tortillas, or corn tortillas
corn salsa
guacamole
Mexican crema, or sour cream
pico de gallo, or diced cilantro, tomato, and onion
lime wedges
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Instructions
Slow Cooker:
Heat a large heavy bottomed pot to medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil. Sear pork on all sides.
Add pork, salsa verde and mojo marinade to a 7+ quart crockpot. Stir to combine. Cover and cook for 8 hours on low.
Shred pork in a large bowl and reserve the liquid pork was cooked in.
Optional: Make The Carnitas Crispy
In a large heavy bottomed pot, heat 2 tablespoons of oil over medium-high heat. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add pork to pot and toss to coat in olive oil and garlic.
Add 1.5 cups of liquid you saved that the pork cooked in. Cook, tossing often until liquid has cooked out. Repeat this step. (You can continue doing this as many times as you want until the meat has tons of flavor. I usually do this twice and taste to see.)
Once your meat is flavored to your taste, spread the pork out into an even layer. Cook over high heat, turning once or twice, until sizzling and crispy in spots. (Check below for oven directions.)
Notes
Store: Place it in an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 5 days.Freeze: Transfer it to freezer-friendly bags or containers in serving-size portions. Freeze for up to 3 months. For best results, thaw overnight in the fridge.Reheat: Microwave in 30-second intervals until warm. You can also reheat it in a pan with a little oil over medium-high heat for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, to re-crisp!Spicy: Finely chop up a couple of jalapeños or a couple of serrano peppersand add them to the slow cooker for some heat. You can also just use a spicy salsa.Add Beer: Swap the mojo marinade completely for Lager beer. It’ll add subtle hints of barley and nuts.AddOnion: Slice an onion in thin strips and sauté garlic and onion until tender before adding the shredded pork to a skillet.Crisp In Oven: If you prefer to use the oven, spread your shredded carnitas onto a baking sheet and broil them for a few minutes, until crisp. Watch closely!