Crispy Slow Cooker Carnitas
Citrus-braised pork that shreds into ribbons, then gets its crispy edges under a hot broiler, which is the part most healthy carnitas skip. Built on pork loin instead of lard-braised shoulder, so a big serving lands at 280 calories and 42 grams of protein.
Method
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Mix the cumin, oregano, chili powder, garlic powder, and salt and rub it all over the pork.
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Put the pork in the slow cooker with the onion, garlic, and bay leaves, and pour over the orange juice, lime juice, and broth.
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Cook on low for 7 to 8 hours until the pork shreds easily.
💡 Tip: Low and slow is the rule for lean cuts. High heat squeezes them dry. -
Shred the pork with two forks, discarding the bay leaves. Strain and keep the cooking liquid.
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Spread the pork on a lined tray, toss with the oil and a few spoonfuls of cooking liquid, and broil 8 to 10 minutes until the edges crisp and catch.
💡 Tip: Watch it from minute 6. The line between crispy and burnt is about 90 seconds. -
Toss with a little more liquid and serve.
Notes
Pork loin is the lean engine here. Tenderloin works and is even leaner, but check it early, it cooks faster.
The broiler step is not optional. Crispy edges are the difference between carnitas and plain pulled pork.
Keep the strained cooking liquid and spoon it over before serving. It is the insurance against dryness.
Nutrition is the meat only. Track your tortillas, rice, or toppings separately.
Nutrition Information
| Calories | 300kcal |
| Total Fat | 11g |
| Total Carbohydrates | 5g |
| Protein | 46g |
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why pork loin instead of shoulder?
Traditional carnitas confit pork shoulder in its own fat, which is glorious and roughly triple the fat per serving. Loin plus citrus braise plus the broiler gets you the shreds, the flavor, and the crispy edges at 9 grams of fat.
What do I serve them in?
Tacos, burrito bowls, quesadillas, or straight over rice with black beans. The meat is deliberately a blank high-protein canvas, so it also drops into three different lunches from one cook.
How do leftovers hold up?
Four days in the fridge stored in the cooking liquid, or 3 months frozen the same way. Re-crisp under the broiler or in a hot dry pan rather than the microwave if you can.
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