Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas

Ingredients

• 1 boneless pork shoulder ((6 to 8 pounds; also called pork butt and boston butt))
• 2 tablespoons kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or to taste)
• 8 cloves garlic (smashed)
• 1 cup tomato juice
• 1 cup orange juice
• 2 tablespoons chipotle hot sauce (such as Tabasco or Cholula brands)

Instructions

1. 1

   Place trimmed pork shoulder in a large slow cooker.

2. 2

   In a small bowl, stir together salt, cumin, pepper, oregano, cinnamon, and cayenne; rub mixture over pork on all sides. Sprinkle on garlic cloves.

3. 3

   Whisk tomato juice, orange juice and chipotle hot sauce in a medium bowl and pour over meat. Cook 8 hours on low, or until pork is pull apart tender.

4. 4

   Let meat cool slightly in cooking liquid before carefully transferring to a large bowl. Shred meat into bite size pieces using two forks.

5. 5

   Skim fat off of cooking juices and discard (recipe note #3). Stir 1 cup or more of the cooking juices to the meat to moisten. Refrigerate remaining juices for reheating the pork (see note #1) or freeze for another use (see note #2).

6. 6

   Serve pork immediately or reheated in tacos, on tostadas, in burritos, on salads, and more! (See post for links to my favorite recipes.)