Recipe

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The juiciest, most flavorful pork carnitas tostadas made in the slow cooker is what you'll get with this drool-worthy recipe.

This carnitas tostada is one of those recipes you can set and forget about until your house is exploding with the aroma of something epic about to happen. Why go to the taqueria when you can BE the taqueria, you know?

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What are Pork Carnitas
Ingredients
How to Make Pork Carnitas in the Slow Cooker
Carnitas Tostada Toppings
Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas Tostadas

What are Pork Carnitas

Carnitas are made from seasoned pork meat that has been cooked on low heat and slow (for a long time), then shredded and pan-fried until the edges get crispy and browned -with this final step being optional.

These heavenly cooked carnitas are most often used as a filling for tacos, tamales, burritos, lettuce wraps, and served over tostadas, among other delicious things. The slow cooker makes this recipe a simple option for weeknight dinners, and leftovers also taste like a million bucks.

Ingredients

I like using pork shoulder or pork butt. It has a little more fat, which helps keep the meat tender. Otherwise, you can also use pork loin and boneless pork chops. Then you’ll need oil and spices (oregano, cumin, and chili powder) to create a “wet rub”.

How to Make Pork Carnitas in the Slow Cooker

Grab your slow cooker, and let’s make epic pork carnitas tostada!

Make a wet rub
Whisking together olive oil, spices, salt, and black pepper, you’ll form a paste to spread onto the meat and infuse the pork with flavor.
Cook
Transfer the roast to the slow cooker, add onion, garlic, and jalapeño, and then squeeze fresh orange juice. Cover and cook on low for 10 hours or high for 4 hours.
Shred the meat
Once the roast is tender and easily pulls apart when poked with a fork, shred the meat between 2 forks.
Make them crispy
Working in batches, add the pulled pork to a large skillet and sauté until the edges develop a brown ‘crust. This. Is. Flavortown.
Assemble and devour
Toast the tostadas in a toaster oven or in the oven and top them with carnitas, guac, sour cream, cheese- the works.

Want to see how easy it is? Watch this quick recipe video!

Crispy Pork Carnitas Tostada

Pan-frying the cooked meat until the edges get crispy and golden brown is the one step that sets pork carnitas tostadas apart from regular pulled pork tacos. It adds an entirely new dimension of flavor and helps lock in the juices from the meat. I recommend working in batches, so don’t overcrowd the pan.

If you’re short on time, pan-frying isn’t necessary for a delicious taco night. Just serve the meat straight from the slow cooker into a tostada with your favorite toppings and dig in!

Carnitas Tostada Toppings

When it comes to topping your carnitas tostadas, don’t be shy. You can get as fancy as you like or keep it simple. Either way, this will be an epic taco night. Here are some ingredients I like to serve with carnitas:

Pico de Gallo
Avocado Salsa
Guacamole
Sour cream
Salsa
Chopped cilantro
Cotija cheese
Queso Fresco
Any cheese
Chopped red onion
Lime wedges

Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas Tostadas

Servings: 8

Prep Time: 5

Cook Time: 8

The juiciest, most flavorful pork carnitas tostadas made in the slow cooker is what you'll get with this drool-worthy recipe.

5 from 29 votes

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Watch how it’s made:

Ingredients

2 pounds boneless pork shoulder roast
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon cumin
½ teaspoon chili powder
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, coarsely chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 jalapeño, seeded and ribs removed, chopped
1 orange, cut in half
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
16 tostadas
Toppings: shredded cheddar cheese, salsa, guacamole, avocado slices, sour cream, etc.

Instructions

Prep the pork:

Rinse the pork shoulder and pat dry with a paper towel. Transfer to a large cutting board and generously season with salt and black pepper.
In a small bowl, combine the oregano, cumin, chili powder, and olive oil. Whisk to form a paste.
Using your hands, spread the ‘wet rub’ onto the roast and rub the spices into the meat.
Transfer the pork to the dish of a slow cooker. Add the diced onion, garlic, and jalapeño. Squeeze the fresh orange juice over the roast before tossing the orange halves into the slow cooker.

Cook:

Cover and set to cook for 4 hours on high or 10 hours on low.

Shred the meat:

Once the meat is tender and pulls apart easily, remove the roast onto the cutting board and shred the meat between 2 forks.

Make 'em crispy:

In a large skillet, heat the vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Working in batches, place the shredded pork in an even layer in the skillet. Cook until the edges develop a brown crust.