By Becky Hardin
Published Sep 25, 2017
Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas are tasty, juicy, and so flavorful! Cooked in a crockpot and finished under the broiler, this sangria pork is wonderfully crispy and unique. Eat them on their own, over rice, on nachos, or as tacos. You can’t go wrong, except for not trying this recipe.
Why We Love This Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas Recipe
We absolutely love Carnitas , and this slow cooker pork carnitas recipe is one of our favorite ways to make them when we’re short on time. These sangria pork carnitas have so much flavor. Adding sangria is a fabulous idea for moisture and flavor!
- Easy. Simply toss everything in the slow cooker, and let it do its thing!
- Juicy. Slow cooking the pork ensures it’s fall-apart tender.
- Flavorful. We reduce the cooking juices to create a delicious sangria sauce.
Variations on Pork Carnitas in the Slow Cooker
If you don’t have access to sangria, you can substitute in your favorite red wine . We like something fruity, like merlot, cabernet sauvignon, or pinot noir. If you’re not a wine drinker, swap it out for a light beer or beef broth.
How to Store and Reheat
Store leftover slow cooker pork carnitas in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat in a 450°F oven drizzled with cooking juices until warmed through and crisp.
How to Freeze
Freeze slow cooker pork carnitas divided into individual portions in Ziplock bags for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Serving Suggestions
Sangria Pork Carnitas would be perfect for tailgating with a crowd. Make a heaping pot of this goodness, bring all the toppings and some tortillas and you’re in business. Fresh flavors for all. We topped them with red onion, cilantro, pico de gallo , cojita cheese, and fresh orange juice. Add a side of crockpot refried beans and cilantro lime rice for a complete meal, and finish everything off with a refreshing sangria !
More Pork Recipes To Try
- Stuffed Pork Loin
- Pork Roulade
- Bacon Wrapped Pork Tenderloin
- Orange Cranberry Pork Loin
- Smothered Pork Chops
- Apple Butter Pork Chops
Notes from the Test Kitchen
If making ahead (up to 3 days before serving), shred the meat, but wait to crisp the shredded pork in the oven until the day it is served. Place the shredded pork and its cooking juices in an airtight container and in the fridge until ready to sear. Pour the juices into a medium stovetop pan to let it reduce while the pork cooks.
Ingredients1x2x3x
- ▢ 4 pounds boneless pork butt or shoulder roast, patted dry
- ▢ 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- ▢ ¾ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ▢ 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- ▢ 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- ▢ 1 tablespoon chili powder
- ▢ ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ▢ 1 yellow onion peeled and quartered
- ▢ 4 cloves garlic peeled
- ▢ 2 bay leaves
- ▢ 4 ounces diced green chilies (1 can)
- ▢ 1½ cups Sangria wine
- ▢ 2 oranges quartered
- ▢ Freshly squeezed lime juice optional, for serving
- ▢ Chopped fresh cilantro optional, for serving
Instructions
- Spray the inside of the slow cooker with cooking spray and turn it to the desired heat. The pork only needs a thin fat cap, so trim any thick patches of fat away. 4 pounds boneless pork butt
- In a small bowl, combine salt, black pepper, oregano, cumin, chili powder and cinnamon. Mix thoroughly and rub the spice mix all over the pork. 2 teaspoons kosher salt, ¾ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, 2 teaspoons dried oregano, 2 teaspoons ground cumin, 1 tablespoon chili powder, ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Place the pork in the slow cooker and top with onion, garlic, bay leaves, green chilies and sangria. 1 yellow onion, 4 cloves garlic, 2 bay leaves, 4 ounces diced green chilies, 1½ cups Sangria wine
- Squeeze the juice from the oranges over the pork and add the orange fruit quarters to the cooker. 2 oranges
- Cover and cook on LOW for 5-7 hours or on HIGH 4-6 hours.
- When meat is fork tender, transfer the pork to a cutting board. Allow the pork to rest for 10 minutes, and shred it by pulling it apart with two forks.
- Strain the cooking juices into a small-medium stovetop pan. Bring to a boil over high heat then reduce the temperature to medium. Cook until the juices are reduced and thickened, approximately 15-20 minutes, depending on how much liquid you have.
- While the pork is resting, preheat the oven to 450°F and cover two cooking sheets with foil. Spray the foil with cooking spray.
- Transfer the cooked pork between the two cooking sheets, in an even layer, and drizzle the pork with ½-¾ cup cooking juices per pan of pork. Cook 10 minutes or until liquid has evaporated then broil to desired crispiness. Watch closely so the pork doesn’t burn.
- When ready to serve, drizzle with additional reduced juices.
- Serve as tacos, quesadillas, enchiladas or tostadas and top with your favorite taco toppings and peeled orange slices. Use your imagination. Freshly squeezed lime juice, Chopped fresh cilantro
Equipment
- Crockpot
Becky’s Tips
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas
Equipment
- Crockpot
Ingredients
- 4 pounds boneless pork butt or shoulder roast, patted dry
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- ¾ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 yellow onion peeled and quartered
- 4 cloves garlic peeled
- 2 bay leaves
- 4 ounces diced green chilies (1 can)
- 1½ cups Sangria wine
- 2 oranges quartered
- Freshly squeezed lime juice optional, for serving
- Chopped fresh cilantro optional, for serving
Instructions
- Spray the inside of the slow cooker with cooking spray and turn it to the desired heat. The pork only needs a thin fat cap, so trim any thick patches of fat away. 4 pounds boneless pork butt
- In a small bowl, combine salt, black pepper, oregano, cumin, chili powder and cinnamon. Mix thoroughly and rub the spice mix all over the pork. 2 teaspoons kosher salt, ¾ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, 2 teaspoons dried oregano, 2 teaspoons ground cumin, 1 tablespoon chili powder, ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Place the pork in the slow cooker and top with onion, garlic, bay leaves, green chilies and sangria. 1 yellow onion, 4 cloves garlic, 2 bay leaves, 4 ounces diced green chilies, 1½ cups Sangria wine
- Squeeze the juice from the oranges over the pork and add the orange fruit quarters to the cooker. 2 oranges
- Cover and cook on LOW for 5-7 hours or on HIGH 4-6 hours.
- When meat is fork tender, transfer the pork to a cutting board. Allow the pork to rest for 10 minutes, and shred it by pulling it apart with two forks.
- Strain the cooking juices into a small-medium stovetop pan. Bring to a boil over high heat then reduce the temperature to medium. Cook until the juices are reduced and thickened, approximately 15-20 minutes, depending on how much liquid you have.
- While the pork is resting, preheat the oven to 450°F and cover two cooking sheets with foil. Spray the foil with cooking spray.
- Transfer the cooked pork between the two cooking sheets, in an even layer, and drizzle the pork with ½-¾ cup cooking juices per pan of pork. Cook 10 minutes or until liquid has evaporated then broil to desired crispiness. Watch closely so the pork doesn’t burn.
- When ready to serve, drizzle with additional reduced juices.
- Serve as tacos, quesadillas, enchiladas or tostadas and top with your favorite taco toppings and peeled orange slices. Use your imagination. Freshly squeezed lime juice, Chopped fresh cilantro
Notes
Nutrition
By Becky Hardin
Published Jul 12, 2017
This Essential Grocery List is an absolute life saver for my family on the busy weeks. When I started this journey to learn how to cook, I quickly realized that the first step in cooking is having staple ingredients on hand. I want to avoid having to run out to the grocery store every single time I prepare a new recipe. Having a well-stocked pantry has made my life in the kitchen so much simpler, because when it’s time to cook, I have what I need.
Essential Grocery List
It’s so helpful to have a basic grocery list to help me remember which foods to buy at the store. This food shopping list is my go-to!
It’s better to stock up on things like grains, seasonings and spices, baking essentials, oils, condiments, canned and frozen foods, etc. so I can just grab them when I need them. These things have a long shelf life , so I keep them in my kitchen for convenience.
However, I do have to go to the supermarket sometimes, and there’s a way to make that trip easy and hassle-free: I keep a grocery list! If I go in blindly, I’ll leave with things I don’t need, and nothing that actually helps me prepare a good meal.
In the list below, I’ve compiled everything I always have on my stock-up grocery list.
I’ve got you covered! I created an easy grocery list filled with all of the essentials. Plus there’s a free printable version that you can take with you to the grocery store. It has everything you need to stock your pantry, your freezer, and your refrigerator.
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List
What to Buy at the Grocery Store
This is the perfect grocery list filled with all the basics and essentials. It should help get you going if you’re new to cooking, or if you’re just left staring helplessly at an empty pantry and don’t know how to fill it.
When I first started cooking, things could seem overwhelming. I quickly realized that they more prepared I could be, the more confident I felt. If you already have the basics in your kitchen, then you can shop stress-free.
So print out our easy grocery list, stock up your pantry and fridge, and you’ll be cooking in no time!
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List for the perfectly stocked pantry and freezer!
Fresh Produce
- Apples
- Bananas
- Strawberries
- Avocados
- Bell Peppers
- Carrots
- Broccoli
- Garlic
- Lemons/Limes
- Onion
- Parsley
- Cilantro
- Basil
- Potatoes
- Spinach
- Tomatoes
GRAINS
- Breadcrumbs
- Pasta
- Quinoa
- Rice
- Sandwich Bread
- Tortillas
MEAT/PROTEIN
- Chicken
- Eggs
- Ground Beef
- Sliced Turkey
- Lunch Meat
DAIRY
- Butter
- Sliced Cheese
- Shredded Cheese
- Milk
- Sour Cream
- Greek Yogurt
BAKING GOODS
- Baking powder
- Baking Soda
- Granulated Sugar
- Brown Sugar
- Flour
- Honey
- Vanilla Extract
- Dry Yeast
- Chocolate Chips
- Cocoa Powder
- Powdered Sugar
FREEZER
- Fruit and Berries
- Frozen Veggies (Corn, Peas, Broccoli, etc)
- Juice Concentrate
- Pizza or Other Convenience Meals
- Pie Crust
- Cookie Dough
CANNED/DRIED GOODS
- Chicken stock/broth
- Salsa
- Diced Tomatoes
- Jam/Jelly
- Peanut Butter
- Pasta Sauce
- Beans (Black Beans, Chickpeas, Baked Beans, etc)
- Soups
- Tuna
- Green Chiles
- Canned Veggies
- Coffee or Tea
Get more details on the best non-perishable and pantry foods
CONDIMENTS/SPICES
- Black Pepper
- Chili Powder
- Cinnamon
- Crushed Red Pepper
- Cumin
- Garlic Powder
- Ketchup
- Mustard
- Mayo
- Nutmeg
- Paprika
- Salt (Course Sea Salt and Kosher Salt)
- Soy Sauce
- Steak Sauce
- Hot Sauce/ Buffalo Sauce
- Salad Dressings
OILS/VINEGARS
- Apple cider vinegar
- Balsamic vinegar
- Coconut Oil
- Olive Oil
- Vegetable/Canola Oil
- Red Wine Vinegar
- White Vinegar
- Cooking Wine
- White Wine Vinegar
SNACKS
- Crackers
- Nuts
- Quick Oats
- Popcorn
- Tortilla Chips
- Cereal
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List for the perfectly stocked pantry and freezer!
Click ☝🏻 for my FREE Grocery List Printable!
I hope this essential grocery list can help you buy what you need and make your home cooking so much easier!
Stock Your Kitchen
Find more ideas for your grocery list, stock up your kitchen, and print more cooking guides and charts to keep handy!
Non-Perishable Foods to Stock Up On
Frozen Vegetables to Stock Up On (and Recipes to Make)
Ultimate List of Cooking Herbs for Your Kitchen
Ultimate List of Cooking Spices for Your Kitchen
Cooking Oil 101: Types of Cooking Oils to Use
26 Types of Pasta and When to Use Them
What Fruits and Vegetables are in Season?
Meat Temperature Chart (Free Printable)
How to Meal Prep (Guide for Beginners)
Basic Cooking Measurements & Kitchen Conversion Chart
