Slow Cooker Carnitas

As the aroma of this wafted through the house I just knew we were in for something good and boy, were we! I doubled the amount of spices but left out the cinnamon, and used 4 big cloves of minced, fresh garlic instead of the garlic powder. I cut the roast into large chunks so the spices could penetrate the meat better and it worked like a charm. Finally, to make these more authentic, after shredding the meat into smaller chunks I spread it out in a thin layer on a cookie sheet and baked it in a 400 degree oven about 20 minutes, just long enough to crisp the exterior of the meat. Great on it's own, but in a tortilla with a little of the "Avocado Salad with Bacon and Sour Cream" this was just over the top good. The meat was tender and perfectly seasoned, keeping in mind, however, that I doubled up on the spices. We are looking forward to having the leftovers again tomorrow night!

GREAT!! The recipe is very similar to the one that one was given to me. I add several sprigs of fresh cilantro to the broth in which the pork is simmering. Also at the end, break apart the pork into large chunks and place in a pan with some of the broth and bake at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until most of the liquid has evaporated. This step gets the edges crispy and resembles the authentic style carnitas which is usually fried in lard.

This was absolutely DELICIOUS! After reading some of the reviews, I tripled the spice mix and added chilli powder for heat- I also had a bigger pork roast than was specified. It is virtually no work whatsoever and the pork literally fell apart as I was taking it out of the slow cooker. I let the whole thing cook for 10 hours on a Saturday and then shredded the pork, skimmed the fat off the broth and boiled the broth down. I then added 1/4 cup of chili sauce and 2 tbsp sugar and poured the sauce over the pork. Served the whole thing as part of a make-your-own taco bar for my boyfriend's birthday and not a bit was leftover!

Amazing! my husband likes these better than chipotle. Since some reviewers said the seasoning didn't permeate the entire roast, I cut it into quarters or sometimes a little smaller and then apply the rub. I use a two pound roast with one 14oz can of chicken broth and the stated amt of seasoning. So if I were using a 4 lb roast I would probably double the rub.

mmmm, these were so good and the house smelled great, as well. when my daughter came home, the first words out of her mouth were, ''what smells so good?!'' the meat falls apart and has the most interesting flavor, i think created by the addition of the cinnamon. i tripled all the spices, with the exception of the cinnamon, which i only doubled, and i thought that was the perfect amount--def. present without being over-powering. i also subbed Mexican oregano from my garden for the reg. variety. Last, i sliced half an onion and threw that in as well. !ole! p.s. i didn't bother with turning the meat. there's really no need to.

I made this recipe with the suggestion to double up on the spices except for the cinnamon, but the cinnamon really ruined this recipe and it was too salty for my taste. I liked the other spices and will make again using water and absolutely no cinnamon.

I usually make carnitas in a pot on the stove and it always comes out great. However, since I just bought a slow cooker I thought it would be so nice to try it this way since I wouldn't have to be home in order for it to cook. It came out awesome! I took another reviewer's advice and cooked it for 6 hours instead of 10. (I've got one of those crock pots that gives you the option of 4-6-8 or 10 hours, and it automatically adjusts the temp based on how many hours you put in.) The seasoning was great although once I shredded the meat I did add some salt for some extra flavor. The leftovers were still nice and tender too. Thanks for the recipe!!

Followed advice as given by "naples34102". Liked it so much, I'm making it again for company. Super moist.***Review Update: I've made this 5 times now and it's been consistently fantastic until this last time. It was a little bit drier and slightly more chewy. I cooked this batch from a previously FROZEN rump roast and will NEVER FREEZE the meat again! Why spoil perfection!

I quickly ran out of rub the first time I made these, so I have learned to triple the amount of rub the recipe calls for. So tender and flavorful. Very economical and can eat on this for days. Served with tortillas, tomatillo salsa, mexican crumbly queso, chopped tomatoes & onions, and sour cream. Got rave reviews from everyone.

This was excellent....easy and extremely flavorful. I followed my mom's (Naples 34102) recommendations in that I doubled the spices, left the cinnamon out, and put the meat in the oven afterwards for a bit to crisp it up. I prepared this meal "Burrito Bowl" style for those who are familiar with Chipoltle and Qdoba restaurants. I made a cilantro lime rice with butter, and then layered it with seasoned pinto beans, the carnitas, fresh homemade salsa, fresh chopped lettuce, shredded Jack cheese, and sour cream. Both my husband and I thought this was every bit as good as a restaurant's "Carnitas Burrito Bowl", only MUCH fresher tasting! We are looking forward to eating the leftovers tonight!

This recipe is wonderful and found a new place in my rotation. As it drives me crazy to see reviews that do not resemble the original recipe at all, I followed this recipe exactly the first time -- To Live For!!. The second time, I used pork loin instead, because I had it, but was concerned it would not be as good due to the leaness. If you are like me and are trying to cut some fat from your diet, don't be afraid of this substitute. The pork was great, tender and you don't miss the fat.

Fantastic! I was looking for a comparable carnitas recipe to the carnitas from Rubios, and these hit the spot! I tripled the spices as recommended by other reviewers, with the case of the exceptions below. I ran out of chicken boullion, so the stock was 3 parts chicken/1 part beef boullion. Because I used the boullion instead of homemade stock (I used it up last week for soup) I also cut the tripled salt in half. All in all, it was bloody fantastic and nothing was left when we were done eating.

I have made this many times and it's very good! I do the following with my left over meat. I heated my corn tortillas in a non stick pan with no oil until hot and soft. I just put the carnita meat and some cheese and rolled. Once rolled I brushed olive oil on each one and placed on cookies sheet sprayed with Pam and baked at 350 for 15-20 min. They were really good and crunchy...NOT greasy or bad for you.

Authentic or not, this is pretty tasty. I did double the spices like others had, used fresh minced garlic and sea salt. I didn't read the directions clearly before I started cooking, which stated that you were to rub in the spices to the meat before adding the meat to the crockpot. (I can be a bit scatterbrained.) I didn't see that until after I braised the meat. I waited until the meat was braised, set it on a platter to cool a bit, then rubbed the spices into the meat. I took naples advice and shredded the meat onto a baking pan I'd covered with aluminum foil and baked it for about 20 minutes. The cinnamon wasn't a deal breaker for me, it's a subtle flavor that I felt was unique and made the usual dinner better. I served this meat as soft tacos to the fam, but I had it on a bed of sauteed peppers and onions, with a small amount of lowfat pepperjack cheese and FF sour cream. I served it with Mexican Rice 2 and D's Famous Salsa, which are also from this site. My roast was HUGE, almost seven and a half pounds. Make sure when you make this you have a big family/healthy eaters or you don't mind eating leftovers for a couple days. NOTE: This has to be my new favorite way to cook roast. This makes excellent "salad" sandwiches.

This is a great recipe! As many others stated, I doubled the spices and then after they were done in the crock pot, I removed all the fat, broke it down into bite-sized pieces and baked it at 400 F for 20 minutes to brown the edges. I also utilized the juices to make Spanish Rice II from this website. Pour the juices into a bowl, let it rest so that it separates, skim the fat from the top (reserve 2 TBSP for rice) and then strain out all solids. I was left with about 3 cups of juices which I used to replace the water called for in the rice. Very, very good! Thank you so much for this recipe.

Excellent! And I agree with the others, the house smells WONDERFUL as this is cooking. For those who commented on the lack of flavor, here is what I did. I rubbed the spice mixture on the night before and let sit in the fridge overnight. This is essential in letting the flavors soak into the meat. My roast was 3.5 pounds and it was perfectly done after 8.5 hours when I checked it. It came out super moist. I pulled the meat, then put it in a foil pan with some of the liquid. I tossed it around a few times then put it under the broiler for 5 minutes. Some nice crispy edges, and moist, savory meat. YUM! The only ingredient change I made was to add the juice of half an orange. Everything was perfect and I wouldn't change a thing. The cinnamon flavor is there, but not overpowering at all. It gives the recipe a unique flavor that make people ask what it is. I did find a light sprinkle of salt over the pulled meat brought out even more flavor. This rivals my favorite carnitas that I usually get in my burrito bowl at that famous fast-food restaurant. I will be making this again and again.

This is so good! It makes sooo much meat, but left overs are a breeze! I place the meat in muffin tins in the freezer until they harden, and then pull them out, wrap them in parchment, and stick them back in the freezer. All you have to do is pop one in the microwave to defrost on a busy weeknight. Thanks for the recipe!

Great recipe, I have been making my own similar version of this for years. I like to add a handful of chopped cilantro and about 1/2 cup chopped onion right on top of the pork when I first put it in the slow cooker. I have also used a can of El Pato(mexican hot tomato sauce) poured over the top and this kicks up the flavor and heat a bit (I love spicy food). If you like your carnitas a little crispy, just throw in the oven on a cookie sheet for about ten minutes. Either way, this recipe produces great carnitas everytime, GUARANTEED!

Made this the other night and it was a HUGE hit. We opted to eat ours rolled in flour tortillas and sprinkled with monty jack cheese. AWESOME !! Will definitely make it again. My son says it's also very tasty on a bun with some Franks Hot Sauce.

As written this is a 4 1/2-star. As made, it is a 6 star. I will be making this again, and again. I did as most folks said and doubled the spices, all but the salt, which I only did 1.5 as much. I also substituted fresh garlic (3 heads), pureed with a mortar and pestle, substituted allspice for the cinnamon (allspice is a common Mexican spice), and added a bit of lime juice to it all to make it more of a paste rather than a dry rub. It smelled amazing and tasted even better. I found I didn't need all 10 hours - my roast (4 lb) was done in 8.

The secret recipie is---COKE, that is what we add to the carnitas for that extra flavor.

I haven't given 5 stars in a while ... but this recipe is fantastic. The minor changes I made did not alter the recipe so much that it is an actual new recipe, which I see so often in the comments. I doubled the spices except for the salt and the cinnamon. I cut the roast up into quarters. I added whole cloves of garlic to the broth. Last, I browned the meat after I shredded it ... took only about 20 minutes at 400F. My family all raved and asked if I would please make it again. At the end of dinner they were already arguing over who would get the leftovers to eat the next day. The cinnamon adds a little something special to the flavor, but I would not add more than the recipe calls for. I might reduce it a bit next time, but I like the uniqueness it gives to the pork.

My, oh my, was this ever so good. Took a tip from another reviewer and cut up the meat into 4 large chunks so that more surface would be covered by the spices which I doubled and was very glad that I did. The smell alone while this was cooking was phenomenal and it definitely lived up to it's promise. I GUARANTEE you won't be disappointed by this recipe. Thank you Erin Parker - you have alleviated me to stardom in my family and friends eyes!

made as written, it kills me when people don't follow the recipe and rate it lower. The seasonings were great. I had a two pound roast so I halved the seasonings, I wish I had doubled them. In the crock pot for about 7 hours. I stuck it in the oven for 20 minutes, that was a mistake... it came out dry, not crisp. I will do this recipe again with double the seasonings. Cinnamon is widely used in Mexican cooking, I wouldn't delete it from the recipe based on the reviews here from people who didn't like it. Try it first.

Excellent! I followed others advice and doubled all the spices except for the cinnamon (1/4 tsp). I cut the meat into large chunks and trimmed off as much fat as I could. Once cooked, the meat fell apart and shredded with ease. I put the shredded meat on a cookie sheet to crisp it up a bit. I stirred a bit of the broth back into the crisped meat before serving. Moist and delicious! It also makes enough to feed a crowd with little work so we served to friends during playoffs. Everyone loved it - very authentic tasting!

This was delicious, but I did a little tweaking of the recipe. I recommend salt and peppering the meat first and browning in olive oil on all sides to caramelize it before putting it in the crock pot. I also omitted the cinnamon and added fresh garlic, chopped cilantro and sliced yellow onion. Halfway thru I added the juice of one lime, which really brightened the sauce/flavor of the meat, and some garlic salt. Served it soft taco style on corn tortillas with shredded green cabbage, jack cheese, salsa verde from Trader Joes, chopped scallions, cilantro, a little sour cream and a squeeze of lime juice. Muy delicioso!!!!

I made this as written although after reading the reviews most suggested doubling the spices except for the cinammon. I didn't add the cinammon per the reviews. It needed more salt for sure. The taste was good, but not enough spices. Also to give it an authentic outer crispiness after it was done, I cut it in chunks and put them in the broiler for about 8 minutes and added salt. They were delicious. Next time I will double the spices, leave out the cinammon (again) and broil at the end. This will be 5 stars next time. Thanks. It's a keeper.

So tender and juicy! Yum! I followed the suggestions of other reviewers and added adobo and I doubled the other spices except for the salt. I liked the cinnamon in the seasoning mixture. I used about 1 1/2 T. adobo. I also reduced my chicken broth to 1 cup for a 5 lb pork butt, because I didn't want the meat to taste boiled. It took exactly the 10 hours listed in the recipe. I have been trying to find a good carnitas recipe and this is it! Will definitely use this one again.

This is a pretty good recipe although I didn't follow it exactly. I left out the cinnamon. And to get the great carnitas taste you must have chipotles and adobo sauce. I seeded and minced 2 chipotles and added 3 tbs. adobo sauce. I also used minced garlic instead of garlic powder. Ground that with a pestle and mortar with other spices. I used more than 2 cups of chicken broth to cover the meat completely and after I shredded it, I spread in over a foiled baking sheet with a few ladle-fulls of the broth and baked it for 15 min. @ 400, halfway through, stirring meat around. I bought 2-2 lb. cuts of pork shoulder, bone-in and served in on corn tortillas with lime juice and Tapatio sauce.

I'm sorry to buck the trend here, but I really didn't like this flavor. I made it as directed and I think the cinnamon ruined it for me. I'm no world traveler so I probably wouldn't know "authentic" Mexican cuisine if it bit me, but this tasted more like a dish that I ordered at a Middle Eastern restaurant than anything I ever had in Mexico. I know many reviewers recommended leaving out the cinnamon, but I think it's important to rate the recipes as written. The meat was almost mushy, so I didn't like the texture much either. I LOVE carnitas at Mexican restaurants and I was really hoping to get the same vibe at home, but I think I will have to keep looking. I even tried to salvage the leftovers with diced green chilis and taco seasoning, but the cinnamon still came through.

I followed the recipe, but I also took a large orange, and rolled it until it was nice and juicy, cut it in half squeezed the juice all over the raw pork in my slow cooker, and then put the orange halves in with everything else

This recipe was amazing! It worked well with pork loin AND pork shoulder. Tossing the shredded pork in the oven greatly enhanced the texture & flavor. This recipe is a real keeper.

This tasted exactly like the authentic carnitas i had from the "taco trucks" in california! don't forget to squeeze a little lime juice on the shredded meat before serving....it makes all the difference!

Really excellent & simple using a 6.75 bone-in pork shoulder. Following some posted reviews I cut the roast into 4-5 large hunks and tripled the spice mixture except for salt & cinnamon. Was able to spoon off the excess fat and the carnitas were juicy & flavorful. So far used to make fajitas, enchiladas & tortilla soup.

This turned out really great! Did make a few changes. I followed another reviewer's advice and doubled the spices, leaving out cinnamon (don't double the salt!). I also braised in the oven on 325 for about 3 hours instead of doing it in the crockpot. Spreading on a cookie sheet after and baking at 400 for about 15-20 minutes was really worth it - crisp outside, tender inside. Served with corn tortillas, cilantro, salsa, guacamole, cheese, whatever...they were yummy!

yummy simple budget friendly recipe that yields a lot of food. I do as many others and cut the roast into chunks and triple the seasonings so that more of the meat has a full flavor. For those looking to include a "side dish" give this a try: Double the broth to 32 oz. Put 1 lb of dried pinto beans in the bottom of the crock pot with the broth and bay leaves. Put the seasoned roast on top of the bean/broth mix and cook per original recipe. The seasonings on the meat and the long cook time make for some very yummy beans. Add them to your burritos, nachos, or serve as a side dish with or without rice. You can also give the beans a little more zip by adding a can of rotel with the broth...good either way.

Smells delicious!

This recipe was easy to make and amazing! I had a smaller pork shoulder (about 2.5 pounds), so I doubled the spices except for the cinnamon, and it came out great. I put the rub on the night before and wrapped it in saran wrap. Put it in the slow cooker on low and it was ready in 6 hours. Did as others suggested and put the meat in the oven at 400 degrees for 20 minutes (with some of the cooking liquid), then moistened it with a bit more liquid when it was done. We served it with corn tortillas and roti bread, guacamole and pico. It was superb, and we'll definitely be adding this to the rotation.

I really like this recipe. 10 hours was a bit long for me, so I decided to cook it on high for about 5 1/2 or 6 hours instead. It turned out great! The meat was so tender and easy to shred. I don't enjoy super-spicy food, so I appreciated the mild flavor of these carnitas. My two-year-old enjoyed it, too! I could really taste the cinammon (without it being overpowering), and it really blended nicely with the other spices. I put the pork in some flour tortillas with some corn, sour cream, and cheese (my husband also seasoned it with some taco sauce), and it was great! A big hit.

One of the best things i have even eaten. We have made this for guests a couple of times and they are amazed and immediately want the recipe. We double the spice and cut the cinnamon in half. Also a key is to do the rub the night before and wrap in saran wrap and in the fridge it goes. also, throw fresh cilantro and juice of a lime on top of the pork just before throwing the switch on the crock pot to start the journey to flavortown. Great the next day in enchiladas, or nachos.

With just a couple of changes I added sliced Onion on the bottom of the pot before adding the roast and in the dry rub I added a half teaspoon of Chili powder. It was FANTASTIC!!! My husband said he could eat this all day. I was thrilled with this recipe and would make this for anyone. It was easy, prep time was fast and delicious!

I made this yesterday...it is wonderful. I made a little bit bigger roast and adjusted the seasonings. I shredded it and then refrigerated the juices seperately so that I can skim the fat off today. I will make a few different meals from this recipe including pork tacos/quesadillas and BBQ Pork. Thanks for a good and easy family oriented recipe!!

I cooked a 3.5 lb roast and it only took about 8 hours. I would double the spices next time and use fresh garlic.

I want to thank PopRocks for sharing this great recipe! Like others have suggested, I tripled all the spices, including the cinnamon and used 3 bay leaves. I also cut the roast into 1.5" thick slices and rubbed the spices on front and back. I cut up one medium onion and layered it on the bottom along with some fresh cilantro. Layered the meat on top and poured the broth in. I re-arranged the meant slices a few times during cooking and shredded the pork after 5 hours easily. I cooked it for 5 hours on low and 2 hours on high, it was well cooked after 7 hours so I took it off. Incredibly tasty and tender meat, a great flavor to it. A friend commented he felt the cinnamon was a bit strong, maybe I'll use 1/3 a teaspoon next time. A nice change from beef and chicken tacos that I usually make and I'll have some left over. Smelled incredible cooking, mouth was watering all day. You won't regret making this, if you do, invite me over for dinner and I'll eat it!

I doubled all the spices, add some dried red chili peppers for heat, and used a pressure cooker instead of a crock pot. A pressure cooker can cook pork in 45 minutes what takes a slow cooker 8 hours to do. Be sure to reserve some of the cooking liquid to moisten the meat after you shred it. I was worried about the cinnamon and wasn't thrilled at first with the smell since I could still smell the cinnamon, but man o man was this the best carnitas I have ever had. My whole family devoured it. It is better than what I have had in restaurants... I can't even begin to express how good this was. Really really impressed.

4 stars for the simplicity of the preparation - doesn't get much easier than this. Did double ingredients for the dry rub; cooked on low 10 hours - no need to turn roast @ 5 hrs (defeats the purpose of a slow cooker). Served on tortillas w/ black beans & cheese - good stuff!

OMG, THE BEST EVER PORK CARNITAS. I KEPT THE RECIPE THE SAME, BUT I SEARED THE MEAT IN A DUTCH OVEN ALL SIDES FOR ABOUT 4 OR 5 MINUTES EACH, ONLY 1 CAN OF CHICKEN BROTH, PUT THE LID ON AND SLOW COOK IN THE OVEN AT 300 DEGREES FOR ABOUT 4 TO 5 HOURS DEPENDING ON HOW BIG YOUR PORK BUTT IS. WE MAKE CARNITAS TACO'S WITH THE MEAT WITH PICO AND GUACAMOLE. BOTH FLOUR OR CORN TORTILLA'S WITH SHREDDED MEXICAN CHESSESE...SO SO SO AWAOME,

Very good! After I cook the meat in the slow cooker, I finish it off in a pan and fry it in olive oil to make it nice and crispy.

Lasted days after we made it, super rich and tender meat...loved this recipe. The good thing is that the pork doesn't just have to be stuffed into tortillas: you could eat it with rice, beans, greens, + more.

Perfect flavor for carnitas. I doubled the spices except the cinnamon (used 1/4 t.) and cut the roast into 4 pieces. Cooked on High heat in the slow cooker for 5 hours, then shredded slightly and baked on cookie sheet until edges were just starting to crisp, about 15 minutes. Hubby raved! He has ordered carnitas alot from different Mexican restaurants and put these at the top of the list of his favorites. Thanks for posting this easy and great recipe. We will be using it over and over.

Yum Yum! My 6 year old was ready for dinner at 3 PM when she walked into the house and smelled the carnitas. I used pork tenderloin, since that's what I had on hand. I doubled the spices and used real garlic (left off the cinnamon). I loved the tip about crisping for 10 or so min in the oven at 400 degrees. Made a world of difference. Made these with best spanish rice recipe and mexican corn recipe from this site. Dinner was an absolute HIT on all fronts. We will be making these again this weekend when we have company. Also used the left over carnitas for dinner last night tossed in salsa to top a frozen pizza before baking. Wow....

Pretty good - I made the rub + added 1 tsp of red pepper flakes to add some heat. I rubbed it and let it sit in the fridge overnight. I added a little more cumin, coriander, fresh garlic & red pepper flakes in the morning. I seared it before putting it in the crockpot. I put one small chopped onion on the bottom, then some soaked Ojo De Cabra beans, then the roast (which was about 2.75 lbs). About two hours into cooking I realized I forgot the bay leaves! and threw them in then. It cooked for about 6 1/2 hours and came out very tender, it was falling apart as I was trying to get it out of the crockpot! I think it's a great base recipe. I would liked to have added some chili powder but I'm out. The beans had a wonderful flavor from the rub. Next time, I think I might do what others suggested and cut it into smaller pieces and rub those down completely to get the flavor in a little deeper. I served it with the beans, Spanish rice, sour cream, salsa, queso fresco, avocado, and flour tortillas I have a ton of leftovers too that will make great burritos and sandwiches!

This smelled great while cooking, but didn't permeate the meat giving it any additional flavor. We served the meat with sauteed peppers and onions, with traditional fajitas fixings.

I was already to go with this recipe and then I couldn't find the lid to my crockpot, LOL. So, I roasted it in the oven low n slow for about 5 hours....the meat just FELL apart! I used a pork shoulder blade instead of the shoulder because it has less fat. But I still had to fridge the juices to get the fat to rise to skim it. The flavor was great (I quadrupled them--sans the salt n cinnamon) and made a great meal. Will def make again! I do also recommend to spread it on a baking sheet and bake for 20 moin...made it nice and crispy!

So amazingly delicious! Didn't have ground coriander so I used fresh cilantro, and accidentally forgot the cinnamon. Added about 3 tbsp adobo sauce from a can of chipotles. So tender, it shredded the meat just by lifting little pieces with tongs right in the slow cooker! Served it to my husband in a bowl over rice (flavored with butter, lime, salt, and cilantro), black beans, sour cream, cheese, and avocado - just like his favorite restaurant!

I cut my pork shoulder into two inch squares then placed it in my slow cooker along with the bay leaves placed on top. Next, I combined seven garlic cloves, 1/2 of a white onion roughly chopped, a tbsp of oregano, 1/2 tsp of thyme, salt, and 1/2 cup of water into the food processor and pulsed until smooth. Poured the blended mixture over the pork, and then added a cup of regular Coca-Cola. The Coke infuses the meat with a magical sweetness that is simply out of this world. You must try the Coke ingredient over the broth. I served the carnitas on spinach tortillas with homemade Pico de Gallo with lemon zest added and homemade Salsa Verde made with tomatillos. The carnitas, along with a local Oatmeal Porter, was a very satisfying meal which was given the stamp of approval from Mi Gato Loco.

If you make this SKIP the cinnamon! It had a terrible taste so I added a can of tomato paste to try & save it and it turned out pretty well. Would definately make again without the cinnamon and add the paste!

I had no idea how inexpensive pork shoulder is, making this as affordable as it is yummy! The recipe is so easy and the flavors are amazing. Do not omit the cinnamon as suggested in other reviews...it is the true "surprise" ingredient that makes it so special!

This was the best and closest to authentic tasting Mexican food I have ever made! My pork roast was only about 2 1/2 pounds so I didn't use the whole 2 cups of broth, but I will next time, as it is this juice with the awesome seasonings mixed with the shredded meat that gives it such a kick. It was frozen when I started so the seasonings didn't really stick to it, but it didn't matter. I thought the cinnamon would be off-putting, but it wasn't at all. This would have made a good tamale filling, if I were more ambitious, but it made hellacious soft tacos and was SO easy! YUM! Thanks for the recipe!

I had my butcher carve a boneless pork shoulder from a much larger bone-in piece. My piece weighed 4.83 lbs. and I ended up trimming some of the exterior fat, then cubed the remaining chunk into 4 pieces. I tripled the dry mix ingredients and rubbed each quarter with a generous coating. Then covered the bowl and let it sit in the refrigerator over night. Next morning I poured one can (14.5 oz) of chicken stock into the slow cooker, then laid the chunks on top of 4 bay leaves in the bottom of the slow cooker, set it to cook on low heat and forgot about it for five hours. At the five hour mark I turned the meat over and added half a sliced onion and two cloves of chopped garlic to the liquid. Three hours later I sprinkled a tablespoon of chili powder over the meat and an hour after that I squeezed a seedless orange onto the top of the pieces of meat. Cooked one more hour (a total of 10) dipped up the meat and separated it with two forks while scraping away the fat. I used some of the liquid to moisten the pork and enhance the flavor. I reheated it the next day and all my guest were crazy about how good it was.

I made this for a potluck - Pulled Pork Sliders! This was my first time dealing with this size meat, and I don't think I will ever purchase a pork shoulder again! Or at least I'll be better prepared, and find one that doesn't have skin and a ton of fat still on it. But, I digress... As many reviewers suggested, I (attempted to) cut the meat into smaller chunks and played around with the measurements of the spices: doubled the salt and cinnamon, tripled everything else. I also added some minced garlic, which was lovely! Instead of chicken broth, I used "Better Than Buillon," which worked just as well. Once the pork was done simmering in the crock pot, I put the shredded pieces in the oven at 400 degrees F for about 20 minutes, which resulted in a nice crispness. Then, I tossed the meat with some BBQ sauce. This was a great hit with everyone! And I'll definitely make it again for those who missed it...

I did not care for the spices in this dish. We added cumin and garlic, which made it better. But, I doubt we'll repeat this again.

This was an excellent recipe! The flavors just pop and within an hour could smell the wonderful spices coming from the crock pot. My roast was a little over 3 pounds and I cooked it to perfection in 8 hours. The only thing that I would personally cut down on was the cinnamon. It added a nice flavor but it seemed to compete with the cumin and other seasoning in the rub. I could taste that over everything else, so even the 1/4 of teaspoon I would cut to maybe an 1/8 of one.

This was so easy to make. I was amazed how tasty it was.

My husband is 100% Mexican, born and raised in Puebla, and he said this is the most authentic tasting Mexican dish I have ever made. He was super impressed. I do have to admit they taste exactly like the carnitas we've had on vacations to Mexico. I am making tacos de carnitas for New Years and this is the recipe I'll be using!

Oh, my goodness!!! All I can say is yum. I even used the juice for my rice and beans. Will definitely make this one again and again.

Absolutely fantastic. I used a 2.4 lb roast, but kept all the spice amounts the same. I cooked it on low for 9 hours, shredded, then placed the meat on a baking sheet. Baked at 350 for 15 minutes or so, which worked out very nicely. The meat crisped up a bit, but wasn't dried out on the inside at all. I served this in flour tortillas with lettuce, tomato, a little fresh cilantro, shredded pepperjack cheese, and sour cream. YUM! Will definitely make this again and again, thank you!

This was ok...the meat was very tender. I followed a few suggestions from previous reviews. I cut the roast into larger chunks and doubled the spices except for the cinnamon. I also shredded the meat and cooked it in the oven to "crisp" it up. Next time I make this I would NOT use the cinnamon. I like cinnamon, but it just didn't work for me. Also, I don't think I would crisp the meat next time. This left the meat almost too crispy and it lost some of the tender juiciness created from the long slow cooking. Giving it four stars because without the cinnamon flavors it would have been great and the "crisping" idea came from other reviews.

Made this as instructed, but followed others advice and tripled the spices except cinnamon which I doubled. Just personal preference, I'd probably eliminate it next time. Solid recipe, but nothing too incredible.

Fantastic flavor, nice and juicy! After slow-cooking for 9 hours, we pulled the meat and roasted in a cake pan at 400 degrees for 20 minutes to crispen up the edges of the pork; ladled the juice back on, mixed well, and served on tortillas with cilantro-lime rice, diced avocado, and sour cream. Better than Chipotle...

This was crazy good. I doubled the spices, but followed the recipe to a T with the ingredients. I poked pockets in the meat and stuffed the extra spice mix all over to help penetrate the meat and it worked great. I cooked this while I was at work, so I couldn't turn it after 5 hours and it didn't matter. The top got this black crust on it that was just phenomenal. I followed other suggestions and broiled it for about 8 minutes after I shredded it and it really crisped up nicely. I will make this again and again.

One word, AMAZING! This was sooo good. My husband LOVED it, and we both ate more than we should have. It turned out so tender! The spices could have been a little stronger, but adding some salt when it was finished helped with that. Definitely a keeper!

one of my favorite recipes this is so easy to make and can last all week for different dinners. i followed the reviews and tripled the spices including the cinnamon added paprika and chili powder with a bit of celery seed and dried cilantro, cut up the meat into 2-1/2'' pieces coated in flour and browned in pan ,chop half a onion and one jalapeno seeded and white membrane removed. cook on high for about 4-5 hrs then switch to low until its done, place meat in baking dish and add a bit of the liquid brown it in oven for about 15-30 mins. usually make tacos the first night can be added to scrambled eggs or enchiladas , rellenos or burritos or even add some BBQ sauce for an awesome BBQ sandwich. DON'T BE AFRAID OF THE CINNAMON IT ADDS THAT SPECIAL FLAVOR , THAT REALLY COMES TOGETHER AT THE END.

I had a 6.5 pound pork shoulder blade roast with a bone in it so I cut it into pieces removing the bone. Coated each piece of meat in the seasonings (doubled except the cinnamon) and cooked on low for 8.5 hours. I made a cilantro-chile-lime sauce for tacos (which is what we used the carnitas for) out of lime juice, fat-free sour cream, cilantro, chile powder, cumin, garlic powder, finely minced red onion and cayenne. These were so good my husband ate 6 tacos and my picky little boy ate 3!!! Bueno! Bueno! Bueno!!!

Smelled and tasted great! We ate it on soft corn tortillas or in a bowl without a shell (like chipotle's burrito bowl), topped with sour cream, tomatoes, lettuce, cilantro, squirt of lime juice. I will definitely make again. The only reason I'm not giving 5 stars is that is was way too salty (maybe from combo of salty broth, added salt, and long cook time). Next time I will do half broth/half water and maybe leave out the added salt entirely. Great find, though!

These were so great. I add black pepper to the seasoning mix, but they are great as it. I also didn't have 10 hours to cook, so I put them in the slow cooker on high for 5 hours instead. Shredded perfectly and tasted moist and delicious.

Surprisingly good! Followed others' recommendations to triple spices except cinnamon and salt. I did go with the listed amount of cinnamon, and while at first the smell worried me that the cinnamon taste would be overpowering, after pulling the meat, the flavors all melded together and I agree with others that the cinnamon definitely added something... Finished it up in the oven after pulling, at 400 for 10 minutes - definitely helped. Overall, a great recipe. I've made carnitas the hard way in the past, and these were equally good. Also very versatile - while I was doubtful about the claim it would be good with barbecue sauce, I did give it a try with Jack Daniels sauce, on a bun, and that was really good too!

Wonderful. Omit the cinnamon and use real garlic. Double the spices. Try with lime, cilantro and green onion.

A couple reviews stated that this recipe was very close to Chipotle's carnitas, so I immediately went out and bought a chunk of meat and was ready to go. As is, I gave this recipe a 3. I did follow other reviewers' suggestions to double all spices except the salt & cinnamon,and I'm glad I did. Even without doubling the cinnamon, the 1/4tsp that the recipe calls for made this WAY too sweet for my liking. After removing the fat & shredding it, I salvaged it by tossing it into a pan with a whole, thinly sliced onion & a minced clove of garlic, added more salt to offset the sweet and then a few splashes of chicken broth to maintain moisture. In the end, the tacos turned out great. I will definitely make this recipe again as it was so simple to throw together and took very little effort to shred, only changes I would recommend is to leave out the cinnamon all together, add an extra 1/2 tsp of salt and some red pepper flakes for some heat.

this was very good! I doubled the spices as others recommended and added cut up lemons and oranges to the crock pot. This added another layer of flavor. We enjoyed it with handmade tortillas and all the fixins'. I'll be making it again for sure!

This is my husbands favorite. He begs for carnitas on a weekly basis. I always double the spices (except for the cinnamon), and I find it more flavorful if you rub the spice mixture on the pork and refrigerate overnight. In addition, I add 1/2 cup of Orange Juice to the broth for cooking. It's fool proof and delicious!

This is one of the best carnitas recipes I've tried and is super easy to prepare. I cooked this prior to a campout and served it as carnitas one night and put it in a chili for the next night. Wouldn't change a thing!

This is the way I always cook carnitas. YUM :) Great especially after a long work day. Makes plenty for the seven of us. I do add a can or two (depenging on size of roast) of salsa verde right beforde serving which ad ds a punch of flavor. Also, I skip the cinnamon since I am allergic.

yumm! I used bottom round venison for this and it turned out so good! venison carnita tacos! i kept the ingredients but used only 2 lbs of venison, and left out the cinnomin. Also, i did brown it in the oven, but only for 10 minutes sence venison dries out easily.

We LOVE this! I did leave out the cinnamon and I did double all of the other ingredients. It turned out fabulous! This is the type of food that you eat even after you are very full. Great recipe!!

I used a 2.6 lb pork shoulder butt, but used the amount of seasonings for a 6 lb roast, except I omitted the cinnamon and didn't scale up the salt. I added a couple of cloves of minced garlic, and a few sprigs of fresh cilantro. After shredding the meat into smaller chunks, I spread it out evenly across a baking pan previously used to make bacon (bacon grease left on). After 15-20 minutes in a 400 degree oven, the edges of the meat had a nice crispness. Served this with fresh made pico de gallo and avocado salad with bacon from this site as recommended by another reviewer. Everyone thought it was excellent, including a picky 5 year old!

This was easy to make and very tender. I made as directed but doubled spices and threw in a can of green chiles with the chicken broth. I might try a can of Rotel or some cayenne next time for a bit of heat.

This was absolutely delish! will make again

this is the closest ive ever come to authentic carnitas. i did double the spices, but i spilt it in half, and coated the chunks of pork in half the spices and seared them till they had some color, then once i got them in the crockpot i put the rest of the spices in, and i only used one bay leaf. was great on flour tortillas with mexican rice.

The first night I made these the cinnamon was very apparent, not bad but it had a distinctive cinnamon taste. The leftovers however were even better than the first night. My hubby and I ate this for 4 meals n a row, as pork tacos and pork burrito bowls, and it was so good I actually looked forward to eating it for lunch and dinner 2 days in a row!

Wayyyyyyyy to salty

So very good! Wish I made more than a 2-pound pork loin roast. I did as others suggested and crisped it up for 10 minutes in a 400-degree oven. It dried it out a little bit too much for our tastes, but we all still devoured it. Maybe I was supposed to put it back in the juices after crisping it up! Next time, I think I'll forgo the oven and just serve it from the slow-cooker. A big winner!

So tasty! I love the fact it's not fried in lard. To get it a little crispier- after shredding it I sprinkle a little oil on the pork- and return it to my oven for a few mins.

Giving this 4 stars for the original recipe, and 5 stars for the one I used the second time after making some modifications. After reading other reviews, I followed the suggestion to increase the amount of seasonings.... I doubled everything but the cinnamon (I cut this amount in half because it made the meat a little too sweet the first time). After cooking the pork shoulder for the 10 hours on low, I removed it from the slow-cooker, shredded the meat, placed it in a baking dish, and put it in the oven (preheated at 400•F) for 10 mins. I then pulled out the dish and stirred the meat so that I could get a more even "crispiness". I put it back in for another 10 minutes and served. The wife can't wait to have it again.

Can't wait to make this again! I would have given it 4.5* but of course I can't. The reason I didn't give it 5* was because I added about 1/2 can of Las Palmas to give it flavor. But the meat was so tender and was very easy to shred and remove the fat (which is usually the part I hate doing). I served it with tostada shells and all the trimmings. Yummy in the tummy!!

We thought this was absolutely delicious! I did cut way back on the cumin as I feel that a whole tsp. would have overpowered the dish and I also added in some chili powder and chopped onions. From others reviews I noticed that many skipped the cinnamon and I'm glad I used it as it added a subtle but very nice background flavor. Served these wrapped up in jalapeno cheddar flour tortillas. This is a keeper and thank you!

I love this recipe. Nothing better! Oh - in case anyone doesn't know... Pork shoulder = pork butt. :)

This carnitas recipe is tasty, but it was missing a little citrus from what I'm used to. So at the end, before serving, I added the juice of two limes and it really mixed well with the flavors.

I made this over the weekend, tripling the spices like many had recommended (even the cinnamon and corriander), let meat marinate over night and then cook for about 6 hours in the crock pot. I cut up the carnitas and stored them in an air tight container with all of the juices. I typically cook for the entire week on the weekend, so the carnitas were to be eaten as pork tacos and BBQ sandwiches throughout the week. To serve up carnitas tacos last night I followed some reviewers suggestions and put two servings of the meat in the oven for 15 minutes on 400 to make the meat "crispy." I do not recommend doing this as it only dries out the meat. This afternoon I reheated some of the meat in the microwave and it was very tender. This recipe was very easy and simple to use. The spices are flavorful, but not overwhelming. The meat can be used in many different types of dishes. I will be making this again.