Slow Cooker Carnitas with Mango Avocado Salsa

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A simple, tasty recipe for making tender, juicy, perfectly cooked carnitas in your slow cooker!

Course Main

Cuisine Mexican

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 6

Total Time 6 10

Servings servings

Calories 935

Author Kim

Ingredients

For the carnitas:

4-5 pounds Smithfield All Natural Fresh Pork Shoulder Picnic, excess fat trimmed cut into smaller chunks (about 1-3 inches)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup chicken stock or water
1 medium onion diced
4 cloves garlic peeled and minced
1-2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce minced
3 teaspoons chili powder
2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons salt

For the salsa:

1 mango diced (about 2 cups)
1 large avocado diced (about 1 cup)
1 red bell pepper diced (about 1 cup)
1/2 red onion diced (about 1/2 cup)
1/4 cup packed fresh cilantro chopped
1 lime juiced
Salt to taste start with 1/4 teaspoon

Instructions

Heat oil in a large pan over high heat. Add the pork and sear on each side until browned (about 1-2 minutes per side). Transfer pork to the slow cooker.
Add the remaining ingredients to the slow cooker, and give the mixture a stir to combine. Cook on low for about 6 hours or on high for about 4 hours and until the pork is completely tender and shreds easily with a fork.
Once the pork is cooked, preheat your broiler to high heat and prepare a large baking sheet with aluminum foil. Use two forks to shred the meat into bite-sized pieces, and then use a slotted spoon to transfer it to the prepared baking sheet, spreading the pork in an even layer and leaving the juices behind in the slow cooker. (Don't discard the juices, you'll use them later)
Place baking sheet under the broiler for about 5 minutes, and until the edges of the pork begin browning and crisping up. Remove the sheet from the oven, then spoon about 1/4 cup of the juices from the slow cooker evenly over the pork, and toss with tongs. Broil for an additional 5 minutes, then remove and spoon an additional 1/4 cup of broth over the pork.
Serve immediately in tacos, burritos, salads, or soup! The pork is good for up to about 4 days refrigerated in a sealed container, or frozen in a sealed container for up to 3 months.
I make the mango avocado salsa while my pork is cooking. Simply stir together all ingredients.

Notes

*If you love your pork medium rare, you should cook it to an internal temperature of 145 degrees (followed by a three-minute rest). If you like your pork a little more done, you can cook them to an internal temperature of 160 degrees.
**Measurements for the salsa ingredients don't have to be exact. I gave exact measurements to help you out if you buy prechopped.

Nutrition