I know a lot of you share my love for Mexican food, so I think you will agree this is the most amazing pork recipe for the crock pot. Coming home from work and smelling this when you walk in the door is heavenly.
Browning the pork first is essential so don't skip this step. Pork shoulder is very inexpensive and you can make a few meals out of this. Be sure to buy the boneless pork shoulder blade roast, as it is leaner than the pork shoulder picnic. The prep for this is about 15 minutes the night before. Get it ready and refrigerate it so you simply take it out and plug it in when you get up. Serve this with tortillas, use in burritos, or simply have this with cilantro lime rice. You can make your own Chipotles burrito bowl with lettuce, sour cream, corn salsa, guacamole, or whatever else you usually put in yours!
Slow Cooked Pork Carnitas (Mexican Pulled Pork)
Gina's Weight Watcher Recipes
Servings: 8 • Serving Size: 4 oz (1/2 cup) • Old Points: 4 pts • Points+: 4 pts
Calories: 176 • Fat: 7.7g • Protein: 25.8 g • Carb: 1.3 g • Fiber: 0.1 g
Ingredients:
- 2.5 lb pork shoulder blade roast, lean, all fat removed (I used Smithfield)
- 6 cloves garlic, cut into sliver
- cumin
- dry adobo
seasoning (I used Goya)
- garlic powder
- 3/4 cup 99% fat free chicken broth
- 2-3 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (to taste)
- 2 bay leaves
Directions:
Season pork with salt and pepper. In a medium sauté pan on medium-high heat, brown pork on all sides for about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
Using a sharp knife, insert blade into pork, cutting small holes and insert garlic slivers. Season pork generously with cumin, adobo
and garlic powder all over.Pour chicken broth in the crockpot, add bay leaves and chipotle peppers. Place pork in crock pot and cover. Cook low for 8 hours. After 8 hours, shred pork using two forks and combine well with the juices that accumalated at the bottom. Remove bay leaves and adjust salt and cumin (you will probably need to add more). Let it cook another 15-30 minutes.
holy jebus Im drooling! Im so hungry now haha they look so good :) Im so making these!
ReplyDeleteI'll be making these too, I might double the recipe and just freeze the leftovers. Looks so yummy!
ReplyDeleteMmmmm...can't wait to try that one. You've sold me on the burrito bowls. I sometimes make a crock pot full of the Chicken Ropa Vieja just so I can freeze individual portion sizes to pull out for lunch. Yep, you read that right -- sometimes I make it and don't share! ;-)
ReplyDeleteYUM! This looks so good. I make something like this with chicken breast but my family would enjoy the pork dish as well.
ReplyDeleteLove your pictures too!
love pork! and mexican style even better! looks real good! thanks
ReplyDeleteI love me some Carnitas and this recipe looks fabulous! BUT what about the wraps? You didn't list those or what the Nutrition Info would be WITH the wraps.
ReplyDeleteYet another reason I need to get a crock pot! Awesome recipe!
ReplyDeleteLooks delicious! Carnitas are a hit around here, I'll try your recipe next time I make them :)
ReplyDeleteNo, I didn't provide that because I don't want you to be limited eating this one way! Pictured here with the wraps (depending on what wraps you use, this was a 1 pt whole wheat wrap) and 2/5th of a hass avocados it was 7 pts. I also added a little corn salsa after I took the photo.
ReplyDeleteLooks great! Keep 'em coming.
ReplyDeleteErin
Looks so yummy I know my kids will love this. When you list "adobo" I'm not sure I know what you mean. Is there a condiment just called adobo as opposed to chilies in adobo?
ReplyDeleteCan't wait to try this one!
ReplyDeleteGina: I am so anxious to try this. I am trying to get my husband to lose weight and he is a BIG meat eater and loves Carnitas. You are right asbout the wraps. I usually get the Mission Carb right tortillas. They have about 15g of fiber in them so they come out to 1 pt.
ReplyDeleteThis looks amazing. Question - when you say 2 bay leaves, do you mean fresh or dry?
ReplyDeleteThis looks delish!
ReplyDeleteI love Mexican, this looks really easy! I can't wait to try it.
ReplyDelete@Cynthia- there is a dry spice in the latin section of your supermarket called Adobo. Many brands make adobo, Goya, Badia, etc. If you can't find it, it's basically salt, pepper, garlic powder, ground oregano, cumin and turmeric (sometimes citrus zest).
ReplyDelete@101- I found it in my local Pathmark but if you don't see it, either ask or go to your butcher.
@Anonymous- I buy those too! Low carb wraps are usually 1 pt or less. La tortilla factory is great too!!
@Laura, yes, dry bay leaves. I've never seen fresh ones, wish I had a bay leaf tree!
this is fabulous!
ReplyDeleteI made these today. They were amazing!! Thanks so much for all the great recipes!
ReplyDeletemaking my grocery list and adding this! not sure what u mean by the chipolte peppers in adobo sauce? Is this different from the adobo powder? I'm guessing you add the peppers to this sauce?
ReplyDelete@BetsyG- Yes, it's different. It's a small can of Chipotle Peppers and it comes in adobo sauce. You can find it in your Mexican section. You don't want to use the whole can, it's very spicy. You can save the rest or freeze the rest for the future.
ReplyDeleteThis is fantastic! Easy to make and oh so good. I put it on this Sunday and now I have lunches for the week. I froze individual portions. I am going to have it with roasted veggies. Really, really good thanks!!
ReplyDeleteYummmo! I made this on Sat and it was awesome!!!!!!!!!! So tasty!!!! A defintie keep yet again thanks Gina's! I made with the Scallion Cilantro Rice which I have made numerous times and is also another winner!
ReplyDeleteGina, your recipes are grea but a lot of time I do replace oil with fat free low sodium chicken broth. Lowers points and replaces one taste with another. Just as tasty. Carole
ReplyDeleteThanks Carol. All my recipes can be tweaked to your liking, I just give you the base. I personally like to use a little healthy olive oil for flavor which I don't think can always replaced.
ReplyDeleteHi Gina, I'm familiar with pork shoulder ham (picnic ham / pernil) but when I went to my local shoprite and asked the butcher for a boneless pork shoulder she looked at me like I was crazy. Said she never heard of it! lol Maybe it was just the butcher? Either way, can you be more specific...maybe give the exact name of the Smithfield product. Thanks! :)
ReplyDelete@Tammy- Sure, here is an example of pork shoulder roast. Perhaps there is another name for it? http://www.localharvest.org/pork-shoulder-roast-C2141?r=fr
ReplyDeleteI have a freezer full of very lean tenderloin chops I bought on sale. I bet I could substitue those with out changing the points value too much!! Thanks Gina! You have saved us from yet another dinner of baked pork chops!!!!
ReplyDeleteI can not believe how wonderful this was! Thank you so much for the recipe. We will be making it again and again!
ReplyDeleteI have a total addition to Mexican food, which when eaten out, has a total addiction to my waist line. Thanks so much for offering up a healthier alternative!
ReplyDeleteI was looking for carnitas recipes the other day and didn't really find anything I was crazy about. This looks so good, though- especially the fact that it's not cooked in lard! I might have to give it a try in the next few weeks!
ReplyDeleteThere's a little restaurant nearby that makes amazing carnita tacos, I go there almost every week! This looks so good, definitely making my mouth water. I have a feeling I'll be making instead of buying them soon :).
ReplyDeleteYes, this is very lean, yet not dry at all. And soo easy to make! It makes alot so you can definitely freeze lunch portions or future dinners.
ReplyDeleteMy husband is Mexican and raised by a fantastic chef ... we are marinating tonight and cooking it tomorrow... will let you know if it lives up to his standards...LOL
ReplyDeleteOh boy! **Biting nails**
ReplyDeleteI made this for dinner and my family went nuts it is a keeper. So good and moist.
ReplyDeleteThis was amazing! We ate it with warmed tortillas like street tacos. It made enough to eat several times this week and still have some to freeze for later.
ReplyDeleteMMM.. It's in the crockpot right now.. Can't wait to eat it for dinner !!!
ReplyDeleteThanks for all the Fabulous recipes ... <3
The meat guys at my grocer told me they call it a "Boston Butt" roast. I live in Florida - maybe it's a east coast thing?
ReplyDeleteThanks Amy!
ReplyDeleteMy husband and I LOVED this! I had to physically restrain him from eating the entire crock pot full of delicious meat :)
ReplyDeleteHey there,
ReplyDeleteI am the one with the Mexican husband... with the Mom who's a great chef... Sorry for the delay. I hope your fingernails have grown back by now! LOL. But he completely approved of the carnitas. He was really excited that I had made something like this and said it was delicious:) I made the barbacoa today and it is also excellent. I love these recipes and so does he! Thanks so much for all your hard work and info!
@Christina - LOL! Thanks for writing back! Glad your Mexican family approved :)
ReplyDeleteOh. My. Goodness. THIS WAS FREAKIN DELICIOUS!! I made it on Monday and my husband is already asking for it again this weekend.
ReplyDeleteI like carnitas, but living in Louisiana, it's hard for us to find good ones. The carnitas we're used to are usually chunks of pork, not shredded, so I didn't totally shred it all, I mainly left it in small cubes/chunks. The flavoring was awesome. My adobo was leftover from when we lived in Texas...like 7 years ago, and we couldn't find any more, so I just added some onion powder. My husband is now in love with the chipotle peppers too. They were pretty spicy, I only put two in there and that was just enough heat for me. My husband is hispanic, and he likes his food really spicy, so he will be using those peppers a lot.
Thank you for a wonderful recipe!!
Gina- Looks great as always... but I dont own a slow cooker, how would I adjust to use a pressure cooker, if that would even work?
ReplyDelete@Cory, sure a pressure cooker would work fine. You probably want to cut the meat into large chunks, and the cooking time would be about 30-45 minutes on low.
ReplyDeleteGood recipe! Watch those peppers though! I put 4 of them in my dish and it was super spicy to say the least! We got several lunches and 2 dinners out of one roast so I will fix this again!
ReplyDeleteYes, they are super spicy!! This really makes a lot! Glad you liked it!!
ReplyDeleteWould a pork loin work for this? I don't use my slow cooker much, but this recipe looks fantastic. Especially after reading some of these comments! Thanks :)
ReplyDelete@Alaina- I'm sure pork loin would taste great, just not sure if it would shred. If you try it with pork loin, let me know!!
ReplyDeleteJust wanted to say that I made this today. To help answer Alaina's question... pork loin works fine - that's all I had in the freezer so it's what I used. It shreds apart, too. The meat tastes great. My family couldn't get enough! Thanks!
ReplyDeleteThanks Marybeth!!
ReplyDeleteGina, Just wanted to stop by and tell you that this recipe was a great hit in our home. Hubby could not get enough of it, he ate till he no longer could. I made BBQ pull pork sandwiches with the left overs and they where also a huge success. Thank you so much for all your delicious recipes. They have helped me a lot with sticking with weight watchers and loose weight.
ReplyDeleteI couldn't find those peppers, is there in an alternative?
ReplyDeleteYou could buy Tabasco Chipotle hot sauce, or dry Chipotle chile powder instead and use enough to taste.
ReplyDeletehaving these tonight for dinner...can't wait to get home to smell the cooking meal!
ReplyDeleteJust put these in the crockpot, can't wait for dinner! This will be my 3rd time making these and we all love it. I like to use the leftovers to make your quesadillas with mango salsa.
ReplyDeleteMy boyfriend and I made this last night and it came out AWESOME! The meat is very flavorful and has a nice kick to it but is not overly spicy. Very complex flavors...and it was SO easy. This was the first thing that I made from this site and I was impressed! Def going to make again.
ReplyDeleteGreat! You'll probably love the barbacoa beef!
ReplyDeleteGina, you so rock. My wife and I have made like literally 20 of your recipes, and none of them disappoint. Specifically the Mexican ones. I just prepped this and threw the crock pot in the fridge, I can't wait to cook it tomorrow.
ReplyDeleteThanks Dan! Let me know how they turn out!
ReplyDeleteOkay I have to admit.. I've never actually had carnitas but everyone I know raves about them.. I was tired or making the same dishes over and over so I figured I'd try something new.. this dish went over fantastically with my extremely picky DH! I paired it with the cilantro lime rice which he loves also! THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!
ReplyDeleteI have tried (and love) many of your recipes, but this was my fav so far! My husband said Move over Chipotle! This pared with your cilantro rice, corn salsa and Whole Foods guac (didn't have enough time for that) was AWESOME! Thank you for making real food healthy!
ReplyDeleteThanks for commenting! That's my favorite way to eat it too!
ReplyDeleteI put this in the crock pot this afternoon. My plan is to shred it tonight and heat it up for dinner tomorrow night. I just tasted a small sliver and let me just say...My family is in for quite a treat tomorrow night. Thanks so much for sharing!!
ReplyDeleteYes, they are!! You're welcome!
ReplyDeleteOkay, I just had to write a quick update....these were a HUGE success! I used a pork loin (it was on sale this week). My family doesn't care for avocado, so we passed on that, we topped with a little reduced fat sour cream and a generous sprinkle of fresh chopped cilantro......the flavor was OUTRAGEOUS! Added bonus...enough left overs for lunch this week. Yay!
ReplyDeleteThis is such a great recipe and so easy. People always ask for the recipe! We also add Penzey's smoked paprika to the spice rub. Out of this world. Thank you !!
ReplyDeleteThis was soooo good, and this is coming from someone who is historically afraid of anything with even a little bit of spice. I made it with 2 shoulder blade steaks bone-in and trimmed a lot of the fat around the edges and in between. This meant I was left with a lot of pieces, but since the slow cooker is so forgiving (it is definitely my favorite appliance in the house - as an aside I would love more recipes from you using the slow cooker), I followed the rest of the recipe to a "T". Perfect!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much!!!
Thanks Laura, I will work on more slow cooker recipes!
ReplyDeleteThis was delicious!! So easy and something the whole family loved!
ReplyDeleteThese were so awesome!!! I live in San Antonio, TX where we have really good mexican food and I have to say I don't miss the fatty mexican food I used to eat! I first served them as tacos in corn tortillas w/ pico and ff sour cream, and then used them on chalupas. My dh loved them, too!!!
ReplyDelete@saglamgirl Awesome!! Thanks for leaving a comment!
ReplyDeleteMade this tonight and it was super delicious. Personally, I would not use a pork loin, I feel carnitas need a bit of good ol' fashioned pork fat for the best flavor and moistness. I was careful to trim off the fat before browning, and skimmed the fat off the liquid before finishing them off. I also finished mine off in a hot oven to crisp up the edges. DH said these were better than his favorite Mexican joint. Thanks for the recipe!
ReplyDeleteMade this last night and now enjoying it for lunch. Delicious! Keeping the points low and eating it with lettuce wraps! Thanks Gina!-Chanel
ReplyDeleteI love lettuce wraps, thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteSo yummy! I couldn't find adobo seasoning so I made some from a spice mix recipe and it was FANTASTIC! A keeper for sure.
ReplyDeleteCan you make this recipe with beef? I have several beef roasts (and can't eat pork) but would love to try this. Please give me your feedback! Love your recipes! Thanks Gina for all your hard work! ;)
ReplyDeleteI haven't tried this with beef, but I'm sure it would be great!
ReplyDeleteYUM!!!! I loved these - posting to my blog too!
ReplyDeleteA way to make this recipe even easier is to use Mojo marinade by Goya - I believe you can find this in most supermarkets.
ReplyDeleteYou can replace all of the chicken broth with the Mojo marinade.
I would still recommend using spices and rubbing the pork very well with them before browning the meat - after browning the meat you only need to use the mojo marinade while slow cooking the pork. (you do not have to marinate the pork in the mojo beforehand - unless you have the time).
Also, to avoid soggy pulled pork you should let the meat cool down for a few minutes before you shred it. I also would not cook the meat any further after shredding it. (also be careful not to steam the 'hot' shredded meat by wrapping the hot meat in something like tin foil).
- -
Hey Gina, I love your site. I have been visiting often after I found it a few weeks ago. Your recipes are straight forwarded and allow for so much creativity. Also, your pictures are great!
Thanks for sharing Paul!! And thanks about the photos. That's probably the most challenging part!
ReplyDeleteSo far I have loved all the recipes I have tried...so I have browned my meat (I am using a pork loin and a top roast to equal two pounds didn't want to go to the store)...and I have it all sitting in the crock pot to throw on in the morning. I am so excited. I love carnitas and have always been a little nervous to try it out. thanks for sharing all of your recipes.
ReplyDeleteI have made this once and it was delicious! I'm making it again tomorrow for a group of friends coming over for dinner. Thank you so much for the great recipes. I love this site!
ReplyDeleteIt was awesome!! My company absolutely loved it...
ReplyDeleteI made this the other night. My husband LOVED it! Thanks for another awesome recipe :-)
ReplyDeleteCan't wait to try this! It sounds awesome! So glad you are a Chipotle fan too!
ReplyDeletePoints plus request for this one too!!! I'm loving mexican spicy flavors right now!!!
ReplyDeleteYummy! It was awesome and I made the Filipino Adobo Chicken this weekend too; both were fabulous! I need to use the rest of my chipotle peppers so possibly your crab cakes and/or enchiladas are on the menu for this week. Thank you so much for sharing your ideas, recipes, and wonderful photos. Merry Christmas to you and family!
ReplyDeleteThanks and enjoy the holidays!!
ReplyDeleteMade this for my family and it was a major hit!!!! Will be making again very soon!
ReplyDeleteMade this tonight for dinner and it was FABULOUS!! I added a few dried chiles to the crock pot as well for some added spice. My husband, who is a professional executive chef, cannot stand WW recipes (or similar) because they barely work and have little to no flavor. However, everything I have made from your blog he has really enjoyed. Kudos to you Gina!!! (He ate two huge tacos tonight with the Cuban black beans & cilantro lime rice). :D
ReplyDeleteOh Lynn, it makes me happy when chef's like my food! It really is the ultimate compliment. I hate to think of my recipes as WW recipes, just real food that is light and healthy, sounds so much better!
ReplyDeleteIs the adobo in this recipe a powder or the sauce that comes with the chipotles?
ReplyDeleteAdobo the dry seasoning. Sorry!
ReplyDeleteOkay, so I messed up a bit on the adobo as I got the paste one (could not find it as a spice) Didn't matter as this was sooo good. I seriously cannot believe how good this was. And soooo easy!! Thank you so much for such a great recipe. Definitely have enough left over for hubbys lunch and then some!! :)
ReplyDeleteThis was delicious! We had it with the cilantro lime rice and the cuban style black beans, and we made some Chipotle style soft tacos (with low point tortillas)... tasted EXACTLY like Chipotle. So good. I'm officially obsessed with your recipes Gina! :)
ReplyDeleteObsessed, love that :)
ReplyDeleteThis was absolutely amazing! We made it with the cilantro lime rice (also delicious) tonight. These were the first recipes I've tried from your website but I'm already a huge fan. I'll be back :-)
ReplyDeleteGreat to hear!
ReplyDeleteWow, Gina... just looked through a years worth of comments on your dish. Kuddos to you on all the great feedback to your recipe. I am making it today and serving it to my friends tonight. My husband is begging me to make him bbq pulled pork sandwiches.. I may have to try this and make a little zesty carolina vinegar bbq sauce on the side. :) Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteThanks Alex! Some BBQ sauce I bet would be great with this!!
ReplyDeleteWow! This recipe is awesome! I used a rib end boneless roast, and it was very lean and shredded perfectly. We made bowls with your cilantro-lime rice, black beans etc. - all were fantastic. Thanks for these wonderful, healthy recipes - we will be having lots of Chipotle Ala Gina nights at our house!!
ReplyDeleteI LOVE your recipes! I just started WW a few weeks ago. I'm doing it with my mom and she turned me on to your site. I put this together last night, cooked today while I was at work. It was delicious! THANK YOU!
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure how I found your blog, but I made this yesterday and it was FANTASTIC! I added some onion and also Adobo 'hot' seasoning (found in International Foods aisle)to give it some kick. It was excellent. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteMade this for dinner tonight and it was WONDERFUL!! The only things I did differently were use a pork loin roast instead of shoulder and deglazed the pan I used for browning with the broth before I put it in the crock pot (added a bit of fat, but I hate to waste those tasty bits of meat left in the pan!). Such a perfect blend of flavors, and so easy! Thank you, thank you for posting. (And your photos are also mouthwatering!)
ReplyDeleteAll your comments are making me want to make this again! So happy you all loved this!
ReplyDeleteHas anyone ever made this with chicken? Not a pork fan. Love this site- thank you Gina!!!!
ReplyDeleteThis was awesome!! We ate it for dinner (for a few nights) and made burritos with the meat and eggs in the morning! Even my picky eater ate it!!
ReplyDeleteI've never made it with chicken, but go for it!!
ReplyDeleteCan i cook this faster in the crock pot?
ReplyDeleteThe only "adobo" I have found is in a jar. In the latin food section of fred meyers they have all kinda of dried latin spices but no adobo. Just a jar with red pasty stuff and oil. That tastes like burtn rotten chiles....
ReplyDeleteLeslie, I don't follow.
ReplyDeleteMarla - that isn't right. It should be dry, usually in the spice aisle. Goya is a popular brand.
This was fabulous! I made cooked all night and took it to work for lunch. The guys couldn't get enough of it, good thing I saved a little container for me for later this week. I served it with the Cilantro Lime Rice which was also good. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteI noticed it said to keep in the slow cooker for 8 hours... would it be a problem if it were in there for longer... say 10 hours?
ReplyDeleteKatie, I don't think that will be a problem.
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, can I just tell you how awesome my house smelled coming home to this tonight?!? I made this with the cilantro rice from this site as well. My husband said is wasn't as good as Chipotle's, it was way better!
ReplyDeleteYou're husband is too kind!
ReplyDeleteHi Gina,
ReplyDeleteI just wanted to say that I stumbled across your site just by this recipe alone. I made this for dinner last night, and it was great. My daughter, who is 10, had four servings of this with mini flour tortilla. My youngest, ate one stuffed full of the meat, and my hubby and I ate 3 each. I made homemade pico de gallo to serve with it, along with lime wedges, cilantro, and sour cream. Loved it!!! The plus, was that there was extra for work lunches too. Thank you for a great recipe. Also, I didn't realize that there were three different types of adobo seasoning. I had grabbed the one with cumin, but the taste is great. I never even had it until now, and it will be a staple seasoning from now on.
Great!! Yes, I like all varieties of adobo and it's always in my pantry. Thanks for commenting.
ReplyDeletethis is a great recipe!
ReplyDeleteHowever, when I made it, by the end of the day the pork was pretty 'soupy'. I may have to use a lot less chicken broth (if any), due to the moisture content in the pork. We may also fry some in the pan after it's done cooking in the crock pot, to crisp it up just a tad.
Also, I wasn't very familiar with those peppers in adobo sauce and maybe wasn't paying too much attention to how many you should add. Yes, it does say add 2-3 peppers in the recipe, but I decided to add the whole can (not wanting to waste any) and was figuring it would be bbq-ey, not hot. Well the whole can was about 20 peppers, which made it WAY too hot. Lesson learned! Pay attention to the recipe.
We are low-carbers and made this with Ole low carb wraps (6 carbs a piece), and added avocado, tomato, goat cheese and greek yogurt (all which helped cool it down.)
Holy mole! I bet it was hot!
ReplyDeleteI want to say that even with out the adobo (because either I'm blind and can't see it or it's not in grocery stores here) this is still AWESOME. I also served it with cilantro lime rice and the cuban black beans. mmm
ReplyDeleteThis recipe turned out awesome and the leftovers were even better! Pork carnitas is my go-to at any authentic Mexican eatery. It is fresh and simple. Thank you for sharing! I am not on a diet and I love to cook, so I was skeptical about your recipes. This one sold me!
ReplyDeleteI made these a few nights ago with the Cilantro Lime Rice, and it was a big hit in my house! I made a burrito bowl for myself, and my husband had a burrito with a flour tortilla and it tasted EXACTLY like Chipotle. I added part of a mashed avocado, light cheese, pico de gallo, and some light sour cream to my bowl. Yum! Plus this makes leftovers for days. Thanks, Gina!
ReplyDeleteI tried this and it is wonderful! I don't like a lot of crock pot recipes but I will make this again and again. You can buy a can of chipotle peppers in sauce and freeze in a small jar what you don't use so you will have them the next time you make it.
ReplyDeleteI made this last night with some homemade salsa and guacamole and low carb tortillas. Even my 4 year old loved it.
ReplyDeleteUNBELIEVABLY delicious!!! Everything I've made from your site has been incredible and I am so thankful to you for what you do. Cooking healthfully from scratch is so much more satisfying than the junk I was indulging in. Love!!!
ReplyDeleteMade this last night for friends and everyone loved it! We actually used pork shoulder with the bone (didn't realize until we got home) and removed the bone when we shreaded the meat.
ReplyDeleteIt had just enough kick and the flavor was wonderful! We paired this with the cilantro-lime rice and it was a hit!
We will definitely be making this again! So easy and very inexpensive!
I am making this right now, but I am SO nervous about the spice because (not being able to find the spice) I just rubbed the shoulder with the remaining liquid from the chiles. Sh*t I bet I am going to have a mouth that blows fire!!
ReplyDeleteI would LOVE to make this recipe but unfortuantly do not have a crock pot. Can I make it in the oven? Thanks gina! -KELLY
ReplyDeleteYou can slow cook it on the stove in a heavy pot or in the oven in a Dutch oven.
ReplyDeleteI make this one ALL THE TIME. And when I do I always invite people over for dinner because I know there will be too much for the two of us. I don't care for tortillas, so I also set up a salad bar with shredded cabbage, iceberg, and toppings like tomatoes, black beans, corn, avo, salsa etc, and that way I can have it on a salad while everyone stuffs their tacos.
ReplyDeleteI just made this for my boyfriend and I and we both give this 2 thumbs way up!! Watching our budgets and our waistlines, this will be a recipe that I will be using often! I served it over your fiesta lime rice and added grilled peppers and red onions and a little lite sour cream and it perfectly resembled my favorite Chipotle meal. Can't wait to try the other recipes on your site...I haven't read one yet that doesn't make my mouth water. :)
ReplyDeleteThis recipe looks awesome! I do not currently have adobo seasoning. I was looking online and noticed several varieties. Is there a particular kind I should use? It appears that some varieties have added salt and others do not... curious as to which one you used. Thanks.
ReplyDeletePS. Been doing WW since March and just stumbled across this site. Thank you so much for all of the recipes! Very helpful.
The adobo in this recipe was seasoned with salt, cumin, garlic powder, oregano and black pepper.
ReplyDeleteIjustmade this for dinner tonight as my husband loves carnitas. Our House smelled delicious all day and we couldn't wait to eat. This turned out so much better than I had thought and we will definitely be making this again and again.
ReplyDeleteThis carnitas was SO delicious!! I made it to fill tamales and it was amazing. We used the extra to make tacos with salsa verde, avocado, lime, and cilantro and it was out of this world. My boyfriend couldn't stop drooling over it and he is a carnitas fanatic. Thank you so much for posting!
ReplyDeleteI was very excited to try this recipie. I made it today and i just wasn't our taste. It came out with such a strong bitter sour taste. I might have done too much garlic and chipotle. I might try again it it will be a while. The skinny nachos and the chicken rolatini's were great!
ReplyDeleteI made this today with the Cilantro lime rice & the Black bean salad everything was so yummy. This recipe will be included in our regular rotation of meals in our home. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteMade this the other night and have been eating it for 3 days! My boyfriend loved it! I'm making again for Father's Day. Can I put it in the fridge Saturday night even with the chicken broth and chipotle peppers and bay leaves and then just plug it in Sunday morning?! Or are there certain things I should leave out? THANKS!!!
ReplyDeleteOh yes, you can prep it the night before!
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteHow long in the oven & what degree? Don't have a CP.
ReplyDeleteThanks,
Cindy
Another Winner! My husband and I both thought these were fantastic. Had a nice kick too it without being too overpowering. We will be making these again. I may try them in a quesadilla using the 1 point tortillas.
ReplyDeleteI could not find Adobo ANYWHERE! I went to two supermarkets and a mexican specialty store, so I had to improvise and make my own, but I didn't have oregano or tumeric... It was STILL sooo good and spicy! A little too spicy and i am Mexican and love some heat. Next time I will only use two peppers. It was just delicious and tender, thank you, thank you!
ReplyDeleteJessica...I live in Texas so stuff like this is just falling off the store shelves here. You can make your own though, and it's a great all-around seasoning blend. It's 3 parts salt, 3 parts garlic powder, 2 parts dry oregano, 1 part black pepper, 1 part turmeric and 1 part onion powder. If you're lucky enough to find Mexican oregano, use it...it's sweeter than Italian and has a really unique flavor, but Italian will be just fine for this.
ReplyDeleteFYI...I made these for the Super Bowl and I'm making them again for the 4th. They're insanely delicious...perfectly seasoned, juicy, addictive. Much appreciated, Gina!
My husband and I loved this recipe. Served the pork carnitas with Gina's cuban style black beans and rice. For dessert, the Lemon Cheesecake Yogurt cups topped with sliced kiwi and strawberry. A thoroughly delicious and guilt free meal. Thanks Gina!
ReplyDeleteSounds like a wonderful meal!
ReplyDeleteI made this yesterday and it was very good! I think I made mine a little too spicy. Also I could not find adobo seasoning at my store but I was able to find a recipe to make my own easily. It's just salt, onion powder, garlic powder, oregano, chili powder and black pepper.
ReplyDeleteThe house smelled AMAZING while this was cooking.
I made this yesterday and we have had it for every meal except for breakfast since. SO GOOD!!! Thank you for all your wonderful recipes!
ReplyDeleteI have made this twice. Everyone in my family loves it! We ate it on low carb tortillas with homemade pico de gallo, Colby jack cheese, and sliced avocado. So fresh and delicious! Thanks so much for this easy yet tasty recipe!
ReplyDeleteKathy
Gina-I"m making this tomorrow (Wednesday) and wondering about the spice level. My husband is very sensitive to spicy foods and isn't crazy about them. I'm trying to broaden his horizons. I want flavorful carnitas but not to spicy for him. How many peppers would you suggest?
ReplyDeleteThanks...love all the recipes I've made so far!
This is pretty spicy so I would use just one.
ReplyDeleteThis was delicious! Thank you, Gina, for "spicing up my life" with new WW recipes. You rock!
ReplyDeleteI would love to try this recipe but I don't eat pork. Would you be able to modify it for chicken?
ReplyDeleteYou could try it with chicken, I think it would work.
ReplyDeleteJust made this tonight and as someone who LOVES Chipotle, I have to say, this is better than chipotle's carnitas!! Sooo flavorful. My 3yr old ate it up too :). Thanks for another successful recipe!
ReplyDeleteI can't wait to try this recipe! I love Carnitas....In the past when I've done slow cooker Carnitas I've added a little bit of cinnamon (1/4 tsp) to the rub. You wouldn't think that would be good on pork, but it always turns out so yummy!
ReplyDeleteThis was glorious! This recipe has definitely been added to the keeper file!
ReplyDeleteGina, I made 2 mistakes with the pork. First, I bought a bone-in, and second, it's a picnic roast! Exactly what you said NOT to get, ugh. I cut off so much fat....I hope that helps to make it leaner. Since it's bone-in at about 3.3lbs, how much longer do you think I should cook it? Thanks!
ReplyDeleteI make these using salsa verde and slices of oranges instead of adobo chiles. It's such a hit that we'll be making it for our wedding in the spring.
ReplyDeleteDELISH! My family gobbled it up... Made your cilantro rice as well. Killer. I used some chipotle powder instead of whole chili's, kids can't handle the heat yet, and it had a nice bite without being too spicy. Will definitely make again, and again, and again!
ReplyDeleteThis was dinner on Tuesday. It was AWESOME!! Prepared it the night before and took about 15 minutes, my husband got it going the next morning. He made a tomato/avocado "salad" and we had cilantro/lime rice. You do NOT need any tortillas. This was an easy quick meal for a working family!
ReplyDeleteI almost always change a recipe some to adjust for our taste we like it spicy, i used more of the adobo chiles you suggested otherwise left as called for this has me obsessed! Very addicted oh maybe that was the beer I marinated it in! I have been using your site for my DH program we both love your recipes. I just happened to stumble upon this I'm spreading the word!
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ReplyDeleteI made this yesterday and served with small, corn tortillas and paired with your Southwestern Black Bean Salad. So very, very good. My husband was a little skeptical because before shredding and letting cook in the juices, it just tasted like pork. I shredded and let cook for the last hour and it was glorious when finished. I had the full fat version of carnitas the day before at lunch and enjoyed these SO much more!
ReplyDeleteA. Maz. Ing. This recipe made my first try ever at Carnitas a major success!
ReplyDeleteMade these yesterday, and they were delicious! We chopped some pineapple, and put it on top - great addition!
ReplyDeleteGina - I am having people over for dinner Thurs. and making this with the cuban black beans and rice. The only thing I'm having trouble finding is the dry adobo seasoning. What can I substitute for this? Sorry if this question was already asked...I just skimmed the comments and didn't see it asked. Love your site - thank you!!
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely amazing Gina! I made this for my brother and his fiance and they said it is the best pork they've ever had! I couldn't find any dry adobo so I made my own - courtesy of I Like To Eat's comment above - "It's 3 parts salt, 3 parts garlic powder, 2 parts dry oregano, 1 part black pepper, 1 part turmeric and 1 part onion powder. If you're lucky enough to find Mexican oregano, use it...it's sweeter than Italian and has a really unique flavor, but Italian will be just fine for this". I also added a little cinnamon like someone above suggested....AMAZING!!!!!
ReplyDeleteHi Gina- I have a few questions regarding the chiles in adobo sauce. I have never used them before. Are they whole peppers in the can? Should I chop them before adding to the crockpot? Or do you shred them with the pork after it is cooked? Do you add some of the sauce too, or just the peppers? I plan to make these next week and can't wait! Thank you so much! ~Amy
ReplyDeleteI'm really glad you all liked this, reading your comments makes me think it's time to make this again!
ReplyDeleteChipotle peppers are very hot, so add to your taste, I add some of the liquid too. You can chop it up if you want. Enjoy!
Made this yesterday with a boneless pork loin roast. YUM Served it in whole wheat tortillas with a salsa of tomatoes and avocado tossed in lime juice and a little FF sour cream. DH was impressed. I did not get to the store until noon, so I cooked it on HIGH for 4+ hours, and it was great.
ReplyDeleteIs using 2 chipotle peppers going to make it fairly spicy? My family does not like much spice, and am wondering if I should only use one, or if 2 would be okay. (I don't like spice, but I don't eat meat so I can't test to gauge it! Wish I did because this looks delicious!)
ReplyDeleteWhat's the best way to reheat leftovers?
ReplyDeleteJust made these for the first time and WOW!!! Soooooo delicious!
ReplyDeleteHi. Could this be cooked in the crockpot on high for a shorter amount of time? Thanks,
ReplyDeleteAnnette
You could probably cook it on high for 6 hours instead. Maybe less but not too sure.
ReplyDeleteDELICIOUS. I made this for guests this weekend and we couldn't stop eating it! I used a pork loin roast and was worried it wouldn't shred, but when I tried lifting it out of the crockpot when it was done cooking, it practically shredded itself! Fell apart as soon as I touched it. The one thing I would suggest is to go light on the salt when browning the pork because the adobo seasoning already has salt in it. Mine came out a touch saltier than I would've liked. Thanks for an awesome recipe Gina!
ReplyDeleteI just recently discovered you website and this dish last night. All I can say is "WOW - SUPER GOOD" I did used more chipotle peppers only because they smelt so good when I opened the can I couldn't resist. I can't wait to try more of your recipes. Thanks for all your hard work, you have simplified mine. :-)
ReplyDeleteI made this last night for a friend for her birthday with the cilantro lime rice. I am a HUGE fan of the Chipotle Burrito Bowls and they have just met their match! This was so easy to make and I have nevr had pork with so much flavor! The avocados at my grocery store didn't look so great, but I cut up red peppers, tomatillos, green onions and additional fresh cilantro, put that over the pork and rice with a couple scoops of salsa and a tsp of sour cream and it was heaven in a bowl! I woke up this morning thinking about it! I couldn't wait for lunch time to have leftovers! This is the first recipe I have tried from this site, and if this is a sign of things to come, hallelujah!
ReplyDeleteThis recipe is fantastic., def. will be making this again, and the smell of my house was wonderful, i can't believe how easy it is and all the different ways you can eat this........thanks!!!!
ReplyDeleteThis was a fabulous recipe!!!!!!!! Simple and spicy, just the way I like it :)
ReplyDeleteO.M.G. This was AMAZING!!! I haven't had carnitas this good since we were in San Diego two summers ago...we had to keep ourselves to just two each and my fiance' said that prior to WW, he would have eaten 4 or 5 lol...thanks and keep them coming :) BTW, we like spice and did the whole can of Chipotles...just great!
ReplyDeleteI made this today for dinner tonight with your Chipotle cilantro lime rice and it was fantastic! Chipotle burrito bowls better watch out. The pork was a little dry, but I think my crock pot runs hot; I think next time I would cook it 6-7 hours on low. Otherwise, I added 2 oz. chopped hot green chiles to the broth, because I needed to use them up. And I used dry chipotle seasoning instead of the adobo, because I couldn't find it at Whole Foods. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteThis was delicious! I preped it the night before as suggested, stuck it in the fridge and plugged it in the next day. Couldn't have been more simple. My husband loved them, stated "this pork is awesome". We made buritto bowls with Gina's recipe for chiolte cilantro lime rice (also a winner), and various toppings. Lots of leftovers, so looking forward to taco's later. I think this would be great for a crowd, as a taco bar, or build your own buritto bowl. Especially when most of the work can be done the night before. Definitely will be making this again soon. Glad I came accross this site, excited to try out some other recipes.
ReplyDeleteHave you frozen this or made it a few days in advance and refrigerated it? Or do your leftovers still taste good? I want to make it for my daughter's birthday party (we're doing a taco bar), but it is lunchtime so I would have to make it in advance, and for my sanity, at least 2 days in advance would be preferable...
ReplyDeleteHi,
ReplyDeleteHow many tsps of the adobo would you suggest for about 2.5 lbs of pork? I am concerned with the sodium amount but don't want it to be tasteless either. Also, would salt be necessary since it the adobo seasoning already has salt?
thanks!
Taking the whole family for a camping trip in the RV this weekend and this will be the saturday meal. I plan to add some sliced onion, and diced green chilis along with the chipotle in adobo to the pot. The other thing I will be changing is instead of broth, I will use Mexican beer. I'll let you know how it goes with 6&7 year old picky boys, two 9 year old girls and a very not picky husband. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteWe made this for dinner Monday and have had the leftovers twice this week. The first night we had them wrapped in tortillas. For the second and third meal I made brown rice and used 2/3 cup of brown rice (4P+) for the base, then 1/2 cup of the carnita's (4P+) then on top I added 1/4 cup of Gina's Quick and Delicioso Cuban Style Black Beans (1.5P+) for a total of 9.5 points plus. Was really good, both DH and I loved it. For an additional 1 point you could top them with 1/2 c. green peas which adds a nice sweetness to the dish. We will be doing this over and over again. It is a bit of a high point dinner (10.5p+ total) but if you find you have the points it is certainly worth it.
ReplyDeletei have never eaten that before , it sure looks good...
ReplyDeleteOMG! This is the best recipe I have ever gotten off the internet! The house smelled awesome all day, but the flavor was amazing!!
ReplyDeleteA little warning about Pork Butts and shoulder for the past year or so all the large cuts of pork have been packaged with a saline solution so double check the package and make sure no saline added otherwise you will end up with a really salty final product !!!
ReplyDeleteI made this today along with the corn salsa, guacamole,cilantro lime rice and the brown rice horchata. I am so excited for my friends to come over for dinner because ALL of this food is absolutely amazing!!! Thank you so much for this site and I look forward to trying many, many more of your recipes!
ReplyDeleteJust got done eating this, absolutely delicious! Thanks so much.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely delicious! I live in Tampa FL where this is a Spanish or Cuban restaurant on just about every corner. This is better than any I've had in the restaurants and so easy to make. Thank you!! :D
ReplyDeleteI made this tonight and it was seriously amazing. I ran out of time so I cooked mine on high for 3.5 hours, shredded it and cooked in the juice for another 1 hour. Its definitely got a kick to it with the peppers.
ReplyDeleteI served with avocado and cilantro (as pictured) and also carmelized onions...so good.
Mmmm I made these last week an they were soooooooooooo good- I can't wait to make them again! Every recipe I have tried of your always come out delicious- I'm so glad I found ur blog <3 btw if ur interested in hair an makeup I have a blog too at http://chelliglammelon.blogspot.com/ Check it out :) maybe we can be blogger buddies lol anyways I hope ur having a lovely day an keep up the Awesome work- U go girl :D ttyl
ReplyDeleteI made this today for my husband and cousin. Conversation stopped...all I heard were audible moans! After they licked the crock pot cleaned they asked if we could make it for our Super Bowl Party. A success as are all your recipes!!! Hurry up with that cook book! You are a super star. Thanks!!!!
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