Who else was extremely disappointed when Chipotle stopped carrying their carnitas?! I definitely was, although I will say, I’m loving on their barbacoa just as much, now! Don’t fret, though, because you can make your own pork carnitas at home that are even tastier, and so easy!
This recipe is such a no-brainer. Just get all your ingredients together, throw ’em into your slow cooker, and forget about them. Hours later, you have fall-apart tender pork bursting with flavor. You can serve these carnitas up in many ways: in a burrito bowl with rice, beans, salsas, cheese, and guacamole, Chipotle style, in tacos, or on top of nachos! Because I missed my carnitas burrito bowls so much, I went with the burrito bowl style, of course. I served it up with brown rice (quinoa was also great with leftovers), medium salsa, cheddar cheese, lettuce, some extra chipotle peppers in adobo, and my classic guacamole. Alex had some of the leftover pork over nachos one night, which he really enjoyed!
I used a 4-lb. pork loin to make this, which turned out just as tender as with pork shoulder, even though it has a lot less fat. Because you’re cooking this up with beer and lime juice, you don’t have to worry about it drying out, and man, oh man, was it falling apart when it was done cooking! I only had to stir mine up to get it to shred, it fell apart so easily! This is such a great easy week night dinner.
Another thing I have to mention – you may notice the site has a slightly different look, with an updated header, and we are finally mobile-friendly! No more excessive zooming to read recipes on your phone! I’m so excited about this. I spent a couple days last week starting from scratch to revamp the whole site, which was no easy task for me, as I wouldn’t consider myself the most savvy when it comes to coding. I only had one scare when the site totally broke, but I was able to figure it out and fix it, thankfully! I hope you guys like it!
Now, back to the recipe! Go make some carnitas. 🙂
What is your favorite thing to get from Chipotle?
- 1 Tbsp cumin
- 1 Tbsp chili powder
- 1 tsp pepper
- 2 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp oregano
- 5 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 1-4 oz. can of green chiles, drained
- 1 chipotle pepper in adobo, chopped
- 4 lb. pork loin or pork shoulder, excess fat trimmed, and cut into 4-inch chunks
- 2 limes, juiced
- 8 oz. (1 cup) beer
In a small bowl, stir together the spices, and set aside.
Combine the minced garlic, chopped onion, green chiles, and chopped chipotle pepper in a medium bowl.
Place the pork into the slow cooker, sprinkle with the spice mixture, and then spread the onion mixture evenly over top. Pour the lime juice and beer over the entire mixture.
Cover, and cook on high heat for 4-5 hours (you can also do this on low heat for 6-8 hours).
Remove the pork from the slow cooker, and shred with a fork.
To make the edges crispy, place the pork on a cookie sheet covered in aluminum foil in a single layer, and place under the broiler for about 5 minutes.
To serve, pour some of the remaining juices over the pork to keep it moist, and serve immediately.
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. You can also freeze the carnitas in freezer bags or airtight containers along with the juices.
https://cookingalamel.com/2015/08/slow-cooker-pork-carnitas.html