Best Carnitas Slow Cooker Tacos

Today I sit and wonder about the journey of becoming. Becoming who we are meant to be in life. Becoming again who we were before social interaction tainted us… before we were taught to judge, to doubt ourselves, to fear the unknown. Becoming the purest versions of our true selves by removing all of those biases created by the social world around us. And then continuing to use our wisdom to grow and become more. We become genuine. We become unique. We become authentic.

Today I also share with you a recipe for pork carnitas tacos. I adapted this recipe from one I originally found on Pinterest by recipetineats. I adjusted the cut of meat and the composition of ingredients to please my palate. These carnitas cook slowly all day, creating amazing aromas in the kitchen. Then the pan-sear caramelizes the tender morsels of meat into the most delicious bites. Change. Transformation. Becoming. Carnitas. What a day! Enjoy!

My favorite tips:

*The beauty of this recipe is the fabulous aroma that will overtake your kitchen throughout the day. Makes the mouth water!
*It is possible to freeze any extra or to prepare ahead for a later meal. I recommend freezing the sauce and slow-cooked meat separately before the pan searing process. When you thaw later, pan sear and serve hot!
*Be sure to cook your pork all the way through, to at least 145 degrees F, per FDA guidelines. I always cook until well done for easy shredding.
*For the pan searing process, I usually divide the meat into quarters. I sear one quarter at a time. I use a quarter of the liquid each time, using some in the pan for caramelizing and some later to pour over the finished seared pork.
*The caramelized bits are the best part!
*Serve with your favorite garnishes. Mix it up a bit!

Best Carnitas Slow Cooker Tacos

Recipe by AmiessaCourse: DinnerCuisine: MexicanDifficulty: Medium

Servings

4

servings

Easy tasty carnitas!

Ingredients

• 3-5 pound whole pork loin, rinsed and dried

• 2 tsp salt

• 2 tsp black pepper

• 1 1/2 Tbsp oregano, dried

• 2 tsp ground cumin

• 1 Tbsp olive oil + additional olive oil for searing

• 3/4 cup white onion, diced

• 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped

• 1 green chili pepper, seeded and finely chopped

• 6-8 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 cup orange juice, fresh squeezed

• corn tortillas

• optional garnish – Cotija cheese

• optional garnish – tomato, diced

• optional garnish – cilantro, chopped

• optional garnish – cabbage, thinly sliced

• optional garnish – Crema Mexicana

• optional garnish – jalapeno, thinly sliced

• optional garnish – onion, diced

• optional garnish – lime wedges

Directions

• Combine black pepper, oregano, cumin, and 1 Tbsp olive oil to make spice rub.
• Rub pork loin with salt and allow to sit for about two minutes. Rub pork loin with prepared spice rub.
• Place in slow cooker. Spread onion, jalapeno, chili, and garlic over top of pork loin.
• Pour orange juice over pork loin.
• Cook in slow cooker for 9-10 hours on low or 5-6 hours on high, until pork is cooked through and shreds easily with fork.
• Remove pork loin from slow cooker and shred.
• Skim fat from slow cooker liquid. Reduce liquid to about 2 cups. Set liquid aside.
• Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil in skillet on medium-high heat.
• Add some of the pork to completely cover the bottom of the skillet. Drizzle some of the liquid on the pork. Sear until golden brown on the bottom. Stir well and continue to cook a few more minutes. Some of the pork will be crisp and caramelized, while some will be softer and juicier.
• Remove from pan. Pour a small amount of the liquid on the seared pork carnitas. (You may need to repeat in more batches until enough of the pork is prepared for your meal.)
• Serve immediately on warm corn tortillas with your favorite garnishes. ENJOY!

Notes

• *It is possible to freeze any extra or to prepare ahead for a later meal. I recommend freezing the sauce and slow-cooked meat separately before the pan searing process. When you thaw later, pan sear and serve hot!
• *Be sure to cook your pork all the way through, to at least 145 degrees F, per FDA guidelines. I always cook until well done for easy shredding.
• *For the pan searing process, I usually divide the meat into quarters. I sear one quarter at a time. I use a quarter of the liquid each time, using some in the pan for caramelizing and some later to pour over the finished seared pork.
• *The caramelized bits are the best part!
• *Serve with your favorite garnishes. Mix it up a bit!