Seasoned and moist, this slow cooker beer braised pork carnitas is so full of flavor, very easy to make and perfect for Taco Tuesday or any night of the week! Got leftovers? Find leftover pulled pork recipes here.
As I’ve shared before, we love a good roasted pork roast. Whether we are making pulled pork sandwiches or using up leftovers to make pulled pork nachos, we have found this cut of meat to be very versatile and something the whole family loves to eat.
We make pulled pork in the oven and really love a smoked pork roast on the grill. Today I am sharing my recipe for slow cooker beer braised pork carnitas. Fast and easy and oh so delicious, this recipe is a keeper!
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Why this recipe is so awesome
Carnitas is Spanish for small pieces of braised pork. And here in Southern California, carnitas means tender bites of deliciousness. Oh, and tacos, burritos, and anything else you want to roll around this slow cooked pork.
If you are making pulled pork or carnitas, you have several choices in meat cuts. The most common choice is the pork shoulder. Another popular cut of meat for pulled pork is a Boston butt and the picnic shoulder, or picnic ham
These cuts are pretty inexpensive, but when slow cooked they come out tender and delicious. This is a super easy meal to prepare for your family that is also budget friendly.
Ingredients you need
- Bone-in pork shoulder: You can use a bone-in or boneless pork shoulder roast. A boneless roast will cook faster. You can also use a picnic shoulder or Boston butt.
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Onion: I used a regular old brown onion, but you can also use a sweet Vidalia.
- Fresh sage: You can also use dried sage, about 1 teaspoon. You can also use fresh oregano.
- Beer: Choose any beer that you like, but I would stay away from a stout.
- Spices: chile powder, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, cumin, salt, pepper
Step-by-step directions
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- Prep. Combine the seasonings and rub the mixture all over pork shoulder roast.
- Brown. In a skillet, sear roast in hot oil until browned then continue to rotate and brown each side.
- Transfer. Place roast in a slow cooker and top with onion slices and sage leaves. Pour beer over the roast.
- Cook. Cook on high heat for 4 hours. Discard bone, cut meat into chunks and cook for an additional 2 hours.
- Shred. Transfer meat to a rimmed baking sheet and shred the meat. Transfer shredded carnitas to a serving dish and pour juice over it.
Recipe tips and FAQs
If you like things spicy, feel free to turn the heat up by adding a serrano chile into the slow cooker or season your roast with your favorite hot chile powder. My husband is not a fan of spicy and honestly, neither are the little ones, so my recipe is not spicy at all.
We like to serve this taco style with tortillas, guacamole, sour cream, cilantro, shredded cheese and/or sautéed onions and peppers.
Storing/Freezing Instructions
TO STORE: Store any leftover pork in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
TO FREEZE: You can also freeze leftovers. Transfer to a resealable bag or freezer safe container and freeze for up to 4 months.
When your roast is seasoned, you can totally throw your seasoned pork shoulder in the slow cooker or you can brown it first. The browning process sears the meat on the outside so that all the juice gets retained on the inside. You also get those wonderful browned bits in your pan, which you deglaze with water and add into the slow cooker.
Carnitas can be served a number of different ways. You can wrap it up in a burrito with rice, beans and guacamole. You can serve it taco style, making small street tacos, use crunchy taco shells or a number of different tortilla options out there.
You can also serve carnitas as a stew over rice with beans and all the fixings on the side.
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Slow Cooker Beer Braised Pork Carnitas
Ingredients
- 1 4- lb bone in pork shoulder
- 1 tablespoon chile powder
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 1 ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 large onion sliced
- 7 sage leaves fresh
- 22 fl oz bottle of beer any kind
Instructions
- In a small bowl combine the spices and seasonings. Rub spice mixture all over pork shoulder roast.
- Heat a large non-stick pan over high heat and add olive oil.
- Place roast into the hot oil and sear meat until browned, about 5 minutes. Flip roast over and continue to brown each side of the roast.
- Remove roast from heat and place in a large 6-quart slow cooker.
- Spread onion slices and sage leaves around the roast and pour beer over it.
- Cover slow cooker and cook on high heat for 4 hours.
- Pull bone off the roast and discard. Cut roast into chunks and cook for an additional 2 hours.
- Transfer pork to a cutting board or rimmed baking sheet. Use 2 forks or your fingers to shred the meat into bite-sized pieces, discarding any large pieces of fat.
- Transfer shredded carnitas to a serving, pour juice over it (if desired).
- Serve with tortillas, guacamole, sour cream, cilantro, shredded cheese and/or sautéed onions and peppers.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the actual nutritional information with the products and brands you are using with your preferred nutritional calculator.
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Written by Laura Bashar
Hi, I’m Laura, a certified professional cook and cookbook author living in San Diego. I have been sharing my family’s favorite recipes inspired from all over the world since 2008. Let’s cook up something fun!
so sorry to hear, I sure hope you are feeling better.
This does not make me happy. 🙁 I'm sending good thoughts to a speedy healing – you need to share some more of your amazing recipes! 🙂