Tender Pulled Pork Carnitas Recipe (Slow Cooker)

Whenever I need to feed a crowd, am short on time, or want an easy weeknight dinner, this simple and healthy pulled pork (carnitas) is my go-to. It uses an inexpensive, well-marbled cut of pork that becomes tender and flavorful after slow cooking. Best of all, by removing most of the rendered fat after cooking and avoiding frying in lard, this version is much lighter than traditional carnitas while still staying juicy and delicious.

I first served this recipe to volunteers at Vacation Bible School and was asked for the method so often that I decided to write it up. It’s flexible—workable in a slow cooker or a pressure cooker—and it improves if made a day ahead so the meat can rest and absorb the juices.

Tips for making easy, healthy pulled pork (carnitas)

You can prepare this pork in a slow cooker (about 6–9 hours) or a pressure cooker / Instant Pot (about 90 minutes). Slow cooking develops deeper flavor, but pressure cooking saves time while still producing tender meat. For the juiciest results, make it the day before serving and refrigerate so the flavors marry overnight.

Instant pot shown for reference.

Pork cut

Choose a shoulder or butt roast for pulled pork. These cuts contain enough intramuscular fat and connective tissue to break down during long cooking, producing tender, shreddable meat. They’re usually the most affordable roasts, and a shoulder roast with skin can even be turned into crispy pork rinds as a crunchy side.

If you buy a boneless roast, cut it into large chunks so the marinade penetrates evenly. Large pieces cook more uniformly and stay moist.

Cut into chunks so the flavors penetrate the meat.

Flavoring

Acid

An acid—orange juice, lime or lemon juice—helps tenderize the meat by breaking down protein fibers and adds brightness to the final dish. Combine the acid with salt and your spices and let the pork marinate for at least 30 minutes before cooking. If you have time, longer marination is fine, though the long cook itself will also tenderize the meat.

Herbs and spices

This recipe uses aromatic herbs such as dried oregano and thyme, along with paprika and cumin. Chili powder or cayenne can be added for heat, but it’s optional. Bay leaves are cooked with the pork for a subtle, classic flavor—remove them before serving.

Smoky flavor

If you want a smoky note without using a smoker, a small amount of liquid smoke delivers concentrated smoky flavor. Use sparingly—liquid smoke is potent.

Cooking the pork

Whether you brown the pork in a skillet first or use the sauté function in a pressure cooker, searing improves flavor. If you want to avoid adding oil, place pieces fat-side down to render some of the fat and develop color. Brown garlic briefly with the rendered fat for added depth before returning all the meat to the cooker with the marinade and bay leaves.

Dealing with the cooking juices

After cooking, the juices will contain rendered fat. To keep this recipe lighter, remove most of that fat and keep just a little of the strained juices to return to the shredded pork for moisture and flavor. Using a fat separator is convenient, but you can also refrigerate the juices so the fat solidifies and can be skimmed off, or use a two-container draining method with a thick plastic or freezer bag to separate fat from liquid.

Once the fat is removed, return a small amount of the strained juices to the shredded pork for flavor. Refrigerating the meat overnight allows the juices to be fully absorbed, improving texture and taste.