Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas

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Heavenly pork carnitas made easy!

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Are you craving juicy, fall-apart pork that’s exploding with flavor? You’ve come to the right place. These Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas are literally worth dreaming about. This melt-in-your-mouth pork dish is cooked low and slow in a Crock-Pot, which shaves off significant calories and boosts the recipe’s nutritional value. We love these carnitas because of their incredible flavor, guilt-free profile, and ability to star in countless recipes.

Crave-Worthy and Unforgettable

These Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas will melt-in-your-mouth!

Our Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas spotlight lean pork loin, a lighter, reduced-calorie alternative to its full-fat counterpart. We’ve dressed up the meat with a whole bunch of irresistible, nutrient-rich spices like smoked paprika, cumin, and oregano. Garlic and onion also create bold flavor while delivering anti-inflammatory properties. Meanwhile, lime juice adds a tangy finishing touch to these crave-worthy carnitas.

Easy Peazy Instructions

These carnitas are dressed up with a whole bunch of irresistible, nutrient-rich spices like smoked paprika, cumin, and oregano

These carnitas couldn’t be easier to make. All you need to do is combine a handful of spices and coat each side of pork loin with the seasoning. Next, cover the meat and let it sit for at least an hour or as long as overnight. Afterward,  place the dressed-up pork loin into the slow cooker and lay the garlic and onion on top. Finally, squeeze some lime juice over the meat, and cook it on high for four to eight hours, until it’s shreddable.

A Feel-Good Nutritional Profile

These pork carintas taste amazing when served with tortillas, rolled up in lettuce wraps, or turned into burrito bowls with some Cilantro Lime Basmati Rice

This pork dish clocks in at fewer than 350 calories and just 13 grams of fat. Meanwhile, it packs a major protein punch with 49 grams per serving! That means it’ll fill you up for hours on end without weighing you down with a heavy caloric profile. Not to mention that it only contains 5 grams of carbohydrates, making this irresistible pork carnitas recipe keto-friendly.

Pork carnitas tastes amazing when served with tortillas, rolled up in lettuce wraps, or turned into burrito bowls with  Cilantro Lime Basmati Rice. Or experience a uniquely delicious marriage of flavors by pairing it with this Spicy Mango Salsa. Finally, you really can’t go wrong by dishing these carnitas up with chopped lettuce, pico de gallo, and of course, guacamole.

A Shout-Out To Our Slow Cooker

You can leave your carnitas in a slow cooker all day and come home to the irresistible fragrance of a delicious meal.

When it comes to making flavorful recipes cooked to perfection, we have to give the slow cooker some major credit. You have so much control with this seemingly magical appliance! After adding your prepped ingredients into the bowl, simply adjust the cooking time and let the device work its magic. Unlike stove-top or oven-baked dishes, you don’t have to stay home while using a slow cooker! In fact, you can leave it on all day and come home to the irresistible fragrance of a delicious meal waiting to be devoured.

From meat dishes and pasta courses to soups, stews, and sauces, possibilities are endless with a slow cooker. If you enjoyed this delectable pork carnitas dish, check out these healthy slow cooker recipe ideas.

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Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas

Heavenly pork carnitas made easy!
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 8 hours
Total Time 8 hours 5 minutes
Yield 8 people
Serving Size 0.5 cup
Course Dinner, Lunch, Main Course
Cuisine Tex-Mex

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon chili powder
  • 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 2 teaspoons dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 4 pounds pork loin center cut, lean
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • 1 yellow onion quartered
  • 3 cloves garlic crushed
  • 2 limes

Instructions

  • In a small bowl, combine the chili power, paprika, cumin, oregano, salt, black pepper, and red pepper. Mix well. Place the pork loin in a large bowl and coat each side in the spice mixture. Pour chicken broth over pork, cover and let sit, refrigerated, for an hour or up to overnight for best flavor.
  • After the pork has rested, place in the slow cooker. Place the garlic and onion around the pork. Cut the limes in half and squeeze the juice over the meat. Pour the chicken broth over pork. Cook on high for 4 hours or on low for 8 hours, until the pork is tender.
  • After the pork is cooked, remove the lime halves from the slow cooker, drain all but about 1/2 cup of liquid from the slow cooker, and shred the pork. Serve.

Nutrition Information

Serving: 0.5cup | Calories: 321kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 52g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 143mg | Sodium: 423mg | Potassium: 945mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 788IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 40mg | Iron: 2mg |
SmartPoints (Freestyle): 6
Keywords Slow Cooker

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Chef Nichole

Nichole has a culinary degree from Great Lakes Culinary Institute and has worked in the culinary industry for 10 years. She also has the knowledge to write recipes using the most nutritious, fresh, and balanced ingredients. Nichole enjoys creating healthy and tasty recipes anyone can prepare, no matter their cooking skill level.

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2 Comments

    1. Karin, Yes, add 2 cups chicken broth or water if preferred. I updated the recipe with this information.

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