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Crispy Slow Cooker Carnitas Recipe Easy Zesty Orange Edges Perfect

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This crispy slow cooker carnitas recipe delivers tender, melt-in-your-mouth pork with zesty orange edges and a perfect crispy finish. Ideal for busy weeknights, it combines slow cooking with a quick skillet crisping step for unbeatable flavor and texture.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 3–4 lbs pork shoulder (pork butt), well-marbled
  • 1 cup orange juice (freshly squeezed preferred)
  • Zest from 1 large orange
  • 4–5 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp dried oregano (Mexican oregano preferred)
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1.5 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • 1 medium onion, sliced
  • 2 tbsp vegetable or olive oil

Instructions

  1. Trim excess fat from the pork shoulder, leaving some marbling intact. Pat dry with paper towels.
  2. In a small bowl, mix salt, black pepper, cumin, and oregano. Rub the spice blend evenly all over the pork.
  3. Place sliced onion and bay leaves at the bottom of the slow cooker.
  4. Add the seasoned pork on top of the onions and bay leaves.
  5. Pour orange juice over the pork and sprinkle orange zest on top.
  6. Cover and cook on low for 7-8 hours or on high for 4-5 hours until pork is fork-tender.
  7. Remove pork from slow cooker and shred into bite-sized pieces using two forks or fingers.
  8. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add shredded pork in batches without crowding the pan.
  9. Cook undisturbed for 3-4 minutes per side until crispy and golden with orange edges.
  10. Serve hot on warm tortillas with desired toppings such as chopped cilantro, diced onion, or lime.

Notes

For crispiest carnitas, do not overcrowd the skillet and cook in batches. Reserve some slow cooker liquid to drizzle over pork for juicier results. Fresh orange zest is key for bright flavor; avoid the bitter white pith. If no skillet, broil shredded pork on a baking sheet for 5-7 minutes to crisp.

Nutrition

Keywords: carnitas, slow cooker carnitas, crispy pork, orange zest, Mexican pork recipe, easy carnitas, pork shoulder recipe, taco meat, meal prep carnitas

Find it online: https://norasfoods.com/crispy-slow-cooker-carnitas-recipe-easy-zesty-orange-edges-perfect/