Who doesn’t love delicious crispy melt in your mouth carnitas? I know I sure do and this recipe will be a guaranteed crowd pleaser! It has minimal steps and will have your place smelling amazing when they are slow cooking for 8 hours! Use it in some tacos, burrito bowls, or simply picking it up with your fingers and shoveling it in your mouth!
Paleo Crispy Pork Carnitas
- Prep Time: 30 min
- Cook Time: 8 HRS
- Total Time: 57 minute
- Yield: 4–6 servings 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: slow cooker
Description
These melt in your mouth paleo carnitas will make you cry tears of joy! I like to broil them off to get them a little crispy then serve them in some tacos or eat as is.
Ingredients
Spice Mix
- 1 tbsp salt
- 1 tbsp chili powder
- 1 tsp ancho chipotle powder
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp pepper
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp coriander
Carnitas
- 3–4 lb pork shoulder
- 2 cups pineapple juice
- 1 white onion, sliced in quarters
- 1 jalapeno, sliced in thin pieces
- 2 naval oranges, cut in half
- 2 limes, cut in half
- 1 bay leaf
- avocado oil
Kitchen Tools Needed
- 6–8 quart crockpot, preferred method of cooking
- Large dutch oven works as well. see recipe notes.
Instructions
Spice Mix Steps
- Grab a small bowl and add all of the spices into it. Mix well with a spoon then set aside.
Carnitas Steps
- Cut your pork shoulder into big chunks. Drizzle the pork chunks with a little avocado oil and massage with hands to ensure all sides are coated.
- season all chunks evenly on all sides with the spice mix.
- heat up large pan with a little Avocado oil on medium high heat. Once hot, sear the pork pieces for a few minutes on each side. make sure to hit all of the sides. Work in batches so that you don’t overcrowd the pan. Once all of the pieces are seared, add to a plate and set aside.
- Grab your large crockpot and add a few pieces of the onion at the bottom. Layer in your pork pieces then squeeze the limes and oranges on top of the meat. Mix up and make sure you leave the squeezed oranges and limes in the crockpot putting a few at the sides and top of the pork pieces. layer the rest of the onion and add in the jalapeño slices.
- pour in the pineapple juice and top with a bay leaf.
- cover and cook on low for 8 hours.
- grab a sheet tray and cover with tinfoil. Using tongs, add the cooked pork pieces to the tray and shred with two forks. Pour a few spoonfuls of the juice in the crockpot over the carnitas and mix up then spread in an even layer on the tray.
- Set oven to broil on high and have the rack at the very top. Broil pork for 3-6 minutes watching closely since this step happens quick!
- Remove from oven when you have your desired crispiness then enjoy! Just be ready since this is some addicting stuff!
Notes
If you don’t have a crock pot, you can use a large dutch oven. Follow all of the same steps then add your dutch oven to the middle rack in the oven at 225 degrees and cook for 6-8 hours.
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