Crockpot Pork Carnitas Recipe: Tender, Crispy, Low-Sodium

Fall-Apart Tender Carnitas, Right From Your Crockpot

There’s something about the smell of pork simmering away all day with lime, orange, and smoky chipotle that makes a house feel like a home. This crockpot pork carnitas recipe takes all the work out of a classic Mexican favorite while keeping every bit of the flavor. At Bailee’s Kitchen, we built this recipe around our Low-Sodium Sassy Chicken Seasoning, so you get bold, savory flavor without the sodium overload. Let the crockpot do the heavy lifting during the day, then finish the pork in a hot skillet for those irresistible crispy, caramelized edges. Whether it’s taco Tuesday or a weekend gathering, this one’s a guaranteed crowd-pleaser.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Hands-off cooking: the crockpot does most of the work while you go about your day
• Big, bold flavor from citrus, chipotle, and Bailee’s Kitchen seasoning, with a fraction of the sodium
• Crispy edges and tender, shreddable meat give you the best of both textures
• Endlessly versatile: tacos, burrito bowls, nachos, or straight off the fork

Ingredients

For the Pork

• ½ pork loin, pork shoulder, or pork butt, cut into cubes
• Avocado oil
• 2 to 3 tablespoons Bailee’s Kitchen Low-Sodium Sassy Chicken Seasoning
• 2 to 3 cups beef broth or water
• 3 bay leaves
• Juice of 1 lime
• Juice of 1 orange
• 1 to 2 tablespoons chipotles in adobo sauce, or 1 tablespoon Smoky Chipotle Better Than Bouillon

For Serving

• Corn tortillas
• Chopped cilantro
• Diced onion
• Your favorite salsa

Instructions

1. Cut the pork into large cubes and coat all sides with avocado oil and Bailee’s Kitchen Low-Sodium Sassy Chicken Seasoning.
2. For extra flavor, sear the pork in a hot skillet until browned on all sides. This step is optional, but highly recommended.
3. Transfer the pork to your crockpot.
4. Pour the beef broth or water into the skillet used for searing and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Pour this mixture over the pork in the crockpot.
5. Add the bay leaves, lime juice, orange juice, and chipotles in adobo sauce (or Smoky Chipotle Better Than Bouillon).
6. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours, or until the pork is tender and easily shreds with a fork.
7. Shred the pork and leave it in the juices. Serve immediately on warm tortillas, or for traditional carnitas texture, add some shredded pork and a spoonful of cooking liquid to a hot skillet and cook until the edges become crispy and caramelized.
8. Serve on warm corn tortillas topped with cilantro, diced onion, and your favorite salsa.

Tips and Variations

• Don’t skip the skillet-crisping step if you want that classic carnitas texture; a few minutes in a hot pan makes all the difference.
• Swap beef broth for chicken broth or water depending on what you have on hand.
• Leftover pork keeps well in the fridge for up to 4 days and freezes beautifully for future taco nights.

FAQ

Can I make this in an Instant Pot instead? Yes. Cook on high pressure for about 60 to 70 minutes, then let the pressure release naturally before shredding.

What cut of pork works best? Pork shoulder or pork butt gives the most tender, flavorful result because of the higher fat content, though pork loin works well for a leaner option.

How do I store and reheat leftovers? Store shredded pork in its juices in an airtight container in the fridge. Reheat in a skillet with a splash of the cooking liquid to keep it moist, then crisp the edges again if desired.