Sweet and Spicy Slow Cooker Carnitas

Slow cooker recipes always save me when I want a delicious dinner with minimal work. These Sweet and Spicy Slow Cooker Carnitas tacos are perfect for any time of year from cozy fall days to hot summer nights, basically whenever you want a flavor packed meal that you can set and forget. This recipe features a little bit of gentle heat and so much simple flavor, a recipe the whole family will love. Perfect for prepping the carnitas ahead of time and using for bowls or tacos throughout the week. Not to mention, these carnitas tacos are great for hosting!

Slow Cooker Sweet and Spicy Carnitas Tacos Ingredient Notes:

Pork Shoulder: Pork shoulder is the star of these tacos, slow-cooked until it’s fall-apart tender and juicy. It absorbs all the bold seasonings and citrus for a rich, savory flavor. A quick broil at the end adds irresistible crispy edges.

Orange Juice: Fresh orange juice brings natural sweetness and acidity to balance the heat in the carnitas. It helps tenderize the pork while infusing it with bright citrus notes. Use freshly squeezed juice for the best flavor.

Hot Sauce or Chili Sauce: Just a few tablespoons of hot sauce add a gentle kick that builds flavor without overwhelming spice. It blends beautifully with the citrus and spices in the slow cooker. Add more at the end if you like extra heat.

Avocado: Creamy avocado is the base of the simple salsa that tops each taco. It cools down the heat from the carnitas and adds a rich, buttery texture. Combined with lime, tomato, and cilantro, it’s the perfect fresh finish.

Slow Cooker Sweet and Spicy Carnitas Tacos

Recipe by Jenn Lueke

5.0 from 11 votes

Servings

Adjust servings

+

–

4

servings

Prep time

20

minutes

Cook Time

5

hours

Slow cooker recipes always save me when I want a delicious dinner with minimal work. These Sweet and Spicy Slow Cooker Carnitas tacos are perfect for any time of year from cozy fall days to hot summer nights, basically whenever you want a flavor packed meal that you can set and forget. This recipe features a little bit of gentle heat and so much simple flavor, a recipe the whole family will love. Perfect for prepping the carnitas ahead of time and using for bowls or tacos throughout the week. Not to mention, these carnitas tacos are great for hosting!

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Ingredients

• For the carnitas

• 2 tablespoons brown sugar

• 2 teaspoons ground cumin

• 2 teaspoons kosher salt

• 2 teaspoons dried oregano

• 1 teaspoons ground black pepper

• 1/2 cup orange juice (about 2 oranges)

• juice of 2 limes (about 1/4 cup)

• 3 tablespoons hot sauce of chili sauce, like this or this, plus additional for topping

• 4 garlic cloves, minced

• 1 yellow onion, chopped

• 2 pounds pork shoulder or pork butt

• 12 corn, almond flour, or chickpea flour tortillas

• 2 limes, quartered for serving

• For the avocado salsa

• 1 ripe avocado, peeled, pitted, and diced

• 1 Roma tomato, diced

• 1/2 red onion, finely diced (about 1/4 cup)

• 1/3 cup fresh chopped cilantro

• juice of 1 lime (about 3 tablespoons)

• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

Directions

• Combine the sugar, cumin, salt, oregano, and ground black pepper in a small bowl and set aside.
• Cover the pork shoulder with the spice mix.
• To the bowl of the slow cooker, add the orange juice, lime juice, and hot sauce. Add the onion and garlic, and stir gently to combine.
• Carefully add the seasoned pork shoulder, cover, and cook on high for 5 hours, or low for 8 hours.
• When the pork is done cooking, set the oven broiler to high and line a sheet pan with aluminum foil.
• Use two forks to shred the meat directly in the slow cooker bowl. Carefully transfer the shredded pork to the baking sheet, spread it in one even layer, and drizzle 2 to 3 tablespoons of the juices from the slow cooker over top. Broil until the pork is browned on the edges, 5 to 7 minutes.
• In a medium bowl, combine the avocado, tomato, red onion, cilantro, lime juice, and salt. Chill until serving.
• Arrange 2 to 3 warmed tortillas on each plate, add ¼ cup carnitas and 3 to 4 tablespoons of avocado salsa to each. Top with a squeeze of lime juice.

Notes

• Store it: Refrigerate in a sealed container for up to 4 days. Freeze for up to 3 months.
• Reheat it: From refrigerated, microwave until warm, about 2 minutes, then return to a lined sheet pan and bake at 400ºF until warm and crisp, about 5 minutes. From frozen, thaw in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours or overnight, then follow heating instructions.
• For prepping ahead: Follow the instructions through Step 6 (broiling the pork). Freeze the carnitas at this point. Follow the serving instructions after defrosting the meat.
• Pork: Swap for 2 pounds of boneless, skinless chicken thighs.
  Hot sauce: Omit to turn down the spice.

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